Transparency, Supervision and Efficiency

Many experts believe that transparency, greater access to information, and better flow of information help increase the accountability of governments and state officials and eventually help stem corruption and improve governance, which leads to an establishment's sustainability. In recent years, things such as unjustifiably high salaries and benefits, unjustifiable provision of properties and extra benefits at municipalities, the manner in which government-subsidized foreign currency is provided to importers of goods, etc are an indication of not-so-transparent processes, which are the result of lack of transparent information and flawed performance of supervisory organizations. This article discusses the important role of free access to information in improving the efficiency of governance and demonstrates that access to information in Iran is not as it should be and that supervisory organizations face a conflict and multiplicity of responsibilities. It also puts forward some proposals that could help improve information dissemination and supervisory structures in the country.