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Good
Governance Monitoring Report – Issue no. 1
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3. Executive
Branch Performance
3.1. President’s Office Performance
The GGI was not able to obtain
information from the Office of the President (OoP) on most of its performance
indicators, which makes the objective assessment of the OoP performance
almost entirely impossible. The lack of transparency in the Presidents
office is, however, not a new phenomenon driven by the current political
crisis. Most of the operations of the
OoP and the decisions taken by the President in relation to the management of
pubic affairs have always been almost entirely unknown to the citizens. Lack of transparency of the OoP during the
period covered by this report is illustrated by the following facts: ·
The
OoP has not yet published the President's plan to implement his electoral
program despite the fact that almost two years have passed. Moreover,
the OoP has not issued any reports or public information on the achievements
made against the President’s election program. The lack of such
information makes it extremely difficult to objectively hold the president
accountable. ·
Unlike
most government ministries and many government agencies, the OoP does not
operate a publicly accessible website. The only public access to
information on the OoP is through the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), which
provides certain ad hoc announcements but does not feature any information or
analysis of the performance of the OoP. ·
The
OoP has not issued any reports pertaining to the nature, the amount, or
utilization of the funds it has received from the international community
either through the different windows of the Temporary International
(TIM) Mechanism or other mechanisms. The absence of such reports
has lead to increasing speculation over the true intent behind such funding
and, in particular, whether it is directed at undermining the HAMAS-led Cabinet
by creating parallel government structures and procedures within the
OoP. The exchange of accusations of corruption and mismanagement
between the Cabinet and the OoP has escalated and there is increasing
uncertainty about the availability and control over public sector salary
payments. ·
The
OoP has not issued any public statements or information regarding decrees
related to new appointments to senior positions in the public sector. This makes it extremely difficult to assess
whether there have been any breaches in appointments processes as specified
in the Civil Service Law. The OoP has not demonstrated
any progress in its own organizational reform, let alone the broader public
sector reform agenda. The OoP continues to lack the proper organizational
set-up to effectively and efficiently implement its executive
responsibilities. This applies to
those responsibilities related to assessing the performance of the executive
branch institutions in general, functions under the direct supervision of the
President in particular and also responsibilities related to leading the
public sector reform agenda. Accordingly, the President's manifesto
commitment to reform look likely to continue to be viewed by Palestinian
voters are merely an electioneering slogan in the absence of practical steps
forward on the ground. National Work Program of Mahmoud
Abbas, Fatah Presidential Candidate January 9, 2005 Ninth: Building the state, rule of
law, equality and tolerance The presidential elections, the PLC
elections, and local authorities' elections are important benchmarks to
developing our political system. Elections and the democratic process
provide the base for peaceful dealing of the PNA; a multi-party system, basic
freedoms, freedom of speech, freedom of political work, formation of
political parties, building of the state of institutions, and separation of
powers. We will ensure the rule of law and
protect the independence of the judiciary, end security chaos, ensure
security for citizens, stop any violations by PNA institutions. We will
bring perpetrators to justice and submit the laws regulating the work of the
PNA institutions to the PLC for approval. Tenth: Continue the reform process in
the different areas We will continue the reform in order to
end all types of corruption and develop the performance of the government
system and empower transparency, integrity, and accountability. We will
support the introduction of ‘new blood’ and ensure employees' rights.
This requires enacting necessary laws to empower administrative and financial
control and implementation of the civil service laws and pension and other
social care laws. The current crisis, which has
undoubtedly placed a heavy burden on the OoP, must not be an excuse for
continued inaction on organizational reform of the OoP. The OoP should in fact set an example to
the remainder of the Executive branch of government and, through its own
internal organizational reform, demonstrate the benefits of better governance
based on the principles transparency, accountability, participation and
effectiveness. Published by Good
Governance Initiative - 2006 |