Dear Editor,
There are matters of governance which are of concern; foremost among these is the FipMotilall contract. Either on account of complete disrespect, myopia or arrogance, and in spite of the criticism by individuals and organizations the previous government carried through with the arrangements. The responsible ministry is now in a mad scramble to recover what it can. This may not be the end of this fiasco. Costs are escalating and there are likely to be contingent contractual repercussions.
While analyses of misdeeds in governance are important, the nation needs to examine the opportunity presented at this juncture for corrective action. Clear thinking would suggest that the opportunity we have resides in the composition of parliament and its ability to take action.
Forget those who claim how magnanimous they were when the last government was in control or what conventions they operated on. Those were the days of mere window dressing and the impression created was merely for international consumption. The conduct of parliamentary democracy was never ideally practised to the obvious detriment of our national good.
Our obligation now is to give thought to and pursue the following, starting with a review of the presidential pension package. All the major agreements in the mining and forestry sectors should be requested by parliament to be examined by that body, along with the agreements in the sugar industry which are also of importance and need to be examined in order to avoid a collapse in that industry. Consideration should be given to the current 1980 constitution for amendments. The PPP promised this nation the constitution would be amended, but we have witnessed the exploitation of the constitution by them over the past decade. The nightmare that we have experienced over the past decade could be obviated and the nation could move into a period of stability and growth with an enabling constitution.
We must be mindful and appreciative of the sacrifices made by our ancestors: Africans, Portuguese, Indians and Chinese, as well as the original inhabitants of this land, the Amerindians. We need to show that those sacrifices were not in vain and prove that we are worthy inheritors of our nationhood.
Yours faithfully,
Henry O Bovell