It is very clear that politicians would like to keep its electorate as uninformed as possible, actively employing strategies that bar serious policy discussions and informed decision making; engaging in gutter politics instead of voter education, vigorously blocking moves to monitor or limit campaign financing, dragging on debate on constitutional reform, all in a desperate attempt to hold on to power.An education system can only be judged by its failures, such as the ratio of attendants to the total population, the number of dropouts, the number of illiterates (cannot read or write), the number of graduates that cannot balance a bank account or plan a home budget and the percentage of over eighteen year old adults that do not understand basic civics. The education system should be mandated, either through the school’s curriculum or similar to the politicians, to use campaign rallies to explain to a mass audience the differences between electoral system, such as ‘First pass the post’ and ‘Proportional representation’, and which system is presently in use.
Also, the functions of the different electoral bodies should be made clear, such as local representatives who actually defines, implements and maintains the needs of the community as opposed to national legislature, who firstly become lawmakers and then, depending on the constitution, candidates for executive positions who sets policy and priorities for the nation.
Buying a favor is as easy as financing a political campaign. A number of lucrative contract renewals depend upon the election results, so many contractors and their employees have no choice but to protect their jobs by working for the politicians. The same is true on a larger scale; business operators must find legal ways to finance political campaigns, for with the right influence those funds can generate more than ten times the amount in returns. A system of awarding publicly funded contracts must be transparent, with declarations of allegiances and public review. All bidders must have met basic thresholds and capabilities to win a preapproved registered status, a declaration of working for or donating to any and all political campaigns and an open process from the contract bids and awards to public oversight.
Electing a candidate with strong character, morals and ethics, who would choose to surround themselves with persons of similar values, is the ideal. Integrity in public life laws, to address politicians and other appointed persons that benefit financially from or through gifts and rewards for misdeeds done while in office or shortly after demitting office, can be a deterrent.
Constitutional reform is clearly a bottom up exercise, driven by an informed electorate, which can be successfully blocked by the politicians presently in power. Campaigns with educational components, limits on financial and non-financial contributions and transparency in the award of all publicly funded contracts, can only be made into law by the very same politicians that benefit from the omission.
Rationale
T.A.J & Associates Company Limited uses this occasion to comment on topics that have been covered, both academically and by the mainstream media, to add its opinion and point out investment opportunity, not to invoke any social action.
