Bureaucratic inefficiency at the center of debates

People have been talking about it for several decades.
The “luxury of poor countries” continues to fuel debates.
This time, it was President Ravalomanana, himself, who brought up the issue.
He pointed out, during a news conference, that bureaucratic inefficiency is one of the crucial factors which have driven the Great Island to its current impoverished state.
He implied that this is why government reforms, and bureaucratic reorganization have been among his primary concerns.
Three months after he officially became president-elect, Mr. Ravalomanana, a former businessman unaccustomed to annoying bureaucratic delays and red tape, emphasized the need for this reorganization.
Since he has been elected mayor of Antananarivo, three years earlier, he has not tried to conceal his contempt for the way the administration conducts business.

During the August 6, 2002 news conference, the Malagasy president has presented a short assessment of his first three months in the nation’s highest office.
Given the current political framework, he felt compelled to bring up, once again, his desire to organize the pre-scheduled general elections, as soon as possible.
Nonetheless, he has not committed himself to a firm date for the election conference which promises to be more open than ever.
According to the president, in order to achieve this desired result, the administration has not ruled out the use of transparent ballot boxes, for the first time during a Malagasy election; moreover, to preserve the integrity of the election, he is not opposed to the presence of international observers.
This is his way of demonstrating, to the international community, his resolve to reinforce democracy.

As to the ministers’ “salary” increase, the Malagasy President has, for now, made it conditional to the creation of the Supreme Court.
The aim is to make sure that the $3,500 monthly allowance, which generated so much controversy in the last few weeks, is an open policy.

Translated by J. F. Razanamiadana