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Authorities have to win back trust

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-26 07:53

The housing lot-drawing scam in Wuhan has revealed that corruption is rife in the distribution of economy houses. The incident casts a doubt on the credibility of the Wuhan local authorities, says an article in the Beijing News. Excerpt:

Unfair deals had for long been a problem with the distribution of economy houses. Though the aim of the economy housing scheme is to be help low-income families, illegal deals help the well-off to grab a large percentage of the houses.

That the recent draw of lots threw up "six consecutive numbers" as winners in the housing scheme proves the corruption chain is quite long - it extends from verifying the eligibility of candidates to the drawing of lots.

Since too few economy housing units are available to satisfy the demand of low-income families, candidates use whatever means they can to get one. To make things worse, since prices of economy houses are much lower than market rates, many ineligible people, too, try to grab one. As a result, eligible but honest people who play by the rules don't stand much of a chance.

Economy housing are a social benefit provided and administrated by the government. Hence, the fraud in Wuhan has damaged the credibility and image of the local authorities.

In order to win back public trust, the fraudsters must be punished, corrupt officials dismissed and the entire distribution chain re-examined. If the local authorities try to conceal facts and don't take action, their image in the public will be soiled forever.

(China Daily 06/26/2009 page9)