Political perspective

HERE’S hoping that there is no deeper symbolism in the fact that the Namibian flag was hanging upside-down outside the High Court yesterday. Usually, this is a sign of extreme distress and a call for help, especially in the nautical realm when sailors in distress at sea would fly the flag upside-down before abandoning ship, or as a signal to passing ships that they were in dire need of help.

Now our justice system is, in general, in a bit of a tight spot as things stand at present but we doubt that this was the way in which they chose to communicate it to the public. IN this instance, it is probably a case of someone messing up on the job, which is pretty much par for the course, unfortunately.But stranger still is the fact that it flew that way all day, with no one, not even the employees of the High Court, noticing what some would describe as disrespect for our national symbol.According to an article on the Internet, in 2001 the use of the American flag as a symbol of distress was codified in law, which reads: “The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”We are, of course, presuming that this wasn’t the case in Windhoek yesterday, but whether this was done by malicious intent or by accident, it is certain is that there will be a fuss about it.And so there should be.Even though heads don’t roll over missing millions, someone may well be decapitated over this one! We have to keep up standards.What will be next? Pictures of our President(s) hanging upside down in Government offices? Perhaps someone thought that because the President and Cabinet relocated to Swakopmund for a few days of retreat to tend to national affairs, no one would notice! And no one apparently did, except for a discerning member of the public who notified us about it.And while the upside-down flag is in all likelihood an unfortunate accident, it does make us look a bit like a banana republic, especially in the eyes of those who noticed this.We’ve really got to get a proper grip on things (and this is not a specific reference to the flag issue, but our conduct of national politics in general) and act professionally in all respects.Even if we’re battling on other fronts, at least we are seen to be doing our best at all times.It seems to be a continual one step forward, two back type of approach.Another word for it may be hit or miss.For example, I’ve been an advocate in general for the anti-corruption commission, and we finally got it together in terms of law; by no means perfect, but nevertheless a start.It’s taken years, but so be it, it got done.Then we risk jeopardising the success of this initiative by rushing the appointments of key staff.Sorry to say, they may be good people with the best of intentions, but the candidates proposed by the President through the Prime Minister simply don’t appear to have the muscle to do the job in the way it needs to be done.Doubtlessly the Government felt pressured on this front, and we were part of the push to implement the agency in question, but an attitude of ‘more haste, less speed’ may be counter-productive in this respect.In short, other agencies could, and should be dealing with the major corruption and/or mismanagement issues confronting us at present, many of which involved countless millions of dollars gone AWOL, until the envisaged anti-corruption commission is armed and ready to go.”Straight talk, just give me the straight talk” is a line in a popular song.I agree.That would put us more firmly on the road to decisive management of the country’s affairs.Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange should take this to heart.When he opportunistically said ‘Swapo doesn’t need to go by the list’ when he ducked and dived on the question as to whether and when former Minister Hidipo Hamutenya would be invited to take his seat in Parliament as next in line to the now-departed Paulus Kapia, he knows full well that Congress is the highest decision-making body in Swapo, and that list is of their making.If Hamutenya refuses his seat, it’s one thing.But he clearly has to be asked in terms of the ‘wish list’ of Congress, like it or not.Maybe this should constitute our New Year’s resolution although it’s early yet.Professionalism, hard work and straight talk in the future.And no more upside-down flags, either by accident or design.IN this instance, it is probably a case of someone messing up on the job, which is pretty much par for the course, unfortunately.But stranger still is the fact that it flew that way all day, with no one, not even the employees of the High Court, noticing what some would describe as disrespect for our national symbol.According to an article on the Internet, in 2001 the use of the American flag as a symbol of distress was codified in law, which reads: “The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”We are, of course, presuming that this wasn’t the case in Windhoek yesterday, but whether this was done by malicious intent or by accident, it is certain is that there will be a fuss about it.And so there should be.Even though heads don’t roll over missing millions, someone may well be decapitated over this one! We have to keep up standards.What will be next? Pictures of our President(s) hanging upside down in Government offices? Perhaps someone thought that because the President and Cabinet relocated to Swakopmund for a few days of retreat to tend to national affairs, no one would notice! And no one apparently did, except for a discerning member of the public who notified us about it.And while the upside-down flag is in all likelihood an unfortunate accident, it does make us look a bit like a banana republic, especially in the eyes of those who noticed this.We’ve really got to get a proper grip on things (and this is not a specific reference to the flag issue, but our conduct of national politics in general) and act professionally in all respects.Even if we’re battling on other fronts, at least we are seen to be doing our best at all times.It seems to be a continual one step forward, two back type of approach.Another word for it may be hit or miss.For example, I’ve been an advocate in general for the anti-corruption commission, and we finally got it together in terms of law; by no means perfect, but nevertheless a start.It’s taken years, but so be it, it got done.Then we risk jeopardising the success of this initiative by rushing the appointments of key staff.Sorry to say, they may be good people with the best of intentions, but the candidates proposed by the President through the Prime Minister simply don’t appear to have the muscle to do the job in the way it needs to be done.Doubtlessly the Government felt pressured on this front, and we were part of the push to implement the agency in question, but an attitude of ‘more haste, less speed’ may be counter-productive in this respect.In short, other agencies could, and should be dealing with the major corruption and/or mismanagement issues confronting us at present, many of which involved countless millions of dollars gone AWOL, until the envisaged anti-corruption commission is armed and ready to go.”Straight talk, just give me the straight talk” is a line in a popular song.I agree.That would put us more firmly on the road to decisive management of the country’s affairs.Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange should take this to heart.When he opportunistically said ‘Swapo doesn’t need to go by the list’ when he ducked and dived on the question as to whether and when former Minister Hidipo Hamutenya would be invited to take his seat in Parliament as next in line to the now-departed Paulus Kapia, he knows full well that Congress is the highest decision-making body in Swapo, and that list is of their making.If Hamutenya refuses his seat, it’s one thing.But he clearly has to be asked in terms of the ‘wish list’ of Congress, like it or not.Maybe this should constitute our New Year’s resolution although it’s early yet.Professionalism, hard work and straight talk in the future.And no more upside-down flags, either by accident or design.