Govt mulls Tutu's criticism

2004-11-25 09:27

Pretoria - The government, reacting to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu's concern about reluctance to question government policies, said on Wednesday it did not view people who disagreed with it as sycophants of other interest parties with which it was engaged in dialogue.

Delivering the Nelson Mandela Lecture in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Tutu said party lists (which determine who gets into parliament), made people reluctant to question any policies.

In a statement released by the government communication and information services (GCIS) on Wednesday, the government responded: "As the Archbishop said, we can have these debates without necessarily questioning the integrity or motives of those who disagree."

On electoral systems, the government asked: "What is the experience in countries with constituency-based systems regarding the relationship between public representatives and the political parties to which they belong - and whether constituency-based systems can supplant the need for organised political formations which have their own internal systems of democracy, accountability and discipline."

On BEE, the government asked: "Are the BEE policies now in place adequate, and if not, how do we improve them?

"Should we differentiate in assessing trends in BEE between on the one hand actions of government which include encouragement of BEE Charter processes, procurement, support for small, medium and micro-size Enterprises, training and so on, and the activities of private citizens who seek legitimately to take advantage of economic opportunities on the other hand?

Best way to deal with challenges

"How do we deal with issues of conflict of interest and 'cooling-off periods' without stifling individuals with initiative and expertise who, by law, were excluded from the commanding heights of the economy under apartheid?"

On conflict resolution, the government asked: "What is the best approach - and the most productive - of dealing with challenges among our neighbours and further afield, such as in Zimbabwe and Burundi: is it more preferable to seek to bring the adversaries to a negotiating table or to shout from the rooftops?

On social grants and sustainable development, the government asked: "What is the most sustainable path of development for the country, especially in dealing with the challenge of poverty: can we sustain massive outlays in social grants that increase exponentially and crowd out expenditure in economic services, health, education, water provision and other services; or should we ensure support to the most vulnerable while creating conditions for the able-bodied to access work opportunities?"

On HIV-Aids, the government asked: "How do we assess the impact of the comprehensive strategy pursued by government - which has been part of government policy and improving praxis for more than five years now - and the involvement of civil society in this campaign?

- SAPA