Our wish list for 2017

We have said goodbye to a year with positive notes in many aspects, particularly the economy. However, we hope and aspire for a better 2017 and there are several areas that we think changes can make a big difference.

Firstly, we would like the current spate of development to continue in the same vein. Admittedly, development was possible primarily because of absence of political turmoil last year, much because there was absence of politics in the true sense of the term. However, development by itself will remain incomplete if it is not accompanied by democracy. And to make democracy meaningful the dissenting voices, particularly the political opposition, must be afforded more space, something that has been lamentably lacking last year. But we also understand that making democracy meaningful is not the sole obligation of the ruling party alone and the opposition has an equal burden of responsibility, something that the main opposition has woefully lacked in fulfilling, primarily because of the destructive politics it had resorted to in 2015. 

Secondly, the government must address the bane of corruption that costs the country a substantial chunk of GDP. In particular we would want the government to address the lack of financial discipline in the banking sector, especially in the public banks that are being weighed down by bad loans. 

Thirdly, we feel there must be more accountability in public spending. Government's effort to raise revenue, which deserves compliments, is nullified by injudicious use of public money, particularly in time and cost overrun of government projects. The regime of accountability must prevail over everyone that spends public money. 

Last but not the least, the regime of good governance must be imposed on every sphere of government activity because that is the sine qua non for every success that the government aspires to.