Until hitherto the decisions of the Executive have been shrouded in unnecessary secrecy. This has been in marked contrast with those of the other two arms of government, namely the Legislature and the Judiciary. The two branches conduct their business in public galleries, which is good for our democracy. In these instances, at least, the public is afforded an opportunity to witness and judge the legislative and judicial processes.
While we do not expect the Executive to open their sessions to the public, the least they could do is to inform the taxpayer about the decisions taken. We do not think that is asking too much. For the taxpayer is as much of a stakeholder as our ruling elite. As it is, all Batswana, whether employed or unemployed, are taxpayers in one way or the other. This could be through taxation of their employers, their income, and every little inconceivable goods and services they purchase (VAT). Our diamond-flushed and spoilt authorities often forget this fact. Hopefully, the current global financial crunch will awaken them to this reality.
