Transparency and rule of law will be touchstone: Obama

Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 11:01 am

Stating that transparency and rule of law will be the touchstone of his administration, US President Barack Hussein Obama, on his first day in office, issued a series of executive orders to this effect including a freeze on the salary of senior White House staff.

Obama, who announced the moves while attending a function in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to swear in his staff, said the steps marks the beginning of a new era of openness in America.

The pay freeze would hold salaries for the White House employees who make more than USD 100,000 a year.

The White House staff would also have to under an ethics briefing, which he himself did last week.

Obama also opened the doors of White House for common people. He and the First Lady Michelle Obama themselves welcomed the first few visitors to White House last afternoon.

All this, Obama said, would help in achieving his promise of change and promote his vision of “a government that truly is of, and by, the American people.”

He announced these measures in his first address to the senior White House staff, who were administered an oath in this regard by the Vice President Joe Biden.

“These steps are aimed at establishing firm rules of the road for my administration and all who serve in it and to help restore that faith in government without which we cannot deliver the changes we were sent here to make, from rebuilding our economy and ensuring that anyone who’s willing to work can find a well-paying job, to protecting and defending the United States and promoting peace and security,” Obama said.

Overseas Indian Affairs ministry is projecting the country as an investor-friendly destination and is keen on on attracting NRI investments, officials said.

“A guided approach is required as industry partners must identify business prospects first before approaching the state governments for facilitating the tie-ups,” a highly placed ministry official said.

NRI cells of state governments like in Gujarat, Karnataka and Bihar had shown considerable interest in the yellow pages, he said.

The yellow pages, currently in an early stage of development, is expected to be completed over the next eight-month period.

(With inputs from Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Transparency and rule of law will be touchstone: Obama

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