The 2023 federal government will forgo independent evaluations of public policies and resource spending for the first time since 2007. This marks the end of external oversight, as all assessments are now conducted solely by Coneval through limited monitoring reports, contrasting sharply with previous years when universities and private consultants provided diverse, rigorous analyses. Former high-ranking officials warn that this absence of independent analysis creates significant governance fragility. Without documentary backing or external validation, decision-making increasingly relies on improvisation rather than empirical evidence. This shift suggests that program effectiveness remains insufficiently scrutinized, potentially compromising the accountability and transparency of public expenditures. This development is critically relevant to open data advocates because it signals a regression in institutional transparency. Independent evaluations are essential for verifying claims about the effectiveness of public spending. Their disappearance limits civil society’s ability to access unbiased information, thereby weakening the mechanisms necessary for informed public scrutiny and democratic accountability regarding how federal resources are utilized.
Source:Published on 2023-11-29