Good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions. It's not about making 'correct' decisions, but about the best possible process for making those decisions. Good decision-making processes and, therefore, good governance, share several characteristics. They have a positive effect on various aspects of local government including consultation policies and practices, meeting procedures, service-quality protocols, conduct of councillors and officers, role clarification and good working relationship.
Scope of good governance is quite wide and deep. The phrase 'good governance' is used frequently, but is occasionally misused without clear understanding of its undertone. This is a macro-level concept, usually used in the context of state management, particularly in the context of socio-economic development of a relatively less developed country like Bangladesh. It is not usually used in discussing the enterprise-level management.
Sustained development takes place only when an appropriately structured and staffed executive branch, under the vigilance of the legislative branch and an independent judiciary, functions effectively in conjunction with others as decision-making and implementing body. The decisions are related to empowering all the people politically, economically, financially, socially and culturally on the basis of fairness and equity.
The phrase 'good governance' should not be confused with the best management practices. However, exceptions are there. Some other people would prefer to express the similar idea using the phrase 'better governance' rather than 'good governance' arguing that the absence of good governance is not necessarily 'bad governance'. There is always a system of governance in a country that keeps running. It may find it desirable to go for political, legal, institutional and other reforms including in the state bureaucracy enabling it to respond to popular demand for changes.
For instance, governments like those in today's absolute monarchies have long had a system of governance that worked fine for the rulers. But due to the people's demand for democratic rights, they are slowly moving toward democratic forms of governance granting the citizens Western type of fundamental human rights, freedom of expression, empowerment of women, etc. In other words, they are trying to introduce a system of governance which is supposed to be better than what has been so far.
There is always a question why good governance is important. It is important for several reasons. It not only gives the local communities confidence in their councils, but improves the faith which the elected members and the officers have on their own local government and its processes. It also leads to better decisions, helps local government meet its legislative responsibilities and, importantly, provides an ethical basis for governance.
Good governance is an ideal credibly not achievable in its whole. The general perception is that it is the most important prerequisite for sustainable economic, social, political and cultural growth and development in the country. It is also vital to ensure that all the citizens of a country can enjoy the benefits of growth and development equitably getting rid of poverty and bringing the marginalised people under a shelter so that they can lead a peaceful and decent life like others.
Three major types of governing machinery function in a good governance system. These are: 1) executive branch, 2) legislative branch and 3) judiciary. Their functions are divided on the basis of the doctrine of separation of powers. Besides these three, there are hundreds of central and local-level government and semi-government agencies that work jointly or in cooperation with each other to ensure good governance.
In state management, parliament is the apex body. Members of Parliament (MPs) are the legislators or law-makers. In a democratic country, they are elected by the people. To institutionalise good governance, a democratically-elected legislative body is essential. The members of this legislative body design and put to work the Constitution which provides the basic guidelines for state governance.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH: The executive branch, commonly known as the government, implements the decisions of parliament. While implementing the decisions of parliament, the executive branch complies with provisions, rules and regulations derived from the Constitution. The Constitution provides the executive branch with the essential guidelines, most importantly laws and by-laws, articles and provisions embodied in it. The executive branch, however, has the sole authority and responsibility for daily administration of state bureaucracy. It prepares short and long-term national development plans and annual national budgets in consultation with experts, trade bodies and civil societies and have them approved by parliament and formulates implementation-level policies. It issues administrative orders related to national defence, fundamental human rights, freedom of association, expression and choice, and law enforcement i.e. establishing a peaceful environment in which all desirable political, economic, commercial, trading, social, cultural and religious activities can be carried out.
The executive branch of Bangladesh is implementing many development programmes with a view to ensuring sustainable and national development. When the entire operation of a government including its large procurement and service system is fully and efficiently digitised, the making and implementing of decisions will take the shortest possible time. Above all, in a fully digitised Bangladesh, the scourge of corruption will see a decline. When both public and private sectors are fully automated, the scope of misuse or stealing of government resources or manipulation of contract documents will be narrow and easily detectable.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: The legislative branch plays a vibrant role in establishing good governance. In multi-party democracy, a winning party or a coalition of parties form the government, headed by the Prime Minister. There is a party in power and another in the opposition. Traditionally, the government and opposition MPs debate over national and international issues in parliament. Arguments and counter-arguments continue for days together, and for good reasons. It is absolutely essential for all elected MPs to participate in the negotiations and discussions in parliament to attain good governance. Unfortunately, in Bangladesh's history, the MPs of an opposition party remained virtually absent from parliament for an indefinite period of time. This has made the general people totally disappointed. Absence of opposition parties from parliament does not contribute to establishing good governance.
THE JUDICIARY: The judiciary interprets and applies laws in the name of the state. It also provides a mechanism for resolution of disputes. Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the judiciary does not make laws or enforce them. Law-makers sit in parliament and the law-enforcing agencies are not a part of the judiciary. An independent judiciary is another prerequisite for good governance. It is required to ensure justice when citizens, public or private enterprises, government agencies including law enforcing agencies, specialised national institutions like the Election Commission or the Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), etc. seek it. Independent judiciary, according to Webster's online dictionary, by definition, includes rule of law and incorruptible police force.
BENEFITS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE: It leads to better decisions which are framed on the basis of good information and data, stakeholders' views and open and honest debate. It will generally reflect the broad interests of the community. This does not assume that everyone will take a decision as the right one. But members of the community are more likely to accept the outcomes if the process has been good, even if they don't agree with the decision. They will also be less tempted to continue fighting or attempting to overturn the decision. So even the most difficult and controversial decisions are more likely to stand.
If decision-making is open and is followed by observers, it is more likely that local governments will comply with the relevant legal requirements. They will also be less likely to take short-cuts or bend the rules.
SUPPORTS ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING: Good governance creates an environment where elected members and council officers ask themselves 'what is the right thing to do' while making decisions. Making choices and having to be accountable for them in an open and transparent way encourages honest consideration of the choices facing those in the governance process. 'What is the right thing to do' is not the same always.
Practising participatory democracy is another very important prerequisite for good governance. All citizens, irrespective of sex and beliefs, must have equal opportunity --direct or indirect --- to participate in the decision-making process in state management. Citizens over a certain age (at least 18 years old) are eligible to elect through free and fair election their representatives who form the legislative body at the centre and, separately, at the city corporations, municipalities, upazila parishads and union parishads. It is to be noted that democracy is not necessarily the rule of the majority. Unfair behaviour of the 'brute majority' does not contribute to promoting good governance.
A failure of good governance in a country does not only damage the three vital institutions, namely, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary but also reduces the effectiveness of the government mechanism itself. Even it can impact negatively on the reputation of those it seeks to represent. Sound governance is an essential element in ensuring that the country works in the genuine interests and betterment of its citizens.
When all these three institutions function in a coherent way remaining free from abuse and corruption, but maintaining the doctrine of separation of powers, the public institutions including ministries, government departments and autonomous agencies will tend to conduct public affairs like poverty eradication or empowerment of women, with due regard to justice and equity, manage public resources without taking undue personal benefits and ensure the functioning of democracy in the real sense. The wave of e-governance has started reaching remote areas of Bangladesh far from the cities. Moreover, one must keep in mind that although it is very powerful, e-governance is only one instrument to achieve good governance. It is true Bangladesh has to go a long way to establish good governance, but certainly that day is not too far. After all, the nation has many heroic achievements and success stories replete on its history.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Rajon Bkmea
Quelle/Source: The Financial Express Bangladesh, 14.02.2015
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