To start with, we call on simple definitions first to understand the game playing between transparency and accountability, because being transparent does not mean accountability.
Transparency and Accountability
Transparency often implies openness, communication, and accountability. The lack of these elements may often lead to corruption. Transparency is introduced as a means of holding people accountable and help in fighting corruption. On the other hand, to fight corruption people need to become accountable. In simple terms, people should be hold responsible for any wrong doing as corruption is a crime. Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. The interesting question is how and who will make the state accountable when the state itself is corrupt? Fortunately, when all legitimate mechanism fails because they are under the control of the state apparatus, it is the people who have the power to make the state accountable. This is a global issue, not only in the Seychelles.
The Game of Transparency in the Seychelles
The Game of Transparency in the Seychelles
It is fact that 2.4 Billion dollars have been carefully moved outside Seychelles far ahead of the IMF intervention and the so called declaration of assets. What are the reasons for the delay in declaration of assets? It is evident that only after this money was resting safely overseas that declaration of assets is now taking effect. Unfortunately, this development sound like the ordinary stories of cops and robbers. It seems there is a perfect timing between the two actions. However, even the declaration of assets as an act of transparency is only part of the game. Where is Mr. Accountability? When a manager bankrupts a company or a bank his accountability to the clients can be exercised in many ways, but this did not happen in the Seychelles. Is this correct or not?
How to Address Real Transparency, Accountability and Corruption in the Seychelles
Nation of 22.08.2009 points out that the declaration of assets, for example, is dependent on the fact that any of us who have doubts about the assets of an individual can start off an investigation. This is only one side of the story perhaps nation intentionally wants us to believe or perhaps need help to make the people of Seychelles understand. After all, plurality improves thinking and decision making process. This is the whole point about good media. Many citizens have reasonable doubts about the 2.4 billion dollars. This is fact. We are currently more interested in the undeclared assets or to be more precise we want full explanations about the 2.4 Billion dollars. How was that money generated and who are the power holders of that money? Investigations cannot be triggered off only from declared assets. The main story in fighting corruption is to identify and trace the undeclared assets. This is where the real corruption breeds, at the heart of undeclared assets. There is no sense to think that criminals will reveal and declare all their assets on paper. What do they really do? They hide it, move it around, use different accounts, different names, pass it on to different trusted friends etc. So, we should start off an investigation. Good media should professionally seek to inform us more about these issues. Is that correct or not?
One recent investigation on the issue of funds misuse on Ile Perseverance done by an Australian firm finds no misuse. This maybe so or part of a playing game of transparency. Nevertheless, now the most important question is: Shall we expect another investigation on this matter of the 2.4 Billion dollars? Will all the members of the assembly call for an independent enquiry in the 2.4 billion dollars scandal. This is big money, and many people have reasonable doubts as pointed out by Nation themselves. However, proper enquiries matching to this problem of 2.4 Billion dollars requires more than just one investigator. One investigator can be proposed by the leader of the opposition or if not appropriate consult with excluded people sitting on the other side of the table.
How to Address Real Transparency, Accountability and Corruption in the Seychelles
Nation of 22.08.2009 points out that the declaration of assets, for example, is dependent on the fact that any of us who have doubts about the assets of an individual can start off an investigation. This is only one side of the story perhaps nation intentionally wants us to believe or perhaps need help to make the people of Seychelles understand. After all, plurality improves thinking and decision making process. This is the whole point about good media. Many citizens have reasonable doubts about the 2.4 billion dollars. This is fact. We are currently more interested in the undeclared assets or to be more precise we want full explanations about the 2.4 Billion dollars. How was that money generated and who are the power holders of that money? Investigations cannot be triggered off only from declared assets. The main story in fighting corruption is to identify and trace the undeclared assets. This is where the real corruption breeds, at the heart of undeclared assets. There is no sense to think that criminals will reveal and declare all their assets on paper. What do they really do? They hide it, move it around, use different accounts, different names, pass it on to different trusted friends etc. So, we should start off an investigation. Good media should professionally seek to inform us more about these issues. Is that correct or not?
One recent investigation on the issue of funds misuse on Ile Perseverance done by an Australian firm finds no misuse. This maybe so or part of a playing game of transparency. Nevertheless, now the most important question is: Shall we expect another investigation on this matter of the 2.4 Billion dollars? Will all the members of the assembly call for an independent enquiry in the 2.4 billion dollars scandal. This is big money, and many people have reasonable doubts as pointed out by Nation themselves. However, proper enquiries matching to this problem of 2.4 Billion dollars requires more than just one investigator. One investigator can be proposed by the leader of the opposition or if not appropriate consult with excluded people sitting on the other side of the table.
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