Cases of briefcases, concussion between deputies and power in place: in Madagascar in 2018, scandals are raging on the benches of the National Assembly. In 2019, as a deprivation of the population against this political elite, the absence rate breaks records in the legislative election …
as reported from Antananarivo, Sarah Tétaud
It is in the light of these observations that the NGO Tolotsoa decided to start its citizens’ parliamentary observatory called “Balaky”, which means “to enlighten”, in Malagasy dialect. The spirit of the project: to educate citizens in the role of Parliament, the work that takes place there and their right to be held accountable. But also remind lawmakers that they are now being complied with. And that they were chosen to do the common good and not to satisfy their personal affairs.
In the National Assembly’s galleries …
Yesterday, Thursday morning, 5 November, the two observers were in the National Assembly’s galleries to take part in the vote on the Parliament’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Act on the agenda for the third time in a year and a half. But once again “the vote has been postponed”.
Julie Manandraharisoa, one of the observers of the “Balaky” project who was present yesterday, explains: “When it comes to a law or something that the people consider to be of great importance, they systematically postpone the vote on this But when it comes to something else, such as MP pensions, it’s like nothing happened. It’s this type of behavior that we track during plenary sessions and that we report via social networks or our website. “behavior does not at all reflect what voters expect of them. They should take their role as legislator and representative of the Malagasy people more seriously.”
The project coordinator, Tsimihipa Andriamazarivo, talks about the interruption between the issues debated at Parliament’s level and the priorities of the citizens: the people who are supposed to be represented so that Parliament becomes a real sounding board and that this is repeated in the government’s public policies. “
And control over government actions?
According to the members of the “Balaky” project, citizens like parliamentarians are unaware of their role. One of the aspects of the project is therefore to educate: “Parliamentarians must report at the level of their constituency, but it is not really a reflex they have. Here the reports are especially made when there is disagreement between the political forces. The people are also often unaware that the National Assembly and the Senate have a role to play in controlling the actions of the government. In our country, however, there are rarely commissions of inquiry at Parliament’s level. As for the management of Covid funds, which raised many questions in public opinion, parliamentarians were in the background and did not take up the debate when it was in their role and in their mandate. “
Sincebalaky.org launched this week is already well delivered. There are thrombinoscopes of elected officials (non-existent in the places of the two chambers), the parties in whose colors they were elected, the commissions to which they belong. You can read articles on ongoing debates (there is no parliamentary channel on the island; plenary sessions with rare exceptions are not broadcast on television), the agenda, the procedure committee and most legal texts. The aim is to provide a 360 ° view of Parliament and provide as much detail as possible so that the public, once informed, can demand greater accountability from their elected representatives.
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