THE POLITICS OF RETENTION

THE POLITICS OF RETENTION 

Harry Bissoon 


The people of a nation state "...certainly sustains the government of the day in ways of which he has no knowledge. Every citizen therefore renders himself responsible for every act of his government"...Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi. 


Every government, democractically elected by the people, is responsible for providing basic necessities, as determined by the relevancy of space and time, to its citizens. Necessities,  such as, healthy and potable water, reliable electricity, ease of transportation, access to unbiased news and information, eqitable distribution of labor and income, goods and services, etc. These are not handouts, or gifts. The government is obligated to its citizens, and has to deliver accordingly, because it has been given the mandate to serve the people. A government that does not do this, threads on the thin line which separates democracy from dictatorship!

The constituent electorate fails if it does let the government, which they elected, become aware of this!


These basic responsibilities of government in a democratic polity are the springboard to socio-economic development, especially in an oil economy, in which there is a tendency to spend oil income on non-productive investments and handouts, to the detriment of multi-layered, cost intensive projects, which could be solid grounds for economic spin-off. 


Staying in control and power is a function of satisfying people's basic needs. 


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