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Participative budgeting pros and cons
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ENHANCING BUDGET PARTICIPTION IN BOTSWANA
INRODUCTION
This essay seeks to discuss participatory budgeting and the need to enhance budget participation in Botswana. Participatory budgeting is promoted over the world as a tool for a well functioning democratic government by different institutions like World bank, OECD , budgets practitioners (expects), civil society organizations, (Tanaka, 2007) . Participatory Budgeting is necessary as it is through it that a more transparent and accountable government can be realized. Budget Participation is refers to opportunities that government avail to the civil society organizations and citizens at large about government policies and operations to deliberate, debate and influence the allocations of resources,
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It enhances good governance in a sense that it increases public engagement in the budget process to help close the gap between and in turn leading to a more democratic-government that is responsive to its citizen’s needs and open to its people, (Tanaka, 2007). Also participation foster good governance as citizens can hold government accountable for corruption, failure to provide basic needs as it avoids people a chance to have their views heard. (WorldBank, 2003).Furthermore, some form of participation increases the ability of parliament as an arm of government to hold the executive accountable through the system of checks and control. The media, interests groups and NGOs can promote the concept of good governance by also holding government accountable, (Ahmad, 2006).By so doing enhancing credibility of the government.
Another reason for importance of participatory budgeting is that of enhancing transparency. There is an important inextricable link between budget public engagement and fiscal transparency. Participatory budgeting allows access of adequate information which cannot be provided by traditional political institutions, (WorldBank, 2003). When there is lack of transparency in the budgetary process bureaucrats tend to misuse public fund making policies choices that are exclusive to the citizens, (www.bidpa.bw,
Mikesell, J. L. (2010). Fiscal administration: Analysis and applications for the public sector (8th ed.: 2010 custom edition). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning
The Australian Budget is an annually published document which details the Federal Government's plans to affect the level of economic activity, resource allocation, and income distribution through the use of fiscal policy. It describes the framework which the government intends to follow during the next financial year which will result in the attainment of their objectives. The budget is a publication of the government's plans regarding the use of fiscal policy, and is published to parliament and the general public on “budget night”, so as to allow open dissemination about the status of public finances and to promote transparency in Australia's fiscal policy.
For government budgeting to be effective, the process that guides it must be an evolving one. As the government gets bigger, it will most likely destabilize the existing method. Therefore, it must change to keep pace with the demands and growth of the country. The process must be capable of handling the complexity of our nation and its multifaceted needs so it will always need revisions and restructuring to face these new challenges. Its ultimate goal must be to reinforce the government and strengthen the country.
In “Strengthening Citizen Participation in Public Policy-Making: A Canadian Perspective” by Michael R. Woodford and Susan Preston asses how citizen participation and government accountability in policy-making are often at odds. It is not often that Canadians have been begrudged the opportunity to participate in public hearings, citizen polls and other consultative methods; however, the degree to which their voices have been taken into account often falls short.
influencing how citizens might look at the actions of their government. I do agree with the notion
...o serve any good. Its influence and benefits will be felt by the few who hold the power and who have the understanding to know what really happens behind the curtains.
In conclusion, the advantages of participative budgeting include an increase and transferral of information, an increase in subordinate morale and job satisfaction, the development of negotiation skills and goal congruence. However these advantages only come into full affect when particular conditions are present, without these conditions it may turn into a disadvantage through budgetary slack, low job satisfaction and responsibility.
To achieve civic engagement is undertaken in many diverse ways. These are determined by several factors, amongst them the purpose of the civic engagement, the people involved in it, the funds to be involved amongst others. The...
Have you ever heard of Botswana? Well, it is a country in Africa. Most people have never heard of Botswana, just like most people do not know that Egypt is in Africa. Pretty interesting? I, myself, had never heard of Botswana until I was selected to spend six weeks on a missionary internship there. I also did not know that Egypt was in Africa until recently. I would not give up my experience in Botswana away for the world. That is not what I am here to tell you about, though. I would love to tell you all about the mission trip and my plans for going back for a two year stay; however, I would like to inform you about the country of Botswana. I would like to begin by telling you where Botswana is. We will then look at this country under South African rule, compared to the independent government of Botswana that now exists. I would also like to have you look at the people and their culture to sho3w you what kind of people they are, and how simply they live and still get along quite well. I hope you enjoy this informational page of a country that many people have never heard about, and maybe it will inspire you to at least make a visit to see if I am telling the truth.
This is a paper about the development in Botswana. Thus it is going to start by looking at the country’s history. The countries history will bring a better view or better understanding of the countries development process taken. However it is also going to talk about the development policies that were enforced by the colonial government. Contradicting with the colonial rule, the paper will also look at the policies that were enforced or came with the independence government.
It requires an adequate and sound organizational structure, that is, there must be a definite assignment of responsibility for each function of the enterprise. Budgeting compels all the members of management, from the top to bottom to participate in the establishment of goals and plans. Budgeting compels departmental managers to make plans in harmony with the other departments and of the entire enterprise. Budgeting helps the management to put down in figures what is necessary for a satisfactory performance. Budgeting helps the management to plan for the most economical use of labor, material and capital. Budgeting tends to remove the cloud of uncertainty that exists in many organizations, especially among lower levels of management, relative to basic policies and objectives. Budgeting promotes an understanding among members of management of their co-workers' problems. Budgeting force management to give adequate attention to the effects of general business conditions. Budgeting aids in obtaining bank credit as banks commonly require a projection of future operations and cash flows to support
Transparency- In politics, transparency is used as a means of holding public officials accountable and fighting corruption. When a government's meetings are open to the press and the public, its budgets may be reviewed by anyone, and its laws and decisions are open to discussion, it is seen as transparent, and there is less opportunity for the authorities to abuse the system for their own interests. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_(behavior))
This paper will begin by highlighting aspects of citizen participation showing the advantages and disadvantages it has on the policy process and discuss how citizen participation in the policy making pro...
The preceeding paragraphs clearly indicates the need to emphasize on good governance in urban areas. However, apart from the theories in litrature the “good governance” agenda has not been substantially treated in Ethiopia. In theory good urban governance requires an efficient, effective, participatory, equitable, accountable and responsive system in local governemnt. But these issues have not been empirically examined and assessed in scores of towns in ethiopia including Bonga town. As a result this research will be a usefull addition in filing this knowledge gap around principles of good governance and its emperical practice in local governemnt.
Today in the present world, most countries have the core object of governance in the “public good provisioning ” leitmotif. According to the main principles ; accountability, participation and transparency, from the governance ecology interaction between the State, Civil Society and Market –place, within the global-village environment, (Higgot and Ougaard 2002; Stiglitz 2003; Woods 2006) “Governance Deteriorate the Economical Progress of the Developing Countries”(Box 15.4 Kaufmann, Kray, and Mastruzzi, 2008 p 291 Governance Matter Vll: some leading findings). In my opinion governance on itself without parametric recognition is doomed to fail, instead of reflecting to new mechanisms of responsibility to steer and guide the social and economical issues, which I will try to clarify in the upcoming body breakdown. Governance is supported as structure through institutions, as process through instruments and as agenda through elements of good governance, generating the capacity to improve significant development and positive impact of economic growth and to cut back destitution. Despite of the fact that developing countries can come in line with the quality of governance by accepting it as a crucial determinant of developmental performance, it didn’t came into effect. The underlying fact of weak and poor governance was identified as a result, for not effectuating the measureme...