Hon Speaker, I thank the hon member very much. Yes, I agree that as Ministers we are supposed to set a good example, but the accounting officers would not, or should not, sign off on any instruction that is likely to get them into trouble. If they do so, they should ask that the instruction be in writing so that down the line they have proof that they came under pressure.
To put the question differently, as the President indicated the other day in a public debate, he has no control over renovations in his office. In positions of leadership, such as that of the President or a Minister, we also have to submit to being managed.
What do I mean by this? You know, I may get into the car here and know the destination. If the driver turns in the opposite direction, I cannot give him instructions and say, "Look, turn this way, because it is shorter. It will be quicker." That is because of what happens down the line. [Interjections.] You may say to me, "You have the authority. Why don't you do it? It would save petrol and wear and tear on the car," and so on. However, the reality is that the way the system works is that we should not ... [Interjections.]
No, the point I am trying to illustrate is that if we get used to giving these kinds of instructions, down the line something like the following will happen. Tomorrow when somebody that I dislike intensely crosses the road, I may say to them, "Shoot him!" [Interjections.] So, there must be no ... [Interjections.] I am trying to explain a principle, that we must accept being managed and that those who manage us must have that authority so that they can be accountable as well.
An accounting officer such as a director-general should not accept unlawful instructions. Yes, that is the point I am making. It is teamwork. However, we do say that the buck stops with the political head. We cannot avoid taking responsibility for that. When the newspapers say a certain amount of money has been spent on flowers, I do not want the flowers myself. I think I can do with plastic flowers, actually! [Interjections.]