Freedom of Information Act Doomed?
As long as the public sector complaint procedures cover-up industry, aided by the fraudulent Ombudsman system, rules the roost – then the FOI act is doomed!
Having dealt with corrupt public sector complaints procedures, and learned much about its cover-up culture that protects incompetent, fraudulent and corrupt civil servants, with their entrenched self-protective civil service cover-up industry, one can see how the FOI act (that has much public sector incompetence and fraud to investigate) struggles to gain acceptance by civil servants and their Associations!
One can see how FOI cases are closed down by the ICO, not simply to protect their public sector miscreant colleagues, but because there is also an historical reluctance leading to a lack of co-operation by civil servants to “blow the gaffe” or “grass” on their fellow public sector colleagues.
Taking into account that a large number of FOI complaints sent to the ICO will relate to civil servants of all ranks, one can see that the FOI act is not popular amongst civil servants. That’s why there is so much dragging of feet and closing down of many FOI cases. Civil servants pointing the finger at each other is almost unheard of, then there are the entrenched “Old Pals Acts “ that must be obeyed!
Civil servants simply don’t like having their own or their colleagues indiscretions publicised. It therefore simply becomes a non-starter by self-protective civil servants to allow public access to the FOI act. IT WOULD SIMPLY DESTROY THE PUBLIC SECTORS MACHIAVELLIAN COVER-UP INDUSTRY. First of all one has to realise just how entrenched the public sector cover-up industry really is. It protects virtually all civil service miscreants. On occasions even fabricated evidence is produced to protect them from public scrutiny, denying much transparency and accountability.
Collusion becomes rife, antiquated civil service rituals take place, as when even the most idiotic, the most incompetent of staff, instead of being kicked out are given ‘gardening leave’ etc. There is also of course, the continuing subversive protection given to civil servants by the wretched undemocratic Ombudsman service.
We have pointed out before where Ombudsman have over the years by deceitful orchestration given themselves much tyrannical power – where instead of protecting the public as was intended – they became by devious design, persecutors of citizens rights. The last thing the Ombudsman system want to see is a successful FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT! One is continually reading of public sector abuse against members of the public, who have little or no recourse to honest investigation!
Whilst the FOI act was a fantastic democratic idea/breakthrough it cannot succeed. It means the cleansing of many government departments and the abolition of many civil servants ‘old pals acts’!
The much needed cleansing of government departments and staff is not popular within the public sector Associations! It has been shown that civil service Associations have the power to scuttle, submerge and even destroy transparency and democratic notions! Once the public sectors Old Pals Act ‘kicks in’ and opposes the democratic FOI Act it will become doomed. It was a forgone conclusion that the ‘noble’ idea, (the FOI act) would be sabotaged by the entrenched undemocratic public sector self- protective cover-up industry.
AW & I Tanner