SCMP: “Cover-up of cadmium scandal reveals authorities’ reluctance to comply with 2007 rule on non-classified information
Guangzhou rice scare shows open government remains elusive
Many Guangzhou residents have been worried and angry for more than a week after being told that nearly half the rice they buy from local markets may contain excessive levels of cadmium, a carcinogenic heavy metal.
The city’s Food and Drug Administration said on May 16 that it had checked 18 batches of rice between January and March and had found cadmium levels in eight of them exceeded the national food safety standard.
But it declined to disclose any information about the tainted rice, such as where it was produced and by which brands. The food-safety watchdog said it was “inconvenient” to share the information with the public but did not explain why.
The cover-up sparked a national outcry. Even some state-owned media criticised the regulator, saying the refusal to disclose the information was a crime.
After coming under a great deal of pressure, the watchdog disclosed the names of the rice producers last Saturday, but still refused to detail the amount of tainted rice sold.
The Guangzhou case is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg in showing how reluctant mainland officials are to allow open access to government data.
The Regulations on Open Government Information, introduced by Beijing in 2007, say all levels of local government should make their non-classified information public.
The regulations set clear standards for the format authorities should follow when publishing and organising the data on their websites, because of concerns that members of the public would otherwise be unable to find the information they were looking for.
But six years later, mainland officials remain reluctant to publicise such information.”
via Guangzhou rice scare shows open government remains elusive | South China Morning Post.
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