Incompetence And Impunity – They Just Couldn’t Care Less

RECENT reports about the government’s nonchalant attitude in service delivery (or rather, lack thereof) were not an admirable advertisement for its role as trustees to a narrow but diligent band of taxpayers of this country. The reports were a case of seesaw. It started off with an uplifting account, mid-week, of a local authority (Swakopmund to be exact, in this case) which was not only able to keep a proper book of accounts but also closed its financial year with a healthy surplus of about N$15million.

But our delirium at this rare good news was short-lived as we woke up on Thursday (5 April), the last working day of that week (Friday having been a holiday in deference to Good Friday) to the main news of the day that government couldn’t care less; and doesn’t know the value of its housing stock nor its location!’How did we get there,’ some of you may ask. The answer is simple. It is a toxic mix of incompetence and impunity. They cannot count, they cannot write – and they couldn’t care less. That must be the only logical conclusion, for this is the third report on the state of government’s housing stock in a decade.The report, which was the basis of the newspaper’s story, is the second one by the Auditor General following on his first of 2001. In 2006 the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly produced yet another on this malaise.If you think we unfairly berate their skills in record-keeping ask them to show their list of students on government loan schemes and the balance on these accounts? Or call for the list of lodgers in government houses and rental records. They don’t know. I should know. I have asked for both in order to pay. I haven’t paid for either because there are no records.Government’s record keeping is truly in a state of embarrassing shambles. It is for this reason that we can also state without any fear of contradiction that more substantial tax revenue can be collected than is the case at the moment.During our sojourn at parliament we raised this issue at every budget session in the fashion of a lunatic preaching at a brick wall. We have argued for beefing up the Office of the Receiver of Revenue and granting the office a status outside the regular civil service to enhance its efficiency. But the authorities were beholden to some dyed-in- the-wool dogma. Perhaps they spent too much time in consultations with witchdoctors promoting their services in our tabloid press?There is good news though. The word from Fiscus is that the authorities have reached their epiphany. It is good for the country and nobody gains by saying ‘told you so’. Ons verwelkom die agteros in die kraal.On this government’s watch, SOEs were allowed to breach the country’s laws on PAYE and VAT at breakfast, lunch and dinner despite numerous parliamentary reports to rein in the culprits.But why care? It is the culture of impunity. The problem in our system of governance is that there is a disconnect between the Executive and the Legislature. The many lofty and well-meant and argued recommendations are just that. They have a short lifespan as they die a brutal death at the doors of Tintenpalast and don’t make it to the Executive Chamber. Government treats parliament as a nuisance to be tolerated, in the fashion of your drunken uncle. It is under these circumstances that many, in vain, seek leadership. And they are spot on to expect that the leader of government business ought to provide that leadership and ensure that the business of government feeds into the Executive and vice versa. If that were the case we would not be sitting with the mess of government housing stock on our hands.Conservatively speaking, more than 50 per cent of annual government audit reports are qualified. In a language which you and I understand, it means these are negative and not positive report cards on how we have expended the taxpayers’ money.Is government concerned? Hell, no. A qualified audit report means not everything is hunky dory. It could mean one or several things, namely funds have been misappropriated, or not been properly reported or supporting documents for purported transactions are missing etc. The Auditor General (bless his tortured soul) and the Public Account’s Committee, report to parliament annually on these transgressions to no avail. But a leader of government who is worth his salt will act swiftly to ensure that ministers report in full why their reports are qualified and bring the culprits to book. In this fashion we can restore the important oversight function of the Auditor General and not make his report and the ensuing report of the Public Account’s Committee a mere ritual. Ignoring the Auditor General breeds corruption and inefficiency system-wide.The situation calls for the real leader of the government to stop the rot. Arise, Sir!* Gwen Lister is away this week.