Huguette Labelle, the Chair of the Berlin-based Transparency International was born in 1939 in

Ontario province of Canada. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education & is a Companion of
the Order of Canada. She has been awarded honorary degrees from twelve Canadian
Universities and has served for a period of nineteen years as Deputy Minister of different
Canadian Government departments including Secretary of State, Transport Canada, the Public
Service Commission and the Canadian International Development Agency. She has served on
more than 20 Boards. This interview was taken by the daily Prothom Alo correspondents
Mashiul Alam and Iftekhar Mahmud on 30 April while she was in Dhaka to attend the
international launch of Global Corruption Report: Climate Change of Transparency International.

Prothom Alo (PA): You have presented the GCR: Climate Change indicating possibilities of
corruption in the climate fund even before the fund is released. Do you have any specific
suggestions in this regard?

Huguette Labelle (HL): Combating climate change is different. This is something very special as it
involves human life and livelihood. Rich countries have committed for the fund and our concern is
that this is not misused. We underscore the necessity of ensuring transparency and accountability
of the fund and try to ensure that benefits go to the people. Our advice focuses on keeping the
management free from corruption.

PA: How the implementation of the recommendations can be ensured?

HL: We should look into the projects that have been identified for implementation. This is
important that we take into consideration the entrepreneurs of these projects, their experiences,
money that has been invested and how the expenses made. For example, projects involved in
huge procurements and constructions are more prone to corruption. So, climate fund actors
should assign skilled professionals so that they can observe and evaluate the process neutrally and
independently. Government should be careful so that opportunists can t put their hands on these
funds. Government should monitor if there are adequate laws and they are being properly
implemented. Civil society should also participate in monitoring which will reduce the corruption
opportunities.

PA: TI works all over the world on corruption issues. Do you find corruption is related to only
financial matters? Many issues, even cultural, contribute to corruption, do you think one single
model can be a solution for preventing corruption in every country?

HL: I am not willing to accept corruption as a cultural issue. It has different types, like petty or
grand corruption. If a government declares war against corruption but practically does nothing to
stop corruption then corruption can t be reduced. The most important for preventing corruption is
political will and commitment. And these commitments should be turned into actions. The most
important is to keep public offices free of corruption and take necessary steps to ensure
transparency and accountability in the procurement and construction sectors. Executives in these
sectors shall not be under political pressure. Government shall not try to control them. Many
would argue that this would not be possible to achieve overnight but I strongly believe this can be
done. And if there is a political commitment corruption can surely be reduced.
PA: Do you have any example of reducing corruption at a quick time span?

HL: Recently Chile and Botswana have reduced corruption in a remarkable by adopting some
strategies. Governments there moved very strongly against corruption, especially in Chili, they
have been applying many innovative strategies for the last 15 years. Government has established
one independent panel of specialists and ministries are following and implementing their
recommendations. Authorities can now work freely while implementing these recommendations.
Chile s customs department had a very bad reputation which they have been able to overcome.

PA: All over the world, 44 fuel companies are mostly responsible for global warming. These
companies are not coming forward to compensate the affected countries. Moreover, they are
assigning lobbyists for bagging tax benefits and other advantages. Recently TI has raised questions
about their corruptions. Would you please explain a little about this?

HL: Yes, few months ago we have published one report on 44 national and multinational oil
companies all over the world. Our focus was to see if these companies were paying taxes properly,
whether they provided proper information about ownership, production & profit-loss. Many
countries collect more than 40 percent of their national revenue income from these oil
companies. So, we demanded this information should be disclosed for the greater interest of the
people. TI hopes to work more on this issue.

PA: These companies have enough power and money to engage lobbyists and manage
governments. Do you feel TI would be able to compete with them?

HL: We are demanding to publish names of these oil company appointed lobbyists. Many of these
companies are enjoying tax exemptions. People have the right to know who they are and how or
why they are getting these privileges. At the same time people should know why the same
benefits are not offered to the renewable power sectors.

PA: Like these oil companies, we are also struggling to get compensations from the rich countries.
Millions have been permanently evicted from the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Drinking water
situation is worsening. Industrialized countries and international donors are reluctant to assist the
sufferers and the question of paying compensation is often overlooked. How do you interpret
this?

HL: We have published the global report covering these issues like safe water, forest. Also we are
observing the distressed people and the assistance in the climate change issues. We shall express
our views through more research and reports in future.

PA: TI has published a global report on 30 April where stealing of huge amount of wood has been
reported, forest preservation has been recommended instead of targeting more revenue from the
Sundarbans. Truly, TI has recommended for carbon trade by the Sundarbans, but very recently the
environment activist organization Green has published another report criticizing carbon trade,
they have warned that carbon trade will increase corruption among developing countries, how do
you explain this?
HL: European Union is paying against the carbon trade and India is moving for receiving money
from this fund. Similarly, the complaint raised against this is true. Taking this into consideration, TI
is giving more importance to transparency and accountability of this fund.

PA: How do you evaluate the anticorruption activities in Bangladesh?

HL: Well, if Bangladesh really wants to reduce corruption they should empower the anti-
corruption commission to investigate and frame charges against corrupts. Adequate resources and
manpower should be given to them. Forming laws is not a solution. ACC should have the power to
exercise that.

PA: Some time it becomes very important to whom the executive power has been handed over,
and even some times adequate manpower becomes a big issue even after having power and
resources.

HL: Leadership is also an issue beside law, organization and resources for anticorruption
movement. The commission may fail even when all supports are provided to it because of the
leadership issue. The government must have political commitment and courage. Leadership of
Chile and Botswana can be cited here, leaders were politically committed there. They made the
judiciary independent and strengthened them. Central government, administration, local
government peoples participation should be ensured everywhere.

PA: Recent Wikileaks reports money laundering cases all over the world through Swiss banks, how
TI reflects on that?

HL: Already we have raised the issue with G-20 forum. Banks are not providing information and
money laundering has become a big problem. For example, if one very small country has a
population of 70,000 but then its banks have 300,000 accounts then audits may take place to
investigate if the accounts are of the politicians, leaders or public administrators. Ben Ali of Tunisia
and Mubarak of Egypt have huge deposits in the rich country s banks. Their accounts should be
closed and legal actions should be taken against them. If that is not done they will return back to
politics after some days. Rulers of these poor countries stealing peoples money through
corruption should be punished. Corruption cannot be prevented unless we take actions.

PA: thank you for giving us the interview.

HL: Thank you.