Dear Editor,
Minister of State Joseph Harmon’s announcement that he will be donating the recent increases in his salary to various villages across the county to be used for installing street lights in the communities he has named is timely and politically important. The minister must be commended for his decision. In arriving at his decision and announcing it publicly Mr Harmon has demonstrated that his politics is one of accountability and respect for public opinion.
The minister’s gesture is presumably, a response to the criticisms he received over the remarks he is alleged to have made when responding to a reporter’s question in relation to the government’s decision to increase salaries for ministers and members of parliament.
I am of the view that if the response attributed to the minister was true he should have offered an apology, forthwith. His failure to do so, and here I am assuming that the remarks attributed to him were true, was in my opinion, a grave political mistake. The issue of the salaries was a cabinet decision and it is expected that on that score he had to hold his ground and accept collective responsibility.
I feel it is necessary to pen this letter in the spirit of criticism and self-criticism which I am contending should be a guiding principle in the governance style of the APNU+AFC coalition government. When our leaders or the government make a misstep it is our duty to admit and urge corrective measures. I am sure that all APNU activists would be delighted that Comrade Harmon has taken the course of action he has chosen. It is to be hoped that other beneficiaries of the salaries increases will follow his lead. His action should strengthen our belief that our leaders, though not perfect, are a different set of people than those in the previous regime.
Yours faithfully,
Tacuma Ogunseye
