Should we be having regular conversations about the following as we move to celebrate our 50 years of Independence:
- Transparent accountable Governance;
- Policies that are in the nation’s development interest, i.e. Education, Poverty reduction, Housing;
- Procurement, Corruption and the national debt;
- Constitutional reform, that will take another look at governance, rights and freedoms, Public Service Commission, citizenship, political parties and campaign financing and the powers of the Prime Minister, among other things;
- Financing of political parties and the direct correlation to national policy that can affect Grenada’s development;
- What should the role of the Social Partners be as we move forward, given their importance in National decision making;
- Should the people who represent Social Partners groupings change every two or three years so they do not become a function of the government of the day;
- Should Social partners be a legislative grouping with national interest;
- Procurement, public contracts and “kickbacks” to political parties;
- The role and designation of political parties. Are political parties an NGO or a Business for profit?
- Should campaign donors be allowed to formulate public policy;
- The role of the 5th estate and public disclosure;
- Should the Integrity Commission be reconstituted, given an investigative arm and legal teeth with the power to effect sanctions;
Some people believe that there is a secret agreement that politicians would not investigate and sanction dishonest politicians, let’s wait to see if that is true with this new group of politicians.
This is an opportunity to start afresh, to rid ourselves of the corrupt mentality that friends and family must “eat a food even when their belly full”, and kickbacks to political parties so that the party with the most money stands the best chance to win elections.
Congratulations to the young people of Grenada who were a big part of this peaceful transition of political power. I can only wish them well in their movement to change the culture of divide and rule.
For what it’s worth, one politician from yesteryear when asked, “Why do some politicians spend little time keeping promises and more time on getting reelected?” His response was “POWER SWEET.”
Observer