In a couple of days the Finance `Minister will find his way to Parliament flanked by the Prime Minister with the famous black briefcase containing the new fiscal budget that is to be presented to legislators.
Within minutes of his speech there will be the usual two diametrically opposite reactions: A people and poor-oriented budget; a budget to decimate the poor and middle class.
Both perspectives will be true; the difference will be a clear division in priorities.
We shall no doubt be informed that all macro-economic indicators are positive and arguable statistics liberally dished out will point to matters being comfortable. The sore-thumb issues will be talked about, no doubt.
The most developed countries of the world have their share of homeless people, starving people and more instances of open begging.
Mr AMA Muhith will probably stick to his view that there are no beggars in the country and those that continue the vocation -- if that is what it can be called -- do so out of habit.
There are instances that support his view such as lame beggars contentedly married, children going to school and living in decent rented accommodation. Just as true is the phenomenon that exacerbates during Ramzan and the Friday prayers.
The population isn't known for discipline when it comes to maintaining queues though matters are improving. The long lines at some bus stops and train stations are indicative.
The Finance Minister, public representatives and the general public must know that beggars are good at choosing their haunts. If there are queues to ATM booths, they will be there.
If devotees follow a particular route to the mosque, they will be there, not getting in anyone's way but lined up in a bonhomie of accommodation.
Whatever the budget does and doesn't change, the numbers of beggars don't seem to have gone down. Survey after survey has shown that their disinclination towards a vocation comes from the pure perspective of financial inadequacy.
This too, is nothing new. In the UK, the government has embarked on a major reform under the Universal Credit Scheme whereby social security and unemployment benefits are being brought under one umbrella and beneficiaries will have to prove they have attempted to find gainful employment periodically. Those who have made the honest endeavour must then accept any jobs that the government provides.
In a way this will address to some extent the inevitable job vacancies in areas such as garbage collection and disposal, gardening and other jobs currently avoided by the British citizens. Importantly it addresses the misuse of the doles the exchequer bears each year. Crucially it adds a fillip to dignity of labour.
The International Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union have teamed up to make sure more of the young voices of society are heard. From making it mandatory for political parties to recruit and nominate the young to parliamentary seats to separate sessions of hearings, the process is on.
Leading up to the budget the government maintained the ritual of sessions with businesses and entrepreneurs but the more vital futuristic areas have been ignored. Farmers know best what the end results should be thereby influencing agricultural policies.
The young population will realise the realities of the future around which education policies must be defined and implemented. Small or big, businesses know best what policy is most enabling for the ambitious growth targets ahead.
Consultative rather than confrontational approaches to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development partners balancing political realities can untie most of the knots in the way.
Above all, it is accountability not only about what hasn't been achieved but, indeed what should be the hallmark of governance. The pun is totally unintended.
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