- Sharing this article from the Herald dated Dec 7th. Yes it is high time we
held our Goan politicians accountable for their deeds, misdeeds and false
promises.
Promises are made to be broken...
We must call our politicians to account for their broken promises, and work
towards a better future for all, says PETER FERNANDES
Human society advances and prospers on the principle of trust. Relationships
between people in society are fundamental, and they stand on a pillar of trust.
An individual believes that the other person will honor a pledge made, just as
he plans to abide by it. As Hannah Arendt has said, “Promises are the uniquely
human way of ordering the future, making it predictable and reliable to the
extent that this is humanly possible.”. Two people promise each other to live
in love and fidelity, trusting in their human intuition and divine providence,
knowing that keeping this promise is imperative for their bonding for a higher
good, and is a challenge they should not and cannot fail. “We promise according
to our hopes, and perform according to our fears”, as the wise La Rochefoucauld
put it. Promise fulfilled brings more joy and jubilation, than a failed oath,
even if one chooses to substitute with material gifts of enormous value.
However, ‘promises are made to be broken’’ This reminds me of a song, ‘Pakkaa
Iraadaa’ by Remo Fernandes, in his album ‘O Meri Munni’. Most people make
resolutions at the beginning of the year, or each day, to live a better life,
which is admirable, but it is keeping the promise that is praiseworthy.
Promises imprudently made are readily abandoned and forgotten. How beautiful it
would be if these promises were fulfilled. Certainly, the world would be a much
better place for all to live in trust and fidelity. Disloyalty among family,
friends, colleagues and neighbors plays a critical role in widening the break
in our relationships. Fragile human nature easily succumbs to temptation and
betrayal, and requires to be purified in the waters of truth and divine grace,
to build the right relationship with those around us, and with our Creator – in
whose presence we will live forever.
“Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build bridges even when
there are no rivers” – Nikita Krushchev. CRZ has come to haunt the coastal
community at the eleventh hour. The people of Canacona suffered tremendously
this past monsoon from the wrath of nature in the form of floods, cyclones and
fire. To add salt to their wounds, the Bombay High Court has ordered the
demolition of what is left from this tragedy. The court is faithfully executing
its duty with no mercy. Who will prosecute the government that failed its
people? First, the government neglected to present the report of the past
relief funds to the central government. For that reason, Goans were denied the
timely assistance due to them. Before the election, the Congress government
promised to save all the homes of those who engaged in traditional trades on
the coastal belt. Does this promise have any meaning?
Before the elections, the Queen of the Congress party cried aloud in Goa, with
her hands full of promises, and promised to resolve all our woes and
predicaments. These empty promises filled our gullible people with joy and
cheer, and urged them to vote for her candidate. Ironically, these citizens of
Goa failed to crack the pseudo code of deception. The then Congress candidate
was running his election campaign on bullfights.” Suddenly, there was a change
of heart, and CRZ became the central issue. But, can you blame the politicians,
who are like weather cocks, changing their feathers according to which way the
wind blows? Cunning and selfish, they are wise only in their own interest.
However, to pacify the electorate, a central minister visited the state to
reiterate the promise –in a similar fashion, that is, without any concrete plan
or time to resolve the dilemma. These shameless leaders, with no remorse for
their wrongdoing, and their breach of promises, show their face
s repeatedly at the time of elections. Astonishingly, they do not lack the
audacity or the silver-tongued smooth talk to make even more new promises, all
the while dismissing the fact that the old promises were never honoured by
them. Politicians should listen to what Abraham Lincoln had to say: “We must
not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot.”
Should they honor such principles, our world would be a better place, and
politicians would hold greater respect. Needless to say, because of their
falsehood and dishonesty, politicians are the source of stress and distress in
our society.
An interesting debate has arisen about saving the Alto Dabolim slope from an
ambitious mega housing project. Men and women from all over Goa have made known
their mind about mega housing projects. It is ironic that our leaders are
oblivious to the plea of the people whom they are called to serve. Their
promise and assurance to be servants of the people is nothing more than a puff
of air. Nonetheless, their guarantee to lobbyists and builders is
indispensable, and they go to any length to fulfil it, even at the cost of
suppressing and denying the will of the people, and destroying the environment.
To decode this debate, one need not be a genius, for this has been a pattern of
our political system for a long period of time. Corruption, dishonesty, and
money laundering has been the daily bread of our political leaders. When denied
their booty, and their fraudulent ways to amass wealth, they become furious, as
they unleash their wrath on innocent people, quickly attacking those w
ho honestly and openly inform the general public of their misdoing. “It is not
the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath” –Aeschylus
Regardless of such human adversity, there are areas of grace and brightness
which keep our sinking spirits filled with joy and renewed hope. We have
exemplary families, who have nurtured true love and trust in their homes; we
have friends who have gone so far as to offer their lives to save their loved
ones; we have teachers who selflessly offer their gift to children, to make
this world a better place; there are doctors who go out of their way to save
the lives of their patients; there are those who serve in the military and
police forces, risking their lives to protect our freedom. In all this, there
are the promises that bind us to one another. We are not alone; for by our
promises we are connected to the past and we commit ourselves to a brighter
future, thus urging us on to work for stable and trustworthy leaders for our
state of Goa.
During this Season of Advent, Christians all over the world recall the promise
of God to humanity. In David Nicholas’s words, “God’s promises are like the
stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine”. Believe this, and do not
be discouraged by forsaken promises, but take hold of the pieces, gather them
and begin again, knowing that God will never fail us. We must recognise our
interdependence and our responsibility to humanity, to nature, and to all of
His creation. We cannot and should not ever betray the trust confided to us by
our Creator. Recall the words of Robert Frost, and with one voice say, “But I
have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep...”
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