I found on the Civil Service website, a document titled Code of Ethics for Public Officers. It is a beautiful document that would make you dream of the perfect service when visiting a government agency or interacting with civil servants. I repeat I said ‘dream’. In practice, we do not get to see such things often. From my experience, I cannot vouch that there is a code of ethics being applied. Usually, when you meet commoners in Mauritius you could sense the ‘fear’ or ‘reluctance’ they have when about to question government agencies. No one wants to question government agencies as an individual. Why this fear?

Civil Service Mauritius

Responsibility towards the Public

Chapter 8 which speaks about “responsibilities” of civil servants towards the public has a paragraph that goes like this:

Public Officers shall understand that, while discharging their duties, they are doing no favour to members of the public. They shall diligently, fairly and sympathetically attend to inquiries from members of the public.

Note the line reminding civil servants about their duty to attend public queries. Does it happen so in Mauritius? Some people get infuriated when they receive questions from public. Some people do not feel the need to respond to queries. While some would reply politely. The latter is very rare though, that is from my experience :-) I do not know about you.

The next paragraph reads as follows:

It is the duty of Public Officers to give to the public any information required or advice and to provide reasonable assistance. Public Officers shall help the public to understand their rights and obligations.

Yet again the duty is reminded. Civil servants should assist the public to understand their rights and not to try scare by using legal terms.

Oh, dear Motherland, if only your sons & daughters could apply some integrity in their daily activities, maybe Mauritius would be paradise not just in books.