Text A
Why Worry About Ethics?
Сorruption can destroy the efficient functioning of any society and
diminish the ability of the Customs Service to accomplish its mission. A
corrupt Customs Service will not deliver the revenue that is properly due to the
state; it will not be efficient in the fight against illicit trafficking and will
obstruct the growth of legitimate international trade and hinder economic
development.
Customs has important public responsibilities and must demonstrate high
ethical standards to inspire public confidence in the integrity of the service. The
community has a right to expect that the behaviour of Customs staff will be in line
with their expectations - that is courteous, efficient and above all, ethical.
Ethics deals with the fundamental issues of practical decision-making, and its
major concerns include the nature of ultimate value and the standards by which
human actions can be judged right or wrong. Ethics is a set of principles which
determines standards of personal and professional behaviour. It is not just
obeying the law, or sticking to rules and regulations; ethics goes beyond the law to
include the way of making and justifying decisions when it is not completely clear
what is the right or wrong thing to do.
While there is no set of rules capable of providing answers to all ethical
questions which arise, a code of conduct may serve as a guide to solving issues for
those working in Customs, and those who have dealings with officers of Customs.
In many countries it provides the framework for appropriate conduct in a variety
of contexts and establishes standards of behaviour expected of Customs
officers. "The Code of Ethics and Conduct Booklet" developed by the Australian
Customs Service emphasizes the following issues:
"...Personal Behaviour. Customs officers are to:
perform official duties with skills, care, diligence and impartiality,
using authority in a fair and unbiased way;
observe acts, regulations, instructions and lawful directions;
provide the public with service in a professional manner;
not take improper advantage of any official information acquired in the
course of official duties..."
"Criminal offences. All officers of Customs must comply with the law.
Breaches of criminal law will lead to prosecution and / or disciplinary action...
Offences relating to legislation which Customs administers are regarded most
gravely when committed by Customs officers. Customs officers who commit
offences involving prohibited drugs, fraud, accepting bribes, or illegal
importation or exportation of goods will be subject to disciplinary action, in
addition to any penalty applied as a result of criminal proceedings..."
"Gifts or Benefits. The offering of gifts and / or benefits may be seen as an
attempt to influence a decision which an officer is required to take. ..."
The Customs Service has no right to public recognition or trust if its staff
break the law habitually. Maintaining an environment that encourages ethical
behaviour among all Customs staff must be a high priority for each officer.
Customs authorities need to promote a culture which includes such values as
honesty, fairness, accountability, professionalism and integrity.
The CCC's Arusha Declaration defines integrity as a science concerning
discipline, professional ethics, courtesy, personal integrity and strictness.
It is important that Customs officials establish a code of conduct involving
rewards and punishments which should lead to self-discipline and that all staff
demonstrate an exemplary level of personal ethics to project an image of Customs
that is above reproach.(3000 symbols)
11.2.1 Are the following words positive (+) or negative (-)?
to accomplish
illicit
breaches
to obstruct
to hinder
courteous diligence
unbiased impartiality
to obey
to comply with
corrupt
fair
bribes
accountability
to justify
improper reproach
11.2.2 Choose the verbs from the box that collocate with the following
nouns.
deliver, win, adopt, settle, face, betray, generate, pay, solve, obey, tackle,
impose, enforce, shake, produce, inspire, rescind, violate, collect, to be
subject to
1) _____ revenue 2) _____ law 3) _____ issue
4) ______ confidence 5) _____ penalty
11.2.3 Make up sentences matching up the two halves:
1 Corruption
2 Ethics
a. who commit offences involving
prohibited drugs, fraud, accepting bribes,
or illegal importation or exportation of
goods will be subject to disciplinary
action.
3 Customs officers
4 The Arusha Declaration
5 The community…
6 A code of conduct...
7 Offences ...
8 A corrupt Customs
Service…
b. has the right to expect that the
behaviour of Customs staff will be in line
with their expectations.
c. are regarded most gravely when
committed by Customs officers.
d. can destroy the efficient functioning of
any society.
e. will not be efficient in the fight against
illicit trafficking.
f. defines integrity as a science
concerning discipline,
professional ethics, courtesy, personal
integrity and strictness.
g. is a set of principles which
determines standards of personal and
professional behaviour.
h. provides the framework for
appropriate conduct in a variety of
contexts and establishes standards
of behaviour expected of Customs
officers.
11.2.4 Group the following words and phrases into 3 families:
revenue
behaviour
breaches
courteous
offences
framework
fraud regulations
penalty prohibited drugs
to judge to justify
a set of principles disciplinary action
to obey trafficking
to comply with punishment
A code of conduct
Customs Responsibilities
Law
Дата: 2016-09-30, просмотров: 246.
