Academics pen collective letter on good governance

An online letter penned by a group calling itself Academics for Good Governance has attracted 137 signatures from academic staff at the University of Malta.

The letter, which is currently open for academics affiliated with the UOM to sign,  lists a number of guidelines that the next government should follow to ensure the principle of good governance is upheld and notes that “corruption eradicates good governance, and, in the absence of good governance, corruption flourishes.”

“A strong public trust in the institutions is fundamental for the good functioning of democracy and for the well-being of the people,” it reads.

137 academics have signed the petition at the time this article is being published.

The group says it believes that any government should follow the rule of law, be accountable, transparent, equitable, inclusive and meritocratic. "Everyone, including government itself, is accountable to laws which are equally enforced and are independently adjudicated. Political leaders must also be answerable for the consequences of decisions they make on behalf of the country."

On the issue of transparency, the group said that transparency allows the electorate to understand and  scrutinise the decision-making process ensuring that decisions are taken in the interest of the common good.

The group also argues in favour of inclusivity, saying the nation's well-being “can only be assured if the interests of all, including future generations and especially the most vulnerable in society, are taken into consideration.”

Meritocracy is another principle the organisation is pushing for, it said. This would mean that “the best people are selected according to merit rather than by political affiliation or nepotism, thus allowing everyone to aspire to fulfil their potential.”

The group said it was its “duty to ask those vying to govern Malta to uphold these values and to work towards strengthening public trust in the institutions.”