Unless it is operating in a self-inflated bubble, this Government must be aware that the population is growing more and more wary of its ridiculous missteps and repeating faux pas. Without exaggeration, almost every day there is some act of alleged impropriety on the part of a member of this regime and the explanations and excuses put forward in defence of the perpetrators are obscene insults to the intelligence and common sense of the citizenry.But for a few ministers who can hold their heads high as individuals and who have not succumbed to the seductive temptations in political life, the slip-ups of the rest must be causing sleepless nights for the lady in charge, who is showing signs of discomfort in the face of the media.And who can blame this decent woman, who, having committed her administration to the highest integrity, is being forced to answer questions about purchases and procurements that cannot be justified.
The leader is facing some dark moments in her stewardship and she will be judged, not by the words that flow from her lips, but the action she takes to restore the credibility of her administration.
Too many wake-up calls have gone unanswered and the timeline for redemption has almost expired.What makes this regime any better than the last when, instead of costly flags, we are concerned about wrecking fees for firetrucks?The latest incident involving the retrieval of a firetruck from a ditch may well be the proverbial hole that this Government has dug for itself and one which it will find great difficulty in getting out of unscathed.The thought must have crossed the mind of at least one member of the Cabinet that it would have been better to let the firetruck rust away than justify the millions paid for its recovery.Perhaps it is for that reason that the embarrassing and costly matter was described by the Prime Minister as a "fiasco" because this intelligent lady realised that she is being misled by a bunch of people whose political ambitions are becoming impossible to conceal.
Imagine how ashamed our Prime Minister feels, knowing that she once belonged to a regime that was described as corrupt and now she leads a team that is being tarnished with the same brush; how she must be hanging her head in disbelief that, having carefully picked and selected her players, placing them in strategic and advantageous positions, many have let her down and left her open to attacks by those who are calling for transparency and accountability in government activity.It is too late to read the riot act because the level of compromise and depth of deception will not be removed with token acts of sanction.What is needed is a total purge and only the bravest of people with the cleanest of hands and the purest of hearts will be up to the task of putting an end to all the political madness that currently abounds.
In the old days, youngsters were taught that good behaviour was expected because any conduct that amounted to lying and cheating would bring shame and scandal to the family.Obviously some (and I stress not all) members of this administration do not consider themselves bound by any code of conduct and so the population is witnessing political events unfolding in a most crude and disgusting manner. No amount of detergent will clean the dirty laundry that has been shamelessly washed in the face of the public, except that this time much more than clothes will be left in the open to dry.But it is the boldness of the errant politicians that is most alarming because even though they have cocoa in the sun and should be afraid of the rain, they are merrily calling for thunderstorms.
It is that kind of wild confidence that will lead to the demise of those who are constantly pushing the envelope beyond their greediest dreams.This Government has already been nominated as most corrupt of all time and unfortunately seems determined at all costs, even if it means inappropriately using state funds, to win the prize.Do not be fooled by visits from international dignitaries as signs that we are highly regarded in the international community as examples of good governance because diplomatic protocol, even if warmly relaxed, would not facilitate such discussion.And while confession is good for the soul, the admission that a matter is a "fiasco" and the subject of a pending report will not enable us to simply "move on."The firetruck fiasco has trumped the million-dollar flag-and-pole story, and what was probably meant to hang a jack is taking the whole side down.