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| ISLAND OF INTEGRITY PROJECT PROPOSAL to ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY |
TOPLUMSAL SAYDAMLIK HAREKETİ DERNEĞİ
GOVERNMENT UNDER THE SUNSHINE
TRANSPARENT-EFFECTIVE
AND INTEGRITY
MUNICIPAL MODEL
TSHD + ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY
ISLAND OF INTEGRITY
2003
Prepared by TSHD Member
Shirley Kurtuluş
TOPLUMSAL SAYDAMLIK HAREKETİ DERNEĞİ
GOVERNMENT UNDER THE SUNSHINE
TRANSPARENT-EFFECTIVE
AND INTEGRITY
MUNICIPAL MODEL
TSHD + ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY
ISLAND OF INTEGRITY
2003
The
proper management of Local Administration in
accordance with principles of a clean society and government
under the sunshine can be an important factor in reducing the problems of
corruption in Turkey. Claims about
such corruption especially in the areas of municipal procurement, hiring, city
planning and building code control can only be effectively countered by
implementing integrity codes.
TSHD has created a model aimed at promoting these
aims under the slogan “Island of Integrity” and has wanted to develop a
campaign to implement it for some
time. An Island of Integrity
represents an island which has succeeded in cleaning itself although it is in a
sea of corruption, and holding up this example to the public and other
municipalities.
This proposal was presented to Şişli Mayor
Mustafa Sarıgül in a meeting to discuss possible areas of cooperation.
Since the Mayor showed his interested in this idea, we have prepared the
following introductory report.
By deciding to be a pioneer in such a project,
Şişli, undoubtedly one of Turkey’s largest municipalities, holds up a light
of hope that the desire for clean municipality governance and clean society can
be reached.
This Island of Integrity model is an important
activity in a project package which TSHD has recently submitted for support to
the European Union. The activity
contains the following factors:
-
Create
a Municipality Integrity and Anti-corruption Center together with a municipality
-
Determine
the main areas of corruption and solutions
-
Determine
and implement Codes of Ethics, separately for elected officials and for
hired personnel
-
Prepare
a Municipality Integrity Guidebook and explain and distribute
it to municipal officials and the public
-
Conduct
working sessions and conferences to promote and explain the issues
-
Conduct
a press conference to introduce the model and have a campaign to get the
attention of the public and increase awareness
Mayor
Sarıgül stressed that it is just as important for the model to promote
effectiveness and ease of implementation as it is for it to promote cleaniness,
transparency and integrity. The
model should not slow down the ability of municipalities to provide prompt,
effective service or increase the
bureaucracy involved.
CREATING THE ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY
AS A MODEL OF TRANSPARENCY- EFFECTIVENESS AND INTEGRITY IN MUNICIPAL
ADMINISTRATION
A. PROPOSED MODEL:
TSHD
+ ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND
OF INTEGRITY MODEL
ŞİŞLİ
BELEDİYESİ INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMNS
Explanation of the Şişli Municipality System Columns :
At first 8 columns have been identified, but during development meetings, this
number and names can change.
Separate codes for elected officials and hired employees. They must be accepted at the acceptance of the position and read and reaffirmed with a signature from time to time (yearly)
Assets must be declared at acceptance of the position and updated
periodically; when the official leaves the position, declaration of
assets must
be periodically updated for a specific length of time also
There must be a rule about prohibited employment for at least three years
after
leaving the position
A control mechanism must be developed for checking declarations of
assets,
compaints, and an audit mechanism must be strengthened
2. Procurement
Rules and Actual Implementation
Problems / Solutions
3. Accountability
Periodic
reporting to the public and Public Audit organs, determine the
amount
of detail to be reported, how should information be presented, show
the
information in the web site
This is a serious lack in
Turkish political system; examine examples of good
practices of other countries
5. Hiring
Rules, Implementations
6. Access to Information
How much, how
Canada examples
Related to earthquakes The
model that the Şişli Municipality + TSHD
develop on this issue can be an
example for other municipalities in earthquake
zones (San Francisco example)
Şişli
Municipality System “ Citizens Seeking Their Rights”
Minor complaint mechanism
Major corruption “Whistleblowing”
B. Develop a Local
Government Integrity System Model with Şişli
Municipality as a Clean Example for all municipalities in Turkey
ACTIVITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODEL
·
Wide Conference to
introduce the Project “Island of Integrity”
·
Get support from
national and international entities
-
for project financing
-
for technical and advisory support
·
Şişli
Municipality + TSHD establish a “Local Government Integrity Center” in TSHD
Building
·
Workshops for -
key Şişli
Municipality managers
- various other municipality
leaders
- Marmara Municipalities Chamber
- Interior Ministry
·
Develop, print,
distribute and publicize a “Local Government
Integrity System Handbook”
- Pillars of the System
- Identify main problems and
develop solutions
- Code of Ethics for -
elected officials
- municipality employees
·
Involve University
