I BELIEVE that it is accepted that a lack of transparency and accountability, along with their attendant inefficiencies, leads to endemic corruption.
Corruption inflates the price of goods and services and leads to a reduction in quality.
Of greater importance to countries is that it strangles competitiveness and innovation as individuals are not forced to compete on merit.
People who are nurtured in this environment find it very difficult to succeed outside since the connections of family, friends and political affiliation become useless.
Where this dominates activity, such countries inevitably stagnate and ultimately regress. Within Barbados there has been a muted call for greater transparency and accountability within tax-funded institutions.
It is my view that many Barbadians believe that we have reached the point where
(i) there should be an independent body of persons (possibly retired people of integrity) to enquire into and have prosecuted impropriety in taxpayer funded institutions;
(ii) such inquiry could be initiated by the taxpayer;
(iii) the contents of all contracts and appointments funded by taxpayers should be made known to them;
(iv) the criteria for awarding such contracts and making such appointments should be made known to them.
It is my view that this call needs to be answered by each representative of the taxpayer.
LYNETTE EASTMOND
