Hard talk
Thursday, 7 June 2007
The right hand of the government must endorse and support what its left hand does. It is needed not only for uniformity of actions and direction but also for the realisation of its purpose. Whenever inconsistencies occur in inter-related laws and policies, these largely frustrate the objects of both, which means that neither of them would ultimately prove fully effective. On pragmatic grounds, the recent government action for bringing undisclosed money within the tax-net is welcome. But the related regulatory order for doing so by those who have undisclosed money earned through legal means, at the exclusion of black money, on payment of income tax with penalty tax at the rate of 5.0 per cent, may here become one more example of lack of unformity of actions and direction. While it is being maintained that the source of any undisclosed money will not be questioned, the simultaneous insistence on exclusion of black money automatically raises the question as to how the taxmen would distinguish between the two while receiving returns. This ambiguity denies clarity to the order, which might mean to many of the undisclosed money holders that the left hand of the government may not endorse what the right hand is doing.
Uniformity of direction is, therefore, a virtue or an essential feature of public administration, not just for fun. Courts also avoid conflict of judgments for the unity of actions. It is ensured to be so in recognising that symmetry has to be obtained somewhere and then maintained in the socio-economic life in order to promote unity to foster peace and development. That is why general amnesty is usually declared after wars or civil wars by the enlightened establishments to return their societies to the basic tasks-reconstruction and development, which require a surge of spontaneous enthusiasm among all to proceed unhindered, peacefully and apace.
What operated in this country under the garb of an imperfect democracy is kleptocracy. Call it an economic civil war. South Africa, on embracing democracy after the apartheid and civil war, declared through its ablest son-Nelson Mandela, "We are a rain-bow nation, at peace with ourselves and the rest of the world". On the other hand, Zimbabwe, with a similar pathetic history, went for pursuing the former torturers of the majority. The results that have obtained in the two cases are remarkably varied-South Africa, on the upsurge, is claiming a share in the global leadership and Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, busy in a hot pursuit of former culprits, remains trapped in the struggle to have its two ends met.
This country is too small, economically weak and populous to afford a long hot pursuit of offenders of various descriptions under the imperfect democratic umbrella of previous three elected governments. Its fragility may contain unworthy but potent elements to create further unstable conditions. The caution may be grave; but a reality of that type ought not to be and must not be risked on any consideration to let the citizens have a bad chance to distinguish light from shade in the social context. It is better to recognize that Rome was not built in a day and then say thus far no further. Cleansing a stable is undeniably desirable. But, that is a big but, if its very base was also built on filth it is more desirable to stop the cleaning at some point from where right signals will reach out to all to mend their ways and to move ahead without involvement in corruption.
The matter of fact is: This economy, which has grown virtually haphazardly since the devastating liberation war in 1971, has not evolved in a disciplined manner. Seeking to find out whether perfection could be secured earlier in all cases in that imperfect situation may be unrewarding like demolishing a building to search out whether or not there are defects at its base. In this situation, once basic institutional reforms are carried out and big offenders are brought to justice, that will set things right for all others to follow the rules of the game, and that will help promote transparency and accountability. Otherwise, the quilt may not exist if all hairs are plucked out.
Uniformity of direction is, therefore, a virtue or an essential feature of public administration, not just for fun. Courts also avoid conflict of judgments for the unity of actions. It is ensured to be so in recognising that symmetry has to be obtained somewhere and then maintained in the socio-economic life in order to promote unity to foster peace and development. That is why general amnesty is usually declared after wars or civil wars by the enlightened establishments to return their societies to the basic tasks-reconstruction and development, which require a surge of spontaneous enthusiasm among all to proceed unhindered, peacefully and apace.
What operated in this country under the garb of an imperfect democracy is kleptocracy. Call it an economic civil war. South Africa, on embracing democracy after the apartheid and civil war, declared through its ablest son-Nelson Mandela, "We are a rain-bow nation, at peace with ourselves and the rest of the world". On the other hand, Zimbabwe, with a similar pathetic history, went for pursuing the former torturers of the majority. The results that have obtained in the two cases are remarkably varied-South Africa, on the upsurge, is claiming a share in the global leadership and Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, busy in a hot pursuit of former culprits, remains trapped in the struggle to have its two ends met.
This country is too small, economically weak and populous to afford a long hot pursuit of offenders of various descriptions under the imperfect democratic umbrella of previous three elected governments. Its fragility may contain unworthy but potent elements to create further unstable conditions. The caution may be grave; but a reality of that type ought not to be and must not be risked on any consideration to let the citizens have a bad chance to distinguish light from shade in the social context. It is better to recognize that Rome was not built in a day and then say thus far no further. Cleansing a stable is undeniably desirable. But, that is a big but, if its very base was also built on filth it is more desirable to stop the cleaning at some point from where right signals will reach out to all to mend their ways and to move ahead without involvement in corruption.
The matter of fact is: This economy, which has grown virtually haphazardly since the devastating liberation war in 1971, has not evolved in a disciplined manner. Seeking to find out whether perfection could be secured earlier in all cases in that imperfect situation may be unrewarding like demolishing a building to search out whether or not there are defects at its base. In this situation, once basic institutional reforms are carried out and big offenders are brought to justice, that will set things right for all others to follow the rules of the game, and that will help promote transparency and accountability. Otherwise, the quilt may not exist if all hairs are plucked out.