COMMENT A government that operates in secret is a dangerous government. It will hide all its foul deeds under layers of draconian laws to deter the people from knowing the truth.

Such a government has no right to hold in trust the mandate given by popular consent.

State secrets, if they genuinely help keep the country safe, can be a boon, but if they protect political crooks, they become a bane. In many countries - democracies or rogues states - secrets are used or abused according to the dictates of the government in power.