Lesson 53 In the Public interestListen to the tape then answer the question below.What could not be reported in the official files?The Scandinavian countries are much admired all over the world for their enlightened social policies.Sweden has evolved an excellent system for protecting the individual citizen from highhanded or incompetent public officers.The system has worked so well, that it has been adopted in other countries too.The Swedes were the first to recognize that public officials like civil servants, police officers, health inspectors or tax-collectors can make mistakes or act over-zealously in the belief that they are serving the public.As long ago as 1809, the Swedish Parliament introduced a scheme to safeguard the interest of the individual.A parliamentary committee representing all political parties appoints a person who is suitably qualified to investigate private grievances against the State.The official title of the person is 'Justiteombudsman', but the Swedes commonly refer to him as the 'J.O.' or 'Ombudsman'.The Ombudsman is not subject to political pressure.
