Rena Lalgie offers reassurance after high-profile cases involving powerful figures
Governor Rena Lalgie: “Individuals in every walk of life make errors of judgement … that does not necessarily mean that those institutions are … corrupt or failing.” Photo: Bernews
The system is working.
That’s the key takeaway from an extraordinary message issued by Governor Rena Laglie this afternoon, stressing the importance of accountability, transparency and integrity in public life.
“As well as recent headlines regarding various Police Conduct matters,” the Governor states, “there have been a series of stories in recent years reporting disciplinary and criminal matters taken up against members of the uniformed services and those in positions of significant power and influence.
“These individual cases may raise questions about standards and integrity in public life. Whilst some of these cases have shown up criminal, concerning or unacceptable behaviour, this is in fact a powerful demonstration that our accountability systems, whilst they could be stronger, are indeed working.
“Individuals in every walk of life make errors of judgement and sometimes show character flaws through their behaviour. That does not necessarily mean that those institutions are, in and of themselves, corrupt or failing.”
Governor Lalgie adds that public service is a privilege: “The public rightly has high expectations around the conduct, integrity and accountability of all public servants … I am pleased … that in recent years, the systems and processes that enable accountability have been applied effectively, fairly and with an appropriate degree of transparency.”.
