.
The 180-page report of the panel of inquiry into the demise of the banking system and the subsequent collapse of the economy, failed to deliver on the public’s main demand – a quest for justice, to find the guilty parties and punish them. Then again, that was not the mission of the panel that had been criticised as being legally toothless from the onset.
Instead of using the findings of the report in order to learn from the mistakes of the past and lay the foundations for a new, leaner and more efficient banking industry, half-wit politicians and wannabes have resorted to damning the report and not seeing it for what it is, a boring diary of events that led to the downfall of the economy.
The communist party Akel, single-handedly responsible for the mess we are in today, refuses to acknowledge any fault and has resorted to the usual tactics from its propaganda manual on how best to cover up the incompetence of its own people. The brouhaha over the inquiry has also offered a welcome smokescreen to sweep the corruption that has plagued the party for decades under the carpet and try to save its political elite that pulled the strings and ordered the Cyta deals and payments.
The now-ruling Disy is moving at the same pace as when it was in opposition – too slowly. It is afraid of declaring every cook a criminal for fear of skeletons rattling its own closet.
The coalition partner Diko is currently suffering from a split-personality and is unsure of whether to participate in the ongoing debate or try to save its own sinking ship, while the smaller parties are trying to make as much noise as possible in an attempt to appear to be clean and try to win over popular support.
Truth is, Joe Public is sick and tired of the politicians and members of parliament, each of whom has a personal agenda, usually linked to vested interest and clearly in conflict with their vocation to serve the public good.
To this end the media too have to share some of the responsibility for failing to give a clear and unbiased report of events, while those who do a good job of investigative journalism are chastised as being the “enemy” and “unpatriotic”, as were the cases of Presidents Papadopoulos and Christofias who did not like any criticism, especially from a free press.
Politicians with a vision and a gift to forgive (but not forget) will be rewarded by gaining popular support. Leadership is what we want today. Are there any out there?
