Dear Editor,
Even in their last remaining days in office, this Council of Ministers is still trying desperately to hold on to their ministerial positions. It’s like this function is their only lifeline, and they are clinging on to it for dear life. Never in the history of politics have the population witnessed an outgoing government this desperate to retain their power.
When it’s not the ministers who are sending direct WhatsApp messages to newly elected MPs, enticing them to cross over, it’s their supporters and associates who are doing the dirty job for them. What kind of message are they sending to the incoming government? It is for them to create another Mexican stand-off like what took place in the past? This is such a shameful and unprofessional way of exiting.
What is the real reason behind this desperation? Who do they owe? What promises did they make on the campaign trail? Are there previous agreements still in motion, like the one regarding ENNIA, that blind-sided parliament and the entire country, just recently? On one hand they say they have no problem sitting in parliament, but in the same breath, they are relentlessly soliciting the weak and greedy MPs of this new formation.
How shameful it is to see that 14 years into this new status, politicians are still playing this dirty game. Yet, when they make mistakes, based on their ego and refusal to take advice, they try to convince the public that it’s a young country and the people must be patient, because other countries are experiencing the same challenges, even though they have years of independence.
I’m still very curious to know where all that money came from to finance the UP and NA campaigns. And, were these two parties actually running the government, or they were acting on behalf of their donors? What is extremely obvious is that they are so ill-equipped that they cannot function without former MP Rolando Brison, the “bridge” who was keeping this outgoing government together.
So, what are the consequences of him being absent from their political make-up going forward? Is this a major reason why NA is so desperate to maintain power? It’s very strange that a party like NA that despised the UP party, now finds itself in such a dilemma. Or, is former MP Rolando Brison’s statement of having a deal with the young boys of NA the dominating factor that is fueling this desperation?
This is why the Electoral Council needs a complete revamp of its approach in collecting information on campaign spending. Its current system can never uncover the true picture of monetary contribution or otherwise. They need to do a complete audit in conjunction with the Prosecutor’s Office to see if there are any discrepancies, and levy the appropriate penalties to deter this kind of misconduct in the future.
UP and NA have done enough damage to the country with their incompetence and deceitful behaviours. They will go down in history as the most selfish government ever, and the one that fired the most locals ever, just to satisfy their ego and these unscrupulous business owners.
Therefore, it is time that they relinquish their positions with dignity, if there is any, and set the example for those who aspire to serve the public.
Joslyn Morton
