Introduction
Between the 19th and 20th centuries, access to information about Malagasy public services was very difficult. However, today, in the digital era, the population has many ways to learn more about this information. Nevertheless, there are significant obstacles to accessing information about these services.
Access to Information and Public Services in Madagascar
The Malagasy Constitution, in Article 11, states: “Every person has the right to information. Information in all its forms is not subject to any prior constraint, except when it may undermine public order and good morals. Freedom of information, whatever its medium, is a right.” A large amount of information circulates in many fields, but what is worth a more in-depth study is the right of the Malagasy people to be adequately informed about their own public services. Often, the citizen cannot find the information he or she needs. Public services seem intimidating, and people do not know their nature or how to access them. This article aims to highlight the reasons for the Malagasy’s difficulty in accessing information about their own services and propose sustainable solutions in order to enable them to appreciate the true meaning of a democratic country.
Challenges and Corruption in the Right to Information
First of all, a public service is an activity meant for the general interest of the people. Therefore, civil servants have the duty and responsibility to serve the population by providing information. However, in most cases, Malagasy citizens become victims of misinformation, especially when they go to the administration. This is particularly true in rural areas. Often, there is a lack of training or resources, a shortage of infrastructure, or a shortage of qualified personnel in the Malagasy administration. Working conditions are frequently poor for civil servants, reflecting a scarcity of human, material, technical, and financial resources related to delivering these services. All this contributes to corruption within institutions and maintains poverty in Madagascar. For instance, a young woman, a student at the University of Mahajanga, was on holiday in Fianarantsoa when she was forced to pay 20,000 ariary to enable her to collect her scholarship at a local post and telecommunications office in Fianarantsoa.
Conclusion
Therefore, if the state truly wants its public services to meet the needs of the Malagasy population in accessing information, it must put the right person in the right place in particular by strengthening the human, material, and financial resources in order to enable a generation free from corruption in Madagascar.
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