THE shelving of anti-corruption related Bills should come as no surprise. It was expected all along. Many have suspected all along that support for these important bills would fizzle out as the days wore on.

It happened this week.

True it is a sad indictment on the government. But it is also equally true that perhaps shelving these proposed pieces of legislations is the right thing to do. In saying this, this newspaper does not condone corruption. No. This rag (newspaper) is against corruption in all its forms and indeed those who encourage it.

Corruption robs a large number of ordinary people of what they are rightly entitled to by encouraging the concentration of wealth within the same circle of people over and over again.

As a result, an imbalance springs up fuelling the growth, creating a huge divide between the “haves” and the “have nots” in society. Victims of corruption end up having to steal in order to survive.

It is a sad picture.

Here is why this newspaper says shelving the proposed anti-corruption legislations is probably a better option. This country simply does not have the resources to fight corruption.

Our police, once amongst the envy of the Pacific, are yet to draw a line between the wantok system and official duties. It is public knowledge that many are just as vulnerable as anyone when it comes to money.

And that is the answer: MONEY

Money is what makes the people who drive corruption tick. Money is what drives the industry. Money is the important tool that drives field agents of corruption to extend their activities beyond existing boundaries.

And money is what the government and anti-corruption campaigners need in order to stay on top of corruption.

Unless the government of the day is prepared to fork out more money in helping police to fight corruption, the anti-corruption battle has barely begun.

Shelving the Bills gives the nation and tireless anti-corruption campaigners the opportunity to be better prepared when the opportune time comes along.

Then and only then can our words are supported by action(s) and tangible evidence for people to see.

Doing nothing except talking will produce the same or similar results we have now been accustomed to over the past two years.

Others have argued that there really isn’t any corruption in this country at all. Even there is, the level of corruption is negligible compared to the level of corruption in other countries.

That may be so. But we need to start somewhere, except that we lack the will and resources to mount a credible battle against corruption.