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Topic Discussion II
Building Public Trust
Elections & Legislatures
Room 3
(21 of 23 pages)
Thus, out of fear for holding onto power on one hand, the desire for power before
the desire for truth, on the other and thus objectivity is lost and the gap becomes greater within the democratic
process itself. Democracy is rule and opposition. The ruling party should benefit from those in opposition and
those in opposition should appreciate the problems faced by the government and those in power. For those who are
ruling today, should take into consideration what might face them when they are in the future, in the same position.
So if I ask the government for miracles and one day I will be in the same position, I will be in power and I will
not be able to achieve those miracles myself. If I am marginalized by the government, then the government also
will be governed by the same fate and same mistake. In Yemen, the Popular Conference and Socialist Party were the
two parties that achieved the reunification. We were discussing at those times the conditions of the armed forces
in the electoral constituency. The Socialist Party wanted the army camps to be electoral constituencies and when
they became in opposition, they were the first to be injured by this electoral rule. In the beginning, many parties
participated in the electoral process but then the process of representation and the higher commission for elections
was lost but we still participate in basic committees and local committees. If there is a party that rigs the election,
this applies to us all because we can find this out because we are there. Is the party represented by 20% able
to practice rigging and to the same extent as those who have a majority? So we have to say all those at legislation
should be for citizenship for the future and not to be tailored to the size of those who are in power at that point.
Thank you.
Chair: Thank you very much. That was also a very interesting point. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to give
all the people the floor who wanted to speak but the time is very limited and now at this stage, I should like
to ask the three persons who first gave their presentation, to give further their comments or impressions of the
discussions so far. I'd like to ask each of you to make it one or two minutes please. Can I ask the Namibian Prime
Minister to Start.
Honorable Hage Geingob: Thank you very much. When you are law abiding, you always suffer. I was very brief
when I started but others didn't see to that.
Firstly, I listened to the whole discussions. We are discussing democracy and good governance as means unto themselves.
We didn't move on to say that these are means to an end. Democracy is a means, good governance is a means, elections
are only means to its delivery of goods and services to the customers. These processes to be used to deliver goods
to the citizens. In my opening remarks I talked about new leadership, which is in sync with the modern communication
systems and hi-tech.
I'd just like to mention to Africans how proud I was when the President of Mali just sneaked in here. We didn't
see any commotion when he walked in. I don't know if in the past, if President Mobootu came in here, the whole
place would be upset. He would take over and so on. So I was very happy that he proved my point that we are looking
for new leadership, that can come in to sit in a committee like this, listen, not asking for the floor and after
taking notes go out. With that kind of leadership, I think we are going to be democratic enough and eventually
deliver good to the people. Thank you.
Chair: Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to Mr. Marinez.
Honorable Gerson Marinez: Thank you. As I said, I noted in all the interventions, the idea of democracy
and giving the citizen ideas going beyond the freedom of voting should also be given, which is the capability to
choose through a pluralism of political parties competing with each other. Thus, we find that all the competitors
should have equal resources and the problem is not merely one of rigging and controlling that. In the electoral
committees it is not only involved with the military and its role but it is broader than that. For example, we
find that there is a greater close relationship between politics and the world of finance and banking.
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