It is often questioned whether the average citizen has sufficient information to make meaningful evaluations on current issues in a culture submerged in dogmatic nonsense. It stems from a political system in partnership with unions that have both failed to liberate society to think for themselves. One may think that citizens are the masters of the vote and can select a candidate of their own choosing – that is far from the real truth.
Politicocracy has made sure that only the political parties would have the last word, and not the voter. The cherished democratic right of grass-roots citizen-participation does not exist in Cyprus. This appalling state of affairs is more than real; nothing moves without union and political-party influence or interference. It is no wonder the island has been inundated with petty-politicians, petty-political parties and intransigent unions all aimed to gain control over the minds of citizens.
At one time political parties and unions were created to help the weak and vulnerable, show them the way to improve themselves and provide support and protection in hard times. Today, they dictate who gets recruited into the public service and other government-related positions, while the merit system is meaningless. It is also an appalling state of affair when some political parties demand as a “kick-back” a share of their member’s monthly wages for using “party-connections” to secure employment. That is legal extortion.
The noble idea of social-consciousness disappeared long ago; today, political parties and unions are a big business, they are institutions through which elites coordinate activities in elections and in governments as they attempt to satisfy the interests of their support base and corporate financial contributors. The nepotistic system works on an “old boys” mentality where individuals are recruited not on merit but through having the right connections; having skills or qualifications is pointless. This appalling culture has been nurtured in Cyprus for a very long time and consequently has led the country into stagnation and oppression ruled by a corruption-infested system.
In a healthy democracy, political parties are a necessary evil. The unions they have exceeded their intended purpose, especially when they have the power to hold an entire nation at ransom. Their objectives are to serve themselves at the expense of all others. Laws are required to clip away those regressive powers of those institutions that control schools, (both in the public and private sector), police, civil service and society in general. Political parties are polarizing the country. New parties keep cropping up and it is necessary to make it harder to start political parties.
In the United States for example, the Independent Electoral Commission demands that an applicant provide signed statements of 1% of registered voters and bonafide supporters before it can consider the application. If that were the case in Cyprus, smaller political parties would never see the light of day. Transparency is vital and it should be mandatory by law that all political parties disclose annually their funding sources and financial supporters and from where those funds come.
Corporations and special interest groups should not be in a position to buy elections with secret donations. Citizens must be informed who the political party sponsors are behind TV, newspaper, and airwave ads and other campaign spending. Clean money – clean elections. Politicians should be required to disclose their net worth and financial interests before gaining a government position or a parliamentary seat. One should be able to question how a government official or a representative who relies on a yearly salary is suddenly worth millions after services rendered and this includes the Presidents. Political immunity needs to be abolished in favor of a system based on absolute democratic accountability, merit and transparency.
Olitical parties must be subject to accountability and transparency; remove political immunity from the statute books, except for the ambassadorial and consular offices abroad. Breaking the law, accepting or demanding a bribe for favors in public office should be severely punishable and without leniency or exceptions. Officials’ conflict of interests while in service should be liable for prosecution and it should be compulsory for Parliamentarians to participate at each session and they must cease being involved with the running of their own private business.
Political parties must disclose their funding sources and be under public scrutiny and there should be a financial limit on campaign expenditure during electioneering. This is to be rated in a party-ratio formula based on the electoral registrar. It’s most important to reduce the unlimited special-interest influence and reveal all party secret funding sources. Corporate donors of campaign funds must be identified. Do away with the nepotistic “all-party committees” influencing the selection of new recruits in the public service, public corporation committees, police, teaching and other government positions. Personnel should be hired based on qualifications and merit and not on political influence and nepotism.
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