Getting Power, Serving People

Oh that much longed-for, or sought-after condition, or status. My old Oxford provides fourteen definitions for the noun (and verb) that is power!

From “ability to do or act”, to “vigour, energy, active property”, to “government, influence and authority”, and “political ascendancy and authorization over others,” “power” seems so welcome to those who can acquire it by reason of birth and inheritance, by influencing, inveigling or persuading others to repose it in them, or just by might and wealth.  Look around your own community, around Guyana and the world and identify individuals or groups whose life seems, or is actually dedicated  to acquiring, maintaining, then wielding power. (Not mere functional authority but, pervasive dominion and power over others.)

I suppose it is how the year dawned politically and because this past Sunday Stabroek Editorial pre-empted my views (naughtily).  Yes I planned to share brief comments on this perennial phenomenon of power versus service.

In the editorial, “Ten New Year wishes – for politicians”, the Editor’s eighth wish is put like this: “One would hope too that the politicians never forget again that those they serve in the first instance are not their parties, but the citizens of Guyana. Their primary purpose is not, as some of them seem to think, to ensure their party’s accession to or perpetuation in office – let alone their own; it is to play a part in the government of this country, and they are obliged to discharge that function to the best of their ability. The eighth wish, then, is for fewer obsessions with power and more obsessions with service and performing a job efficiently.”

Power First, Service Later?
Since passing fifty-five and sixty-five, I’ve gone on about too many Members of Parliament being in the House for themselves.  To me, frankly speaking, after the first few months, their status in the Assembly becomes the vehicle for their own ambitions. Service to the electorate and rest of populace? (“Oh shucks, the campaign and my party did put me here to work for the country! Nearly forgot!”)

Since I plan to be both brief but pointed, I reiterate that too many of our politicians from all parties are all about power.  Forget about power-sharing! They should be about service! Sure, power, status, authority are avenues to providing service to people but just examine the negotiating, the horse-trading.  Even before the politicians get into the Parliament.

Then there are the party/media reports about selection and choices. To me it’s all about who gets to share and wield some power over us – the poor, the powerless, the dispossessed. We who were the “electors” to put the power-hungry right where they crave to be.

Let’s pray that those put up to be our decision-makers, the politicians, government and parliamentarians, work in our interest, at least for much of the time. Power seems to do something (wrong) to some minds. It corrupts the desire and strength to serve. Power-hungry, power-filled leaders seem never wanting to leave. Saddam, Gaddafi, Mugabe, Mubarak, Castro, Chavez – why do they want to perpetuate their status, seemingly forever? I submit that power then becomes some form of illness! Consider my submission, as Guyanese experience, this month, how our politicians, especially, acquire, then use their power – allegedly on our behalf.

Oh, check out the struggles for power in Guyana cricket too.