After the just concluded municipal elections in Goa, a successful candidate declared his intention to turn his ward into a Singapore. This has become a clichéd utopia for many a politician. He has been re-elected and was also the Chairperson in the previous council, for one he did not think of this before, why now when he is isolated as an independent?
Let’s us turn to some of the lesser known facts about Singapore. While transiting through Singapore in the early 90’s, I heard an interview with Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister and the brain behind modern day Singapore. The interviewer said he was a mediocre student and aspired to be a politician. Lee Kuan Yew’s answer was nothing short of awe-inspiring. He said if you are a mediocre student please go and find some other job. To be a politician in Singapore you need to be the best in Class, you need to be acknowledged by your peers as the best in your field, in the private sector and then you can think of becoming a politician. No wonder Singapore politicians are paid as well as any leading CEO. A lot, if not all would be Harvard educated. The stint in the private sector gives them decision making skills and they usually earn top dollar. It ensures that they are well off financially when they enter public life. Another important aspect is the fact that if they are caught dipping their hand into the public “coffers” they are tried quickly, sentenced to prison and all assets are confiscated by the state.
Contrast that with the situation in India for any public office. It is a free for all, education as a qualification is non-existent. For a peon’s job one would need to be a graduate but to be elected and then made in-charge of education, 4th pass is good enough. What kind of policy can such an unqualified person be able to preside over? In the recent election for city fathers it is reported that candidates with illegal constructions or are involved in matka which is officially illegal were contesting. How would these candidates if elected make rules or ensure that citizens follow the rules?
Then there is reservation, which even the political class is complaining about. They usually do not complain, so it must be really bad. The arbitrariness of the process is one aspect but the lack of transparency is galling. Why cannot the reservation be done in advance rather than at the last minute? It is used as a tool by the powers that be to get some advantage, so really is the reservation policy actually benefiting the people it should or is it just another policy that has become a tool to be manipulated for electoral benefit. Atleast pick an educated candidate, surely years of reservation in education will have produced fruit.
Experience is something that begins and ends with the designation “social worker”. Have we forgotten that there is a graduate and post graduate course in social work. Our political aspirants use it very loosely and cover their lack of experience. When we talk of experience in an elected body, does the ability to study, discuss, give suggestions on a topic like budgets have any relevance. Any project undertaken by the elected body will have a financial implication, so apart from being able to study the project under review the ability to foresee its financial impact will be a useful skill that can only be acquired after an education and then with experience on some executive level (at the minimum) job.
Financial security is something that is usually lacking in the candidates. So they have to depend on corporates, who often bet on all the horses or High Networth Individuals (HNI) who then control their actions. Usually these are subtle and strings are pulled behind the scenes. This time there was a report of one ex MLA blatantly saying he would control the proceedings in that particular council through his panel. Does it mean the people have elected “drones” who will listen to this un-elected individual? Of course this is not a new phenomenon; we are familiar with the word “remote control”
This time the elections have been fought and results show that people are looking for change. Given that we have simply replaced individuals without addressing the core issues of education, experience and funding we are mostly looking at new wine in an old bottle. We must always live in hope.
In Margao, we have a ray of hope in the choice of Dr. Babita. She is educated, experienced and financially secure (not from government contracts). She is slated to be the Chairperson, hopefully for five years. The Chairperson’s position is usually used a prize to be shared by the ruling combine, direction and continuity be dammed.
Can our elected representatives bring a change in the People’s Representation Act so that for a start a minimum education level say “graduate” is prescribed? Or is it too much to ask? Once education is addressed the other factors can get addressed easily and faster.
Without this, a Singapore like administration will continue to be a mirage.
Blaise Costabir is an alumnus of the Asian Institute of Management and a first generation entrepreneur
