of politics

Editorial

The high cost of politics

THE warning issued by

Savenaca Siwatibau in this month’s issue should echo around the region.

The well-known regional economist and former gov ernor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji knows better than most

the cost of political inaction while whole economies go into meltdown. As he so rightly points out, there is very little that is rosy in the South Pacific economic gar den. As we look around the region, we see economies stagnating or in decline.

We see the gap between the rich and the poor becoming ever wider, thus stor ing up more trouble for the maybe not too distant - future. And we see leaders doing nothing about it.

The real enemy within is the unwill ingness of our political leaders to face the hard decisions. Despite the breast beat ing, the loud protests, the promises and the pledges they are, almost without

exception, incapable of grasping the

political nettle of reform. We hear much about reducing the cost of government, about offloading agencies that could be better handled by the private sector. But as soon as it comes to facing the harsh truth that some people are going to lose their jobs, most MPs either run for cover or pretend this can achieved without pain.

In the meantime, the world leaves us further behind. The financial scandals that are now almost commonplace in this region of the world could have been avoided if Mr Siwatibau’s advice had been followed. But without disciplined

policy-making and implementation we

will continue to have chaos.

For as long as there politi cians ready to put their political survival ahead of the national interest there will be fiscal distress in the South Pacific.

Of course trade between

Forum members and neighbours will help. If we can be seen in the worl i as a trading block rather than a group of micro-markets we’ll obviously have more clout at the various negotiating tables. But, it seems, the political will to achieve even that is lacking. The private sector could help here. But in order for that to happen the heavy burden of gov ernment regulation and bureaucratic interference will have to be removed.

That means fewer public servants and government agencies.

And that, in turn, means unpopular political decisions. Which is just about where we came in. ■