The Vice-President of India Venkaiah Naidu on his visit to Goa has rightly highlighted the need to address the trust deficit in public perception about legislators. The trust deficit between people and Government is at an all time high. It is imperative that the legislators stay connected with the people and that there is always an ongoing discourse to meet the needs and aspirations of the public. As Venkaiah Naidu has pointed out, the legislators must empower the people and not themselves.
Good Governance is all about heeding to the voice of the people and not crushing the people’s right to oppose projects that are against the interests of Goa and its already fragile environment. Good Governance is about empowering people with honest information and facts, to enable them to work with Government to achieve solutions to issues that are of paramount importance to the people and the common good not vanity projects or cheap gesture politics for photoshoots. While we claim to be the world’s largest democracy, we are sadly enveloped in a dictatorial regime that does not care to heed to the people’s voice. For the proper administration of the State, the bureaucracy including the police force has to act independently and judiciously free from any political interference or manipulation. Sadly, in Goa the ground and factual reality is not so while the administration has meekly surrendered as political slaves of those in power. We elect legislators not for cutting ribbons and breaking coconuts at hot-mixing of roads but to be excellent outstanding law makers and to enact good laws while extensively debating issues concerning the betterment besides the welfare of the people and State. Goa will see better days only when we elect persons of integrity at all levels of Governance who are worthy to hold public office, with the intellectual capability and acumen to undertake the task of serving the people, truthfully and sincerely for the common good. Good Governance never depends upon laws only, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. Perhaps Goa Government should take a cue from Narendra Modi’s reflections on Good Governance when he said ‘’Good Governance depends on ability to take responsibility by both administration as well as people. People’s participation is the essence of good governance. Transparency is key to good governance. Good Governance cannot remain merely a philosophy. Concrete steps have to be taken for realizing its goals’’. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com