Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Chutzpah

I'd hope nobody took seriously the claim that the Cons' efforts to hijack Rights and Democracy had anything at all to do with a lack of accountability, particularly after the steps taken on that front by the previous regime. But anybody who did should be thoroughly disabused of that notion now that word comes out that the new, hard-right regime has been pushing for lower levels of transparency in how the institute's president spends public money:
After criticizing the past president of Rights and Democracy for spending and accountability issues, the agency's directors want to give the new president even greater powers to award contracts without public tenders, the Star has learned.

A proposed change to the agency's bylaws would allow the president to appoint or engage "employees, agents, consultants and advisers" without first having to seek competitive bids for the work.
...
Under current rules, the agency must call for tenders for contracts worth more than $10,000; seek at least three tenders; and justify the choice taking into account price and quality of services.

The move to give the president greater freedom comes despite criticism from some directors that Beauregard had too much control over discretionary funding.

In an interview last month, Braun cited problems of oversight. Beauregard's decision to give $30,000 to three Mideast rights groups has been a flashpoint for clashes between directors and staff.
Edit: fixed label.

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