In late February, we were honored to receive a group of thirteen International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. We were their final city stop on their IVLP schedule and so also hosted their program evaluation on their next-to-last day in the country.
The Department of State outlined the following specific objectives for the project:
· To examine the decentralized and self-regulating nature of U.S. federalism and how it promotes transparency in government;
· To explore the role of citizens, the media, and civil society in fostering transparency and accountability in government;
· To highlight the mechanisms and vehicles that enable citizens to engage in fostering good governance at the local, state, and federal levels;
· To enhance understanding of ethical systems and accountability in government and business.
The group traveled to Washington, D.C., Santa Fe (NM), Dallas (TX), and to Pensacola to explore these issues. While with us, they also took a daytrip to Mobile (AL) to meet with officials with the city and with leaders of the NAACP.
Their time in Pensacola centered on the 2002 Soccer Complex Corruption Scandal which was used as a case study on transparency. Larry Newsome, Interim County Administrator, first met with the group to provide background on the case and to discuss what safeguards the county had implemented since. Richard Schneider and Ginny Graybiel of the Pensacola News Journal discussed that paper’s role in covering the key issues of the scandal, and Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille reviewed the prosecution process and how the corruption scandal unfolded. Ryan Ross, Escambia County Attorney, complimented the topic at hand by giving an overview of the Florida Sunshine Law which was reinforced by a discussion with retired Air Force Lt. Col. Alan Vafides which centered on his recent ethics complaint filed with the state regarding a $6 million airport project at Northwest Florida State College.
The group stepped away from the soccer complex scandal but remained within the realm of accountability and transparency when meeting with City of Pensacola Mayor Mike Wiggins who addressed city council structure, the structure of elections, and campaign financing. Sheila Sims and Judges Terry Terrell, Joyce Williams, and Ken Williams also met with the delegation to discuss judicial accountability and to answer their questions regarding judicial case loads, elections of judges, and judicial appointments.
On the evening before their final evaluation of the national program, the group attended the Pensacola Junior College 2010 Live Your Dream Scholarship Banquet thanks to the gracious invitation of Gael Frazer. It was a perfect mixture of music, youth, hospitality, and history.
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