(This column was first published in the Amandala issue of Friday, August 13, 1995)

Snapshots — Focus

Every government in my lifetime has complained of lack of money. Yet these same leaders, to the observer, lived the profligate life of an oil-rich sheik, sustained by other people’s aid, grants and loans. They misuse and squander the money as though there’s no tomorrow. They truly demonstrate the old saying, “today let’s live and be merry for tomorrow we die.” For a struggling and fledging nation such as we are, this is obscene and grotesque. Strapped as we are for “cash,” one would think that we would institute reforms permitting us to become solvent.

In the Public Service for example, excepting that of the President (the Prime Minister), all vehicles should be standardized. The decision as to the supplier would be made by Cabinet. Except for those of the President and the Police, all vehicles should be locked up for the weekend. Work for the Party is not to be confused with working for the people, for as everyone knows, the people create the party, and not the the party the people. Use of the people’s vehicles is for their work and not for transporting friends, one’s children to school, nor for running private errands. All drivers of the people’s vehicles shall be responsible for damages to same caused by them, which is not covered by insurance. No member of the legislature, without exception, shall accept any vehicle from any individual, agency or corporation.

Snap…

It has become standard procedure for leaders to visit foreign countries for a variety of reasons. It has become customary for leaders on these visits to be accompanied by the media, the fourth estate, to report on their activities. It is also common courtesy and good manners for the leaders to hold press conferences to report to their boss, the people, the outcome of their trips. One would suggest that this practice be instituted as the norm; now that we have a media organization, they would send one or two of their own on a rotating basis. Of course, one would expect that their reports would include clandestine meetings of the leaders with powerful foreign interests to preclude the old saying, “politics is the conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” The formalization of the practice of the fourth estate accompanying the leaders on their foreign travels would go a long way to ensure that the people’s business is indeed what they’re about.

THE PICTURE…
Cut the FAT
Starting at the top
Streamline
For thine and mine
AND INFORMATION, PLEASE
For Everybody’s Peace
As-salaam-alaikum