INDEPENDENT MEDIA

Media for Transparent Governance

Editors session -6

Editors' task force meeting was held on 29 November 2004 and 11 participants attended.

Guests:
M. Narantuya, Street law NGO
B.Mashbadrakh, Association of public health
D.Galbaatar, UN Biodiversity project

M. Narantuya;
Corruption in education is abuse of equal rights to education and quality. Corruption is visible in decision- making processes of planning, management and activities. Factors that influence are organizational, socio-political, cultural and economic.

Corruption can appear in:

- Information system
- Building new schools
- Appointments, employment of teachers (favoritism, nepotism, bribery)
- Issuing diplomas and licenses
- Procurement (techniques, textbooks)
- Teachers' behavior
- Special benefits
- Exams, diploma works

The primary priority is teachers' ethics in the education.

B.Mashbadrakh, Association of public health
Health sector has the similar to education problems. Corruption is high in policy-making and implementation processes. We need to conduct corruption surveys in the field. For example, the Government calls tender for medicines. If look at rules and procedures, it seems everything is fair If carefully review the details it creates condition for serious corruption. Just very simple practice at hospitals is that patient was told no beds but if you pay 40,000MNT the bed appears from somewhere. Usually there long lines to see a doctor and nurse says if the patient pays for her lunch she can organize free queue service. Changing people's mentality is very important. There are no professional standards and job requirements (profiles) for the leading positions at hospitals. If you want to be a head of the hospital, you should be a member of party or you have be a part of groups with interests. In this case the leader is not bale control others.

Media is powerful in combating corruption but our journalists do not write about corruption. Journalists should be informed and educated. They should use as many information sources as possible.

D.Galbaatar, UN Biodiversity project
If Mongolia wants to be developed, we should fight corruption. This is the first and primary goal. In Mongolia people become politicians because they want to rich. When person becomes a leader he forms his team. Corruption begins in such way. Anybody in the team is not able to speak out or criticize the boss so it creates favorable condition for flourishing corruption.

People think environment is an easy field. Indeed, it is not and it includes many sciences. If leaders are professionals in the field, the decisions can be right and fair. Non-professionals often make big mistakes. Only example, there is so called wild white mouse and it is part of ecosystem that regulates its death and raise. Mongolia fights against mouse over 40 years and statistics said Mongolia has spent 800 mln. MNT for destroying (killing) the mouse since 2000 and as results of the measure many animals have been died. Many professionals say it is wrong but no results because it is corrupted network of purchasing and procurement of poison.

Another corrupted area is issuing of all types of licenses: land in protected areas, hunting, selling highly expensive animals and plants, usage of forest, cutting trees and mineral resources and mining business. Corruption is at all the stages and processes.

Issues raised:
- Good surveys and studies on corruption in every social sphere are urgent need
- Public discussion and debates are important and journalists should moderate it
- Journalists should focus on political appointment. It will be met a big resistance but it will disclose a lot of hidden things
- Journalists should cooperate with professionals and civil society groups
- Journalists should write about license obtaining rules and processes
- Ethics is the most crucial issues in every field and it must be top priority

Next meeting will be organized on 2 December 2004 and task force is meeting Mrs., Violeda Umali, and associate professor of School of communication from Philippine

Name of participants

Name Position
1. D.Damdinjav Odriin sonin
2. G.Munkhnasan Mongolian National Radio
3. M. Narantuya Street law NGO
4. B.Mashbadrakh Association of public health
5. D.Galbaatar UN Biodiversity project
6. B.Batbyamba Zorig foundation
7. H.Naranjargal Globe International
8. S.Bayaraa Zorig foundation
9. M.Naranmandah Globe International
10. D.Munkhburen Globe International
11. J.Enkhjargal Globe International