By Oliver Mills From Caribbean News Now

Caribbean systems of governance have been undergoing serious critique because of their perceived dysfunctionality in delivering economic and social goods, and protecting the lives and property of citizens who are at the core of the social contract. The social contract exists between a government and its people who together decided that, to ensure security, a government would be chosen by the people, on condition, that its interests were protected. If the terms of the contract were compromised by the government, it would be removed from office. This is the basis of delinquency in politics.

Delinquency in politics emerged because of government’s failure to honour the terms of the social contract which ensure accountability, and are fundamental to democracy. But citizens feel powerless because of the authority a government exercises and its consequences for them if it is used arbitrarily. They forget they have ultimate power. But contesting the behaviour of those in power is a check on politics that has become delinquent.

This idea of government not delivering on its promises, or what I have termed being delinquent, is discussed by Hugh Dunbar in the Jamaica Observer recently. He notes that his country’s experience over 54 years of independence has little overall economic and social benefit to show for it, and that its economy remains tied to the colonial economy shown by the majority of large corporations built on assets from slavery, and that the freed Africans should have evolved to be at the core of most small and medium sized businesses instead of remaining marginalised.

Dunbar further mentions that the country must move to a position of informed decision making, creating a vision of what it wants to be as a nation. And says that politicians communicate with people during the run-up to the election, but that more than 90% of elected parliamentarians have not met with their constituents since the general election, and the remaining 10% have not met more than once with them. He calls on the citizens to make the concept of democracy a reality, and remove the players that have left them with so little. (I have selected certain areas of the article, and paraphrased some other aspects).

For me, what Dunbar says represents delinquent politics in action, or a failure to perform to expectations resulting from agreed principles. Why, after years of sovereignty, according to Dunbar, his country has little overall benefit to show for it? Is it because of delinquent politics resulting from ineffective political management? Would not politics be above board if a country’s resources were dispensed with in a just way? And would this not result in social and economic equity? Because of this new political arrangement, would not the descendants of slaves be at the centre, rather than at the margins? But would a delinquent politics permit this?

I agree with Dunbar on the need for informed decision making, and a vision of what a country wants to be. This means persons involved have knowledge of what is required, and implies participation, and a shared vision. Does the idea of political delinquency accommodate this? What Dunbar says about politicians not meeting with constituents, or doing so infrequently, is common in some independent and non-independent Caribbean countries, and is further testimony to the delinquent nature of politics.

When Dunbar speaks of making democracy a reality, and removing the players who leave citizens with so little, he is suggesting a remedy for political delinquency. For me, supplanting the planter class holdovers from slavery, and replacing them with genuine representatives of the people’s will, blends with Dunbar’s view. Engaging in sustainable development initiatives by transforming the structure of the economy, so all citizens have opportunities is a further antidote to delinquent politics.

Again, seeing people as human beings, and not as votes, relating budget provisions to people’s needs, so they see the resources of the country working for them, and making the policy of political parties people oriented, enabling citizens to hold them to account, are further measures to combat delinquent politics.

With the absence of delinquent politics, real development in the country’s interest can occur, as opposed to benefits for a minority. Effective political management is possible so that resources match the purpose for which they were allocated, and ethics and good governance replace pay for play politics. Most importantly, patron client politics is supplanted by a government representing the will of all citizens.

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Oliver Mills is a former lecturer in education at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus. He holds an M.Ed degree. from Dalhousie University in Canada, an MA from the University of London and a post-graduate diploma in HRM and Training, University of Leicester. He is a past Permanent Secretary in Education with the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-Commentary%3A-Has-politics-become-delinquent%3F-31590.html