Dear Editor,
In this and future election seasons it is important that we are given the opportunity to take an objective view of our leaders while also being able to make an informed decision at the polls. How will we measure the promised performance (before taking office) vs. actual performance (at the end of their term) of our leaders, independent of party affiliation? It is important that our leaders can clearly articulate and successfully debate & justify their plans for our country along key dimensions of performance by being able to answer the following questions for the populace:
1. What is their economic plan to both sustainably maintain and grow by each key Sector (Bauxite, Construction/Housing, Energy & Oil, Financial: direct & indirect investment, Fishing, Forestry, Gold, Manufacturing, Rice, Sugar, Tourism and Wholesale / Retail & Trade)?
2. What is their fiscal policy and plan for budgetary controls to both ensure good governance and controlled spending, especially in government compensation at the upper levels of their administration?
3. What is their unemployment reduction plan by county and town?
4. What is their safety and security plan by town?
5. What is their border security and defence plan?
6. What is their plan to reduce drug & human trafficking and the associated anti-corruption policy?
7. What is their plan for the usage of the funds generated by the oil sector?
8. What is their education plan by level (nursery, primary, secondary and university)?
9. What is their health and medical plan for the country & for each town?
10. What is their environmental sustainability plan?
These plans should also take into account the impact & development of our villages and the public service & unions where applicable.
Over the years we have unconsciously judged our leadership’s performance by these dimensions. It is time that voters demand a higher level of accountability and are allowed to clearly judge our present and future leadership along these key dimensions going forward. Leadership’s performance across these key dimensions are essential to determining whether our leaders have earned the right to lead us as we move our great nation into the next level of development.
Yours faithfully,
Jamil Changlee
