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Safeguarding public property

The Program for the Protection of Public Property (PPP) of the Institute of Human Rights (IHR) has made several noteworthy recommendations to create greater public awareness on the need to protect public property and to strengthen public property.

The first recommendation is to constitute the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) of Parliament with members who are conversant with public accounting and public administration. This would enable the committees to function independently without relying on administrators. It would prevent or minimize the chances of errant officials misleading Committee members.

Among the checks and balances proposed by the PPP is the proposal that a member of the Opposition should chair both committees.

The PPP has also urged that Secretaries of Ministries and Heads of Departments should have adequate administrative experience, knowledge and background.

Of equal importance is the recommendation that the public should have access to the deliberations of the Committees. For this purpose, it proposes the publication of the Committees as Sessional Papers.

In order to maintain the independence of the Committees and to prevent the interference by high officials it is recommended that these Committees should have the power to make use of independent experts in case of necessity.

These recommendations should receive the urgent attention of the authorities.

Unfortunately, many in our country abuse public property. First among them are the politicians. They sometimes behave as if they own public property. At election time, such abuse takes serious proportions.

The misuse of public property including the use of movable and immovable state property for electioneering not only violates election laws but also affects the conduct of a free and fair poll. Numerous instances were recorded in the past when state vehicles and employees were used to commit election offences of a violent nature.

Politicians are not the sole culprits. Senior administrators are also not free of guilt.

Many instances in which they have abused public property are common knowledge. The example set by leaders is so bad that the rank and file in the public service too abuse public property in their own ways. This leads to rampant corruption and waste.

What is needed is a new culture to protect public property. Legislation alone will not suffice.

Awareness campaigns, education programs and other non-coercive ways too must be made use of to instill a respect for public property among the populace and among the public servants and politicians in particular.

• Editorial of  The Observer - Opposition jitters 13.12.2001:
  

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