Economic Governance and Management Chapter 4 surprisingly, they disagree with all the views of the respondents. Among other things, they explain that the time taken to conduct investigations depends on the complexity of the case. They disagree that ICAC lacks sufficient and appropriately qualified staff. They also reject the accusation that ICAC is subject to political interference. 561. According to the CSAR, the PPO is staffed by a director and two independent people appointed by the president, on the advice of the prime minister, and after consulting with the leader of the opposition. The CPB comprises a chairperson, two vice-chairpersons and three other people. The president appoints all on the recommendation of the prime minister in consultation with the leader of the opposition. While the PPO is responsible for making policy and for monitoring, the CPB is responsible for awarding all major public contracts. 562. The CSAR does not address the effectiveness of the PPO and CPB in the fight against corruption. The CSAR notes the establishment of the ombudsperson mandated to investigate complaints against government institutions. The om-budsperson may initiate independent and impartial investigations following complaints from members of the public or when asked to by any minister or member of the National Assembly. The CSAR also mentions the code of ethics. This is designed to promote greater accountability and transparency as well as a sense of ethical conduct among public officials. Unfortunately, the CSAR does not assess the effectiveness of the ombudsperson or the code of ethics. Some of the responses to the questionnaire that touch on these issues are: 214 • • • • • Forty per cent of respondents are not aware of the role, responsibilities and authority of the ombudsperson. Thirty-five per cent of the respondents believe the ombudsperson is ineffective, compared with 25 per cent who believe he or she is effective. Fifty-four per cent of respondents stated that corruption is rampant in public administration and among civil servants, especially those in senior positions, who abuse their authority and resort to corrupt practices. There is widespread political interference in public administration. External parties influence even the Public Service Commission (PSC), which is responsible for appointing civil servants on merit. Corruption is prevalent when contracts are awarded, when licences, building permits or other official documents are issued, and when state lands are allocated. Chapter 4 Economic Governance and Management ii. Findings of the CRM 563. The CRM made determined efforts to assess the levels of, and trends in, corruption. However, there is no hard evidence on this subject, because no survey of perceptions about it has been conducted after the 2004 survey. Reports from major institutions are also inconclusive. 564. In its 2006 evaluation of the investment climate in Mauritius, the World Bank listed corruption as one of the four major obstacles to investment in Mauritius. Thirty-seven per cent of the enterprises surveyed identified corruption as a serious problem. However, the World Bank noted that Mauritius is one of the best performers among developing countries. Fewer enterprises report that they have been asked for bribes than in comparable countries. The World Bank concluded that the reports of large-scale corruption might be relative rather than absolute. It also noted several major scandals about corruption in Mauritius at the time it conducted its survey. 565. Transparency International, in its 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index, based on a survey of 47 African countries, indicated that Mauritius was one of three countries (the others were Benin and Nigeria) whose Corruption Perceptions Index improved compared with that for the previous year. More important is the fact that Mauritius was one of three countries in the group (the others were Botswana and Cape Verde) that scored above the midpoint of 5 (Mauritius scored 5.5). Transparency International noted that the government has introduced a number of reforms of the MRA in order to increase transparency and integrity in the administration of customs functions. This was previously thought to be one of the three most corrupt institutions in the country (the others being law enforcement and the National Transport Authority). However, its refusal to allow an independent enquiry into allegations of high levels of corruption in this department does not bode well for the future fight against corruption in Mauritius. 566. The CRM heard on numerous occasions that corruption is a serious problem in the country. Reports came from high-level officials and politicians, the private sector, trade unions, civil society, academics and average citizens. Some people stated that corruption was at a high level, and getting worse. Others, however, indicated that the level of corruption has remained at the same level, or decreased slightly. Many thought that corruption is particularly prevalent among ministers, politicians and high-level civil servants and that this corruption has trickled down to lower levels. The perception is widespread that the ‘big fish’ and well-connected individuals are immune to prosecution 215