Thanks to Covid-19, I’ve been discovering a host of programs
that I might otherwise not have watched. One of them is “The Crown,” which
tells the story of England’s current Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen is currently
the longest serving Head of State and the longest ever reigning British Monarch.
One of the most poignant moments in the series was the story
of her coronation, which was the first one ever to be televised. It showed her
Uncle (who did not attend), explaining the beauty of the coronation and his
classic line was “Who wants transparency when you can have magic?”
This line of the series underlines the key reason why the
British Monarchy has endured for so long. Despite having no political power,
the monarchy has survived and, in some cases, thrived because it has been a
symbol or a fantasy for the average man. She and her family are perhaps the
British nation’s PR spokespeople, responsible for selling a certain image to
the world. Royal Weddings are an example of this, when the world’s cameras are tuned
onto the United Kingdom (the converse being Royal divorces)
The key to the Queen’s success is that she’s stayed out of politics
and never gives any hint of her personal opinions on the matters of the day.
She is, however, by many reports sharp and knows what’s going on and whenever
she has to do something, she does it. As was portrayed on Netflix, she did
dress down Winston Churchill for having a stroke and keeping it from her. The
classic line being “My job is not to govern but to ensure there’s governance.”
By staying out of anything remotely political, the Queen
stays out of anything grubby and as they say, ensures the magic that keeps the
monarchy going. As a constitutional monarch, the last thing the Queen needs is
to be transparent about the nitty gritty of the institution that she
represents.
However, while constitutional monarchs may exist on the concept
of magic, the same should never be true for elected politicians and civil
servants, who are in the grubby business of running the country.
Unfortunately, there have been cases of elected politicians and bureaucrats who have forgotten that they are in the business of running things and that actually requires transparency. The most famous example is the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue who has famously refused to release his tax returns (something which all his predecessors have done) and appointed relatives the politically influential positions (something which real Princes have avoided doing).
This is, unfortunately, not limited to the USA. In Singapore,
we’ve had the example of the Ho Ching, the Chief Executive of Temasek Holdings,
an investment firm that invest on behalf of the Singapore government. One of
the largest issues in Singapore is the fact that nobody knows what Madam Ho’s
salary is.
If you look at it from a legal perspective, there’s no need
for Madam Ho to reveal what she earns. Temasek Holdings is a private company
and as such has no obligation to publish any accounts or any details about the
salaries paid to its directors. Her salary, as they say, should be no one’s
business except hers and her employer, which in this case is the Ministry of Finance.
However, when you look at what Temasek Holdings is, you have
to ask why there’s so much secrecy about its financial performance and the salaries
of the top directors. Temasek Holdings, as is known to everyone is mandated by
the Ministry of Finance to invest and grow the nation’s wealth. My pension
money (CPF) funds are utilized by Temasek Holdings and while I may not have a direct
share of Temasek Holdings, they are using my money to do what they do. So, the point
is – surely their business is also my business and what Ho Ching as CEO is paid
is my business.
The consistent argument for keeping all of this secret is
that it’s part of national security. However, this argument does not wash.
Madam Ho’s husband is the Prime Minister and his salary is public knowledge.
Are we to say that the CEO of Temasek Holdings has a higher national security
priority than the Prime Minister?
When it comes to Constitutional Monarchs, magic can override
transparency. However, when it comes to the case of the people involved in
running the country and with their hands on the public purse, the answer is no –
we cannot accept that they live in the world of magic. Transparency is required
in their case. Let us never forget that politicians and civil servants are
employed by the tax payer and what they get up to is our business.
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