The election campaigning period in
The issues at hand are not the political differences and whose electioneering platform is better or more persuasive, but rather who is the cleanest of the candidates with a transparent campaign.
The local Greens party is right to raise, once again, the matter of transparency of all the politicians and their campaigns, but does not take its argument to the full, because it finds itself in conflict with its own arguments.
The Greens have unleashed an attack on Demetris Christofias and Ioannis Kasoulides for using outdoor advertising billboards, some of which have no legal status. This makes them feel better, as they secured the pledge of the candidate they are supporting, Tassos Papadopoulos, that he would not use the street-side billboards.
If the billboards are deemed as hazardous to the environment, what can we say about the pollution of the airwaves with television and radio advertisements blaring nonsense, as if they would make any difference to the Cypriot voter?
The Greens should be brave enough to put on their fighting gloves and challenge them all, first by demanding that their own candidate come clean and reveal the true extent of his campaign, and then demanding the other candidates to do the same. They should then push ahead for the transparency bill on the personal wealth and fundraising of all politicians and high-ranking civil servants to go through the House, preferably before the elections.
The often unconvincing counter arguments by one or another side simply leave many citizens losing faith in the political leadership of this country, as it seems to have been transformed into an elite club of a handful of people who decide on the country’s future and welfare. How, then can one explain the vicious attacks and character assassination of one or another candidate, and moments later they embrace as if long-lost buddies?
Good corporate governance is what is missing from our political scenery, while party leaders (many of whom are successful business leaders or corporate lawyers) should take time off and attend some of the seminars on good business behaviour.
