Mushy Managers

I LOVE quirky headlines but ‘getting knickers in a knot over pants down headline’ took the biscuit.

My sometimes fertile mind created an irreverent visualisation of someone trying to achieve this impossibility! Not a pretty picture and indeed ruined my breakfast coffee! Perhaps newspapers should carry health warnings. But such headlines do explain why the élite get so touchy about the media, but then such exposure goes with the territory. The price of the privilege of power.Democracy is a fine balance between the raw and uncontrolled exertion of power and the ‘choice’ of the people. Media input, however painful for those on the ‘rough end of the stick’, has a duty to expose and challenge matters that it deems should be put in the public domain. Yes, there is a responsibility to report accurately on the information available and there are legal constraints to prevent ‘inventive’ journalism but good stories, especially those revealing abuses of power and self gratification will always face a ‘wall of silence’, asymmetric information and malicious informers. Good journalism is about managing these eternal problems, wheedling out the greater truth and selling papers.Thus attack and counter attack is the order of the day, within the Law and where democratic process shows its weakness; the élite have access to additional weaponry above the Law. They have intimidation, economic ploys and, within Parliamentary Privilege, verbal harassment, as weapons to strengthen their own positions and, by definition, sterilise democratic process. And, of course, the politicians (influenced by their buddies) make the Law.However it is always easy to attack those in power, to destroy reputations and negatively affect good policies through bias, partisanship, ego chasing and those same sins of power seeking and self-gratification. But remember, those in power have been elected by the people to do a job and there are quite a few ‘good guys’ out there; but good decisions are often not vote getting!Another election cometh; rhetoric will ratchet up, businesses will align for future benefit and media will expose multiple misdeeds. Fine, but inevitably those who gain power will be ‘the élite’. This is what democracy is about – providing the ‘others’ with protection from that élite. They will always exist.The US has the ‘Ivy League’, the UK ‘OxBridge’, the French ‘Haute Ecole’ and Namibia, Swapo – this is reality and it will not change significantly. What matters is how those in power manage their sheep; do they demand performance from their subordinates or do they protect the inefficient, corrupt and dishonourable to the detriment of the nation?As Namibia heads for interesting economic times we will cut government expenditure and demand more delivery with less resources. Have we got the balls to do this? Recent activities within State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) have shown weakness unless political apple carts are upset!Even more pertinent is our biggest industry, diamonds, having the cheek to ask for ‘relief’ as they are in financial trouble. A clear result of ‘mushy management’; too large pay settlements, opulent life styles, bad planning when downturns are normal. I ask again, have we the balls to manage?Inevitably our current ruling party will stay in power. Certainly a consolidated opposition is unlikely as tribalism and super-egos remain rampant and parliamentary process, as seen on the TV, remains little above the ‘circus level’. The media remains our ‘check and balance’ to prevent the inevitable abuses.Perhaps real financial pain is needed. Some parts of government work well. Do we want a better managed Namibia? Or do we stay ‘mushy’? Elitism is not always bad if moderated!csmith@mweb.com.na