Senior Class Students in developing Code of Ethics
·
Move to the
Implementation Phase
·
Hold a Şişli Municipality
Transparency Week
- contests for students at all education levels
- conference/panel
- press conference and publicize developments
·
Transparent Reporting on
“Island of Integrity” developments
·
Conference and press conferences
to publicize results
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#1
Codes of Ethics
Separately prepared for Elected Officials and Hired Personnel
*
TSHS Recommended Draft Şişli Municipality Code of Ethics
*
European Union Guidelines “Codes of Conduct for Public Officials-
Recommendations”
*
International City/County Management Association ICMA
Code of Ethics
Recommendatıons
*
City of Chicago “Governmental Ethics Ordinance”
*
Local Government Management Association of British Columbia, Canada
LGMA of
BC
*
City of Edgewood, Washington State “Code of Ethics” and “Revised
Code of
Washington Section 42.23”
* University of Alaska honors students + Anchorage Municipality, Alaska
together revised the City Codes of Ethics
*
Miami Dade County “Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance in Plain
Language”
*
State of Washington, “Code of Ethics for Local Government Officials and
Employees”
*
Illinois Institute of Technology (ITT) University, Center for the Study
of Ethics in
the Professions, Source List
of Ethics Codes of professional bodies, government
entities, companies, and others (click on each one)
*
Transparency Ethics Course on the Internet
*
IMF Staff Ethics and Financial Disclosure Rules
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#2
Procurement
*
TI “Transparency in Public
Procurement”
10 areas where work is progressing
*
TI “Integrity Pact:
Concept, Model and Present Applications: Status Report as of
31.12.2002”
*
TI 9th IACC
“Status Report as of 1.11.1999”
*
TI Nepal + Bhaktapur Municipality
Summary
Oath on Integrity in Procurement
Commitments of Municipality Officials, Employees
Public Notice
Commitment Form for Person/Company
*
TI Greece (documents in English will be requested)
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#3
Accountability
Acountability
is a concept
Accountability
is valid is each area of administration
The World Bank Institute: “Local Integrity Systems and Fiscal Politicaland Functional Decentralization: An Overview to Making Local Government Credible and Effective” by Victor Vergara.
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#4
Financial Reporting
*
Town of Sampleford, Alberta, Canada
Financıal Statements for 2002
(page 5 Income/Expenditures)
*
Alberta, Canada Financial Statements Information
(could not get examples)
*
Surrey (near Vancoover) Canada won
Canadian Award for Financial Reporting
Do something similar in Turkey
*
Bangladesh + World Bank
“Seminar on Local Government Financial Accountability”
(IF World Bank gives money to this Şişli Project, we can do something
similar
and let them speak)
*
Governmental Accounting and Financial Reoprting Conference
Commercial $600 Robert
Freeman (Taxas Tech University) gives 2-day
course in various places in U.S. (9
courses from June to August)
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#5
Personnel Hiring
Nepotism:
hiring relatives
Cronysm:
hiring friends, giving bids to close companies
*
Nevada: Workforce Investment
Act, State Compliance Policies
*
Office of the Attorney General, State of Texas: nepotism
*
MRSC Municipal Research and Service Center of Washington State: Sample
Nepotism Policies in cities
*
Albania Civil Service Act (p.1): IV
Institutional Prerequisites for Anti-corruption
*
Newspaper Article from Farmingdale NJ: city introduces nepotism code
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#6
Freedom of Information
Note: Canada is ahead of
every other country in this subject (the law itself) and
putting information on the internet for use by everyone
*
City of Surrey (near Vancoover), Canada
- Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Policy Manual
- Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, A Brief Guide
*
District (State) of Ontario, Canada
law for all municipalities in Ontario
- Mini-Guide to Ontario Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of
Privacy Act
- Municipal Act
- Regulations under the Act
*
British Columbia, District (State) of Canada
Advice for Local Government (print of index only)
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#7
Building Codes and Control
* San Francisco
: background information in file; write
for anti-corruption
regulations and practices on building inspection
Mayor of San Francisco possible speaker on this issue in Istanbul
Mayor of San Francisco Willie Brown
Department of Building Inspection Director Frank Chiu
*
Chicago : Department of
Buildings, City Hall
Building Commissioner Norma Reyes
*
ICC International Code
Council (building safety)
Director James Lee Witt
*
SEAONC in San
Francisco
Structural Engineers Association of Northern California
ŞİŞLİ MUNICIPALITY ISLAND OF INTEGRITY SYSTEM COLUMN
#8
Effective
Complaint Mechanism
Complaint:
made to the authorities of an administration or work place
Whistleblowing:
exposure of major corruption within an administration to the public
outside
Şişli Municipality Blue Table System
Whistleblowing campaign
in UK: The Public Interest
Disclosure Act 1998
Whistleblowing listing
on internet
GAP
Government Accountability Project an
NGO in the U.S.
Who is a whistleblower
Where and how to file a complaint
Blowing the Whistle Wisely: 12 Survival Strategies
Whistleblowing –
Online Documents
Models of Whistleblower
Protection