EDITORIAL: Keeping Geingob’s vision alive
Today, on the occasion of the commemoration of International Day for Universal Access to Information, we are a tad worried.
Worried that, while President Hage Geingob has generally been receptive to the idea of access to information, many of his lieutenants in government are going to great lengths to keep even the state's impressive triumphs a secret.
In his message for the day, Geingob urged us to harness the power of access to information to promote transparency, accountability and socio-economic development.
If access to information laws had been in place for a longer spell, many tragedies such as the Fishrot plunder would probably never have occurred. The media has been investigating this matter for years, but owing to access restrictions, the crumbs of information they had at the time were insufficient to expose the syndicate and its architects.
Where there is transparency and accountability, national resources will be shared equitably among all children in the proverbial Namibian House.
Although Geingob deserves praise for eventually enacting the Access to Information Bill in December, the subsequent processes for its full implementation have been painfully slow.
Actual implementation of the Act is held up by, among other things, the absence of the Office of the Information Commissioner - which would safeguard and promote the right to access information by the public. Completing this process will cement both our democracy and Geingob’s own legacy.
Worried that, while President Hage Geingob has generally been receptive to the idea of access to information, many of his lieutenants in government are going to great lengths to keep even the state's impressive triumphs a secret.
In his message for the day, Geingob urged us to harness the power of access to information to promote transparency, accountability and socio-economic development.
If access to information laws had been in place for a longer spell, many tragedies such as the Fishrot plunder would probably never have occurred. The media has been investigating this matter for years, but owing to access restrictions, the crumbs of information they had at the time were insufficient to expose the syndicate and its architects.
Where there is transparency and accountability, national resources will be shared equitably among all children in the proverbial Namibian House.
Although Geingob deserves praise for eventually enacting the Access to Information Bill in December, the subsequent processes for its full implementation have been painfully slow.
Actual implementation of the Act is held up by, among other things, the absence of the Office of the Information Commissioner - which would safeguard and promote the right to access information by the public. Completing this process will cement both our democracy and Geingob’s own legacy.
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Namibian Sun
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