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Transparency- one-off or a policy?
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Transparency- one-off or a policy?
What a relief it was when it was announced on Thursday last that all the Independent Power Producers ( IPP) agreements with the Central Electricity Board ( CEB) were to be available to the public. This was trumpeted as a decision of the Prime Minister who wishes to act on the basis of transparency and openness. Glowing tributes were paid by his vassals to his vision and farsightedness about this opening up of records that were kept shrouded. At last, the public will have access to something that should never have been kept hidden.
Since the mood in Government is to be transparent, then there is urgency in ensuring parity of treatment to the Neotown records, the Jinfei agreement and the national identity card contract with Singapore. Let us not be given puerile reasons that there can be no disclosure since the other parties to the contract are unwilling to release to the public what belongs in the public domain. As long as a contract will be funded by public funds, it is unthinkable that a Government should hide behind lame excuses in order to keep under wraps what should be open to public scrutiny. The public will be reassured that its money is being spent wisely when it knows all the details of any transaction.
Any attempt by the authorities to keep secret or confidential anything which involves public funds gives rise to suspicion and provides fertile ground for corrupts deals.
Recently, Canada has taken measures to criminalise the acts of any Canadian business man/ woman or citizen who offers a bribe to any foreign national in respect of any public procurement contract. It is known that the multinationals are adept at obtaining contracts from foreign Governments through opaque means.
Some cases against persons close to African Heads of State before the Courts in France demonstrate the extent of the evil that corruption wreaks. The Canadian initiative is in line with what the USA has been practicing for numerous years. The USA is a country with many weaknesses, but it also has tremendous strengths and one of the latter is the ability to ensure that there is a policy of zero tolerance for unorthodox business practices.
The decision regarding the IPPs is welcome and the Energy Commission must be thanked for having worked for this development. Now the work must be on for getting the Government to open up all the fi les and agreements on all public procurements. Jinfei, Mangalore, SICOM and Gooljaury, Neotown, AirCoffee and so many other agreements have been reached behind closed doors. The time has come to open up and then only can the vassals and hangers on be justified in singing the praises of the Prime Minister as a man who believes in transparency. This must be the beginning and, if the IPPs saga has been possible by an Energy Commission – so aptly termed, then Mauritius can still hope that something great is about to happen. A Freedom of Information Act with wide access to anything contained in public files is the way to start.
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