institutional and even inter-agency oversight has been bypassed But the insufficient capacity to manage risks of corruption also as a result of decisions taken by public officials who have not come stems from the insufficiency of the systems to professionalize up against any checks to their scope of discretionary power. In public management and reduce the high turnover of staff. those cases, the institution has no capacity whatsoever to oppose Executive management, selected on the basis of skills and the source of the corruption. merit, benefits from higher technical skills to understand the challenges of both public management and fraud and corruption Some of the experts interviewed have pointed out that it is important risk management. Furthermore, recruitment systems restricting to increase institutional capacity to identify risks of corruption. In the discretionary powers of the authority to select or dismiss most countries of the region, the notion of risk management has officials and guaranteeing reasonable conditions of stability been introduced to public institutions, and those countries are now promote greater individual freedom and the administration’s in various stages of developing risk management. Furthermore, greater capacity to offset the legitimate objectives of government both Canada and the United States benefit from dynamic and long- by means of controls that ensure the use of legitimate means for standing evolution in that direction. In Latin America, at least Brazil, the implementation of policies respectful of the law. Chile, Colombia, and Mexico now benefit from specific principles and practices to manage risks to integrity and of fraud. According Government institutions can also consolidate their strength by to the study on public integrity in Latin America in connection promoting a culture and mechanisms for responsible whistle- with risk management, including the risk of corruption and fraud, blowing and timely accountability of civil servants and authorities. one of the three most important challenges for the countries in In this aspect, various interviewees provided valuable data on that area is ensuring that administrations take ownership of risk whistleblowing by citizens in the pandemic, but few were able to management. It is the public manager who must identify and provide relevant data on whistleblowing by civil servants in their manage risks, including those involving fraud and corruption. And own institutions to report corruption. Although public officials the best evidence of an adequate understanding and ownership of are qualified informants in cases of corruption because, more risk management is that the information about risk is used by the than citizens, they are knowledgeable about internal operating, administration continuously to take its decisions. decision-making, and oversight mechanisms, the prevailing culture punishes internal whistleblowing and by far most civil But to reach that point, the OECD report identified that Latin servants seem to be held back from whistleblowing for fear of American countries have to overcome three customary obstacles: retaliation. As mentioned, the establishment of real mechanisms (a) lack of knowledge of civil servants in diverse institutions about for reporting corruption and protecting whistleblowing is a task the existence of risk management norms, policies, or guidelines; that, for governments, is still pending. The question remains about (b) a failure to understand risk management processes and their the real possibilities of a subordinate civil servant actually telling usefulness; and (c) a decoupling of those in charge of management his or her superior or even a public authority that certain things and those in charge of identifying and evaluating risks, as if two cannot be done. Except in the United States of America and separate functions were involved. Canada, this is a key task that is still pending in almost all member states parties to the IACAC. The absence of knowledge depends, to a large extent, on the existence of an apt information system to communicate rules Likewise, accountability mechanisms in many Latin American and guidelines for public management and an organizational countries that do not come from an Anglo-Saxon tradition and environment that is suitable for their adoption. The absence culture, involve the attendance of yearly events for the purpose of understanding usually depends on the level of institutional of informing, unilaterally, the population about the government capacities and the training of operational staff and the supervisor. or institutional goals or successes, with scant conditions for The decoupling, in many cases, seems to be associated with the receiving any public feedback or political criticism. Accountability feeling that risk management duties is not one of the obligations is oftentimes viewed as an event instead of a dialogue that would that civil servants must fulfill. All of the above aspects are an make it possible to redirect public management and policies. integral part of any state with respect to its civil servants: due Furthermore, despite notable examples of performance-based information and training about the standards governing them and management, in the public institutions of many countries, the notion what is expected from the performance of their duties, including of accountability towards superiors is not fully understood, which ethical performance, all of which the IACAC has required states constrains efforts to evaluate performance and responsibility. parties to commit to and that governments have promoted in observance of the Lima Commitment. Cultivating a culture of integrity in the civil service in times of crisis 41