John Eric Gomes
Power corrupts, and after 66 years of independence, our elected representatives helped by bureaucrats, have forgotten that we are a democracy with a magnificent Constitution for “We the People”.
Our Constitution was born, after a freedom struggle, inspired by the American and French revolutions, and the fathers of our Constitution having experienced the devastation of fascism and the world wars. Our elected representatives are headed by a president or governor and prime minister or chief minister at the centre and states respectively. The council of ministers is responsible to Parliament, which is, please note, responsible to the people. So also at the state level, at the lowest rungs, panchayats have elected representatives responsible to the gram sabhas! Having put them in positions of power, the whole system has been tilted on its head to serve those we have entrusted with governance! We are told Parliament is supreme, and need not consult the people anymore on vital matters concerning them. The whole government functions at their own safety and convenience first. Laws, rules and regulations are made accordingly.
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Elected representatives and bureaucrats have forgotten who their boss is, who having entrusted them with the exchequer in the nation’s interest, is also paying their salaries to serve him and not to rule! Power can also corrupt the boss, and so our Constitution has balances and checks, a beautiful preamble which requires honorable persons and not scoundrels and carpetbaggers who seem to have no conscience!
Our government machinery requires a complete and drastic overhaul. Our Chief Minister Parrikar started his term well. He had time bound schemes and good intentions. He was accordingly felicitated and given many awards. But the way to hell is also paved with good intentions. After sixteen months we find the law and order situation is not satisfactory. The important RP 2021 is still in limbo and builders are having a field day with concretization of Goa. Garbage problems have not been solved and with the traffic problem getting worse, roads and monsoon problems the same, prices of vegetables, fruit and essential commodities soaring, no coordination between institutions, administration grounded to almost a standstill, reported U-turns, and major decisions acceptable to the people pending. Wither good governance?
Relatively clean politicians, public (not “government” as they wrongly label themselves) servants who honor the citizens charter, policemen we can respect, and as a respected former CJI stated, judges with the 4Ps (punctuality, probity, promptness, patience), is what we need.
