A delegation of international visitors stopped by the Lee’s Summit Tribune last Friday afternoon, August 17, as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program through Global Ties KC’s.

The multi-regional project is a study of accountability in government. The objectives for the project are:

• Explore the role and structure of ethics in government and best practice experience with transparency and accountability

• Examine similarities and differences in approaches to ethical conduct between government and the private sector

• Examine the effects of government transparency on trade, investment and economic development

• Explore the range of institutions that hold government accountable, including private sector and media

• Explore the ways in which new media is being used and influencing government transparency and accountability.

Participants as pictured above included:

Nizar Hajbi, from Tunisia, is a Senior Reporter for La Presse newspaper.

Jeanelle Adriana Mencias, from Belize, is the Acting Press Officer/Information Officer in the Government Press Office.

Alaa A.A. Ouka, from Palestinian Territories, is a Strategic Planner in the Ministry of Interior.

Roosevelt Ducelus accompanied the group as an International Visitor Liaison.

Md Naoshad Hossain, from Bangladesh, is an Additional Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

During their visit, Lee’s Summit Mayor Bill Baird stopped by and they enjoyed talking with him on the changes of transparency he is making…open communications.

The group received a copy of Missouri Sunshine Laws, learned about Conflict of Interest and how the Tribune writes their articles on documentation without opinion from court documents, petitions and court rulings.

They left with gifts from the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Lee’s Summit and the City to remember their visit to the Lee’s Summit Tribune.

The Tribune was the only newspaper they requested to visit while in Kansas City.