The court’s ruling against six plaintiffs seeking plots in the Over the Bank/Vineyard area promised to them by then-Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Angel Meyers (see Thursday paper) again made clear that shortcuts in public office are a liability. He apparently provided long lease rights documents to random young professionals while already in a caretaker capacity not long before having to step down.
His successor as VROMI Minister Egbert Doran felt these commitments had been made unlawfully, violating principles of good governance including transparency in an irregular manner and has been proven right. He subsequently wanted to grant the same land to 25 others.
However, that process also ran into issues with, among others, the Ombudsman and ultimately failed to get majority support in Parliament, at least for now. Just like the latter two parties did, the judge called for a clear and unambiguous policy with objective, verifiable and reasonable criteria that offer equal opportunity, to prevent arbitrary decisions and possible favouritism.
It must be said, the current minister has reportedly been working on such.
This is not the first case either, mind you, as others had granted land leases under questionable circumstances on their way out. There were even related arrests and charges, be it no convictions so far.
All those involved claimed they had only been trying to help the people. The problem is that it was usually “their” people.
