Minimal moral measure
Kaieteur News – Only the starry and ostrich-like would deny that much of this society exists in a state of decay. Any conscientious and honest presence, local or foreign, that only conducts a superficial review of our way of doing things, would be forced to conclude that we are constantly going about things the wrong way .
At the highest levels in this country, we allocate people to ministerial positions. Whether they are competent and suitable is not of interest or objective today. Rather, what should have been done is not done, the action to be followed whether the shortest of throws was ignored or given. Proper due diligence is the beginning, and even when it is not detected (or disclosed) in advance, but when later discovered with everyone having an egg on their faces, then some curing action, is compulsory.
The first is to not round wagons and put out defenses that insult citizens and create new problems. It’s best to re-group, hit the pause button to afford time, get to the bottom of the issue and, if there are gaps, then plug those first and only then move on. For example, it would have been better, far more credible and satisfying, had the minister’s appointment at the center of the dual citizenship dispute been held temporarily, until all the questions, concerns and issues had been resolved. The quibbling over date (s) is unwise and a little unrealistic for someone to count among the ranks of legislators.
As things evolve and react to them, a cloud stays over the top of this particular emerging legislator. In summary, it should have been a process to deal with contingencies like these, and we have to get our share of it through various issues evolving over the years.
When we continue in attempts to stuff things down opponents’ necks and a largely passive populace, the result is more harm than good. Let there be minimum ethical and moral standards, which are invisible, and therefore not negotiable. And if this means starting over with someone new, then that’s it.
The same standards, which must become the universal norm, must be brought to the people we hire as professionals to fill key slots in our public service system. Even when it is clear that political workers are recognized and political favors are allowed, the screening process in place must be so robust and ethical in itself that contaminated people do not reach the degree.
In other words, they do not measure up and, therefore, must be ignored, however unfortunate that may be. It has to be, if the people leading this country are going to stop talking about ethics and principles, and start practicing what they preach with a straight face.
It must be said that the local and foreign companies with which we do business must be held to the identical measuring stick. If we want to get anywhere, we must commit to an irreversible start somewhere, make every effort to be consistent, and hold to the same standards before friend and foe. If not, then all we will ever count on is the amount of hot air, which is always looking for louder and louder air to inhabit.
As an example of this, this is where a private sector body objected to the application of prevention measures in isolation. It is on record of an outright allegation of selective action with pandemic regulations, which opens it up to allegations of cherry picking itself. Sometimes, friends’ feathers have to be broken if any real progress is to be made. When this rush is to protect constituencies, the broken norm becomes the result.
The way we go about things – the routine, the process, the decision making process, the truths they reveal about what kind of governance we hold dear (not just mouth), the kind of society we want to build and in which we want to live. Must start somewhere; we must do that now, and constantly.