On April 17, the Minister of Culture and Communication, Fleur Pellerin, launched a process to control and make transparent the expenses of cultural sector leaders.
The minister’s approach is based, beyond the trust that public officials who run these institutions deserve, on seeking greater transparency. Although differences in the use of means are rarely observed, this risk must nevertheless be better prevented and avoided with the greatest determination.
The commitment of the leaders and that of all their agents makes it possible to achieve remarkable results, both to increase the influence or the attendance of the establishments and to find new economic balances.
This commitment to public service also translates into a controlled and exemplary management. The responsibility of managers is to enforce the rules on operating expenses within the structures they manage - by them and by their employees.
This is why Fleur Pellerin wanted to work with the institutions themselves to find ways to better understand and reduce the risks involved. The minister has asked the General Inspection of Cultural Affairs to conduct a study on this subject and to make proposals for improvement.
On 24 June 2015, it sent to the heads of public establishments an instruction, prepared with the assistance of the General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs, the departments of the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the budgetary and accounting control authorities, which is the result of this work and which is the concrete manifestation of his will in this matter.
With regard to AFP, public broadcasting companies and other operators of the Ministry, they are asked to refer the matter to their Board of Directors so that they can initiate a process allowing them to take ownership of this approach, adapting it to the specific characteristics of their organization.
In addition, a process will be initiated, with a number of voluntary organizations, to put in place within them a charter of ethics that takes into account the specificity of their operation and the challenges they face.
These issues do not concern only the culture and communications sector, but the minister has asked that this department take an exemplary approach.
Our fellow citizens, the leaders of public institutions, as well as the staff called upon to participate in the effort to control expenditure - we all express a legitimate expectation in this area.