Politicians worry about 2010 while Voters focus on 2009!

J. Roughan

12 March 2009

Honiara        

 

National elections are due before mid-2010. Many honorables, knowing their time in office has but a few more months to run, are pushing the panic button. In 2006, when most were elected and won their seat in parliament what seemed like a nice long time in the lime light--4 years, 48 months, 208 weeks, 1,460 days--has now dropped to a bit more than a single year.

 

They realize that for most the numbers are stacked against them for being re-elected to parliament again. If past national elections are anything to go by more and more are destined to be one-term members. Since 1984 during the course of six national elections, on average 43% of the sitting members failed in their attempt to return to parliament.

 

The only exception to that rule happened in 1993 when almost 8 out of 10 members successfully returned to parliament. But that event was a one off thing because that's the year Mamaloni introduced the Rural Constituency Development Fund. Voters mistakenly thought that funds given out by this fund belonged to the member. Really, however, it was people's money. Once they realized that the RCDF fund belonged to them and not to the member, the number of members failing to return to parliament grew strong once again. 

 

In fact, by the 2001 election more than 6 out of every 10 sitting members failed in their attempt to return to parliament. That was the highest turnover in seven national elections. Unfortunately, I predict that this same thing will happen again next year if the present group of members fail to energize their people in 2009.

 

Today's politicians face an international financial collapse that is sending distress signals across the globe. Governments, some as powerful as America, Japan, EU, UK, etc currently face the most depressing economic outlook since WW II in 1945. Had economic growth  of 2006-2008 continued and grown strong, then many honorables would have basked in its warmth and claim that their strong governance had caused all the prosperity. With the current total destruction of what nations had considered normal and natural now in complete disarray, then it's today's politicians who are being blamed for the town turn.

 

It does no good for a politician to bank on his access to RCDF as a major way of winning back his parliamentary seat. Voters know that the funds from this source belong NOT to the honorable but to the people. So, in their eyes, it doesn't really matter who sits in parliament, these funds are already ear marked  for people's projects and interests..  

 

Present politicans have to come up with more convincing ways to woo their voters that he is their man, that he has the interest of his people at heart and it would be wise for them to return this experienced person to parliament once again in 2010. But this is becoming a big ask!

 

The typical village person has not experienced much of a change in his/her quality of life since 2006. SIDT can't produce an up to date Report Card showing that this government as well as the previous one have made any marked difference in the normal lives of people. However,  recalling the depressing results of the 7 seven Report Cards dating back as far as 1989, government after government have failed the people in the basics of life. 

 

It's no great leap of the imaginations to state, without fear of contradiction, that since governments of the day have cared so little for people over so many years that people, in turn, think little of their representatives. The key to return to office, of winning back a parliament seat, has less to do with funding a project, handing out travel money, supplying bags of rice but more and more to do with making people's ordinary lives thrive. Villagers want their kids in quality schools that start on time each day every day, clinics well staffed with dedicated personnel having medicines at hand when needed, reliable but affordable transport and a strong but a reasonably priced communication system. 

 

Honorable! Stop thinking about 2010 so much and focus on making 2009 better for your people now. If you don't, then most should begin looking for a new work come 2010!