In our Island culture, we have developed a behaviour called “Maco Zhwa”, meaning a non-player looking at a game from the outside, observing cards or dominos over the players’ shoulders, paying attention to competing players’ hands, knowing the plot from the advantage of seeing all the cards, but also wanting to have determined how a loser should have played or which was his or her bad move.
In other words, they see and know everything, but all and only from the side-line perspective.
Today, we have a situation where everyone sees and everyone knows, but nobody tells, because the system has not found ways to protect them if identified as the source of the information.
To reverse that trend, compensation and protection must be the trump card used by the authorities to get the needed support from all the ‘Maco Zhwa’s.
No one will put their lives on the line in the cause of another, but if guarantees, of safety and survival are added to the squeal, then they may talk louder than expected because they have found out that information has a cost as well.
My advice and suggestion to the police and Government locally and regionally, is to establish a safe house for a witness protection programme in one of the islands, with maximum security and a period long-enough to see the accused jailed, or not remain a threat to the witness.
For being detached from your home, country, family and environment, they must be given due compensation.
In addition, persons who pose as administrators, managers, directors, bosses, consultants, qualified assistants, who cannot deliver on institutional change must be fired.
We have too many qualified employees that do not show change, so the new policy should be ‘deliver or be made redundant’.
To move ahead, or progress positively, one must “radicalise” the system.
The old Colonial system must become obsolete and new thinking processes must emerge, those on the outside looking-in know all the misfits and the imposters who hold fast to their jobs, but do not commit to positive change.
Sadly enough, they are appointed by elected officials and governing bodies. And certain norms and practices must be upheld, due to past strategic planning, which means that corrupt practices must continue, due to tradition.
If a new policy and methodology is not adapted, then progress as aspired, will not happen.
We can doom our future by remaining stagnant and keep old policies alive, or invent the now needs in the interest of tomorrow’s people.
From the outside, I say change the jailing system. If you are found guilty, after a sentence is passed, make imprisoned inmates work to build the state.
Time to stop the joy ride and change the five-star concept. in other words, jail should come with compulsive labour and your time should be spent on rebuilding the state, supplying us food, taking care of the cleaning, building national necessities, being attached to internal learning, becoming productive for self and for state, and just maybe we may have fewer inmates considering they don’t like to work.
Finally, I say state funds must be managed accountably, used for productive growth and not end up in the hands of unscrupulous individuals posing as political candidates and well wishes.
We have to wake-up from the seepy aspects of our national bluff!