Challenges of Governance and Democracy in East Timor (Essay Sample)

CHALLENGES OF GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY IN EAST TIMOR (CORRUPTION)
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CHALLENGES OF GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY IN EAST TIMOR (CORRUPTION)
Democracy is seen as among the ultimate ideals which modern civilization strives to preserve or create. As a system of governance, it is worth noting that democracy is supposed to permit extensive inclusiveness and representation of many people as well as their views so as to feed into the functioning of a society that is just and fair. The principles of democracy run in line with the universal freedom ideals like the freedom of expression. The most important thing about democracy is that it serves to check power that is unaccountable as well as manipulation by few individuals at the expense many people. This is because democracy is fundamentally viewed as a form of governance for the people and by the people. Usually, this is implemented via representatives who are elected, whereby a free, fair and transparent election is required for the achievement of legitimacy.
In the context of East Timor, governance include a new nation being build, the structure and the role entailing governance basic pillars configuration. Initiatives that are successful in the promotion of development and democratization rely on the devotion of enough resources and capacity to strengthen lower government levels, particularly the institutions of local government as well as on excellent communication entailing the mutual respect and recognition between different government spheres.
The government of East Timor has faced renewed criticism from the public after it granted a contract to a company owned by China to have Timorese schools supplied with furniture. For a country with gas and oil wealth, a contract worth over one million dollars is relatively small. However, the contract has a larger significance. The same Chinese company was granted by Gusmao Xanana a three hundred million dollar contract in 2008 to power plants and the electricity grid for the nation. This was actually the largest contract in Timor’s history. There was a wide criticism on the Nuclear Industry construction company of China because it failed to fulfill contract terms, resulting to the reassignment of a big portion of the job to another company, hence delaying the projects for many years with increased cost by millions of dollars. There was serious flaw on the project’s concept, community relation, implementation as well as work quality. There was also repeated failure by the company to meet its commitment in regard to quality of materials, worker safety, environmental management, hiring of workers from Timor as well as keeping schedule. WikiLeaks later released a December 2008 cable informing Washington that the decision of having the contract awarded to the Chinese company again was approved by East Timor’s prime minister without having consulted the line minister fully.["1. ARPA: East Timor, Oil, and the Challenge of Nation-building." Australian Review of Public Affairs. Accessed August 16, 2015. /digest/2006/04/ghazavi.html.2. Casas Pardo, José, and Pedro Schwartz. Public Choice and the Challenges of Democracy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2007.]
The choice of the prime minister follows the long history of Beijing help helping East Timor generously, such as donating three buildings constructed by the Chinese in Dili capital city. These buildings include a defense headquarters, building for ministry of affairs and a palace for the president. Another contract was recently awarded to the same company, hence reviving questions about the relationship of the company and the government. For instance one would ask; why should the government opt for an international construction firm to acquire chairs and tables for the school? Again, why would the government not consider patronizing local suppliers instead of importing the furniture-therefore generating job opportunity and having the money kept within the country?
Absence of transparency.
Those who have observed East Timor for a long time concludes that a limited process of tendering for contracts offered by the government usually leads to mismanagement, corruption and inefficiency. There are more problems resulting from this lack of transparency, and in case the government is out to ensure that corruption is combated, then there is need of it increasing accountability and transparency. Corruption culture pervades the fragile democracy of East Timor, from transparency absence at top government levels to an anticipation among some media personalities of payment so as to be covered in the news. Revenue from gas and oil raised spending, increasing the annual budget from six hundred million dollars five years ago to one point six billion dollars currently. Leaders in government splurge the available resources on power trappings. According to Alkatiri, who was the prime minister from two thousand and two to two thousand and six, and later became an opposition leader, leaders who engage in corruption practices know each other. For instance they know if someone was rich a few years ago and became rich suddenly. This was due to corruption; No miracle happened for to become rich suddenly. Some of the commonly cited instances of abuse of resources include but not limited to generous travel, housing as well as other allowances given to Ministers as well lifetime remunerations given for members of parliaments who are newly elected prior to finishing their first term in office.
Accusations of Collusion, nepotism and corruption are common place. Currently, the finance minister, Emilia is currently under probation by the Anti-corruption Commission of East Timor for allegation of steering a contract of the government to the company of her husband. On the other hand, the former minister of justice, Lobato Lucia is a prisoner after having been convicted for offering her husband a contract of the government. Anti-corruption initiatives in East Timor are listed by the United State embassy and Non-Governmental organizations as a top priority. Presently, East Timor ranks one hundred and thirteenth out of one hundred and seventy for countries in the annual index of corruption perception of the Transparency International. In many ways, self-governance challenge is proving to be harder compared to the long fight for freedom and independence, especially for a new nation that is trying to build its institutions and traditions from nowhere. Most of the Timor citizens are fond of considering Gusmao as a hero of resistance hero who was prisoner in Indonesia. However, others regard him as a person whose style of leadership was a flop. Other persons regarded as resistance hero of East Timor include Ramos Jose, a Nobel laureate and former head of the nation who works and lives in Guinea Bissau as a United Nations special envoy.[Federation Of American Scientists -. Accessed August 16, 2015. /sgp/crs/row/RL33994.pdf.3. Islam, Nasir. Governance, Democracy & Human Rights = Gouvernance, Démocratie & Droits De La Personne. Ottawa, Ont: University of Ottawa, 1996. 4. Lundahl, Mats, and Fredrik Sjöholm. "The Oil Resources of Timor-Leste: Curse or Blessing?" Pacific Review, 2008. doi:10.1080/09512740701868898. 5. Mainwaring, Scott, and Timothy Scully. Democratic Governance in Latin America. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 2010.]
To accomplish the openness that straightforwardness and responsibility gives, there is an imperative requirement for a free squeeze, autonomous from government. Such a media frequently speaks to the standard of the all-inclusive right to free discourse. This blend should permit individuals to settle on educated decisions and choices in this way adding to political verbal confrontation, productively. Transparency and responsibility likewise requires more administration as choices and procedures should be recorded and made accessible for the overall population to get to, civil argument and talk about, if essential. This appears to be anything but difficult to overlook thus it is regular to hear concerns raised about the wastefulness of some administrative division. Proficiency, then again, ought not to so much be measured as far as how rapidly a particular activity is finished or even the amount it costs. However these can be vital as well.
Curse of resource?
East Timor turned into Asia's freshest nation in Two thousand and two and stays among its poorest. A petroleum store set up as a sort of trust is currently worth near fourteen billion dollars, however numerous stress that what financial aspects call the asset condemnation will see the nation lose its recently discovered riches to waste, inability, and defilement, as have different nations, for example, Zimbabwe and Angola.
Petroleum from the Timor Sea gives ninety five percent of the nation's state incomes and eighty percent of Gross Domestic Product. The International Monetary Fund calls East Timor a standout amongst the most oil ward economies on the planet. The nation's oil riches is not coming to the base a large portion of the populace that lives beneath the neediness line of one dollar a day, however all the more essentially, it is not going to gainful social venture. By falling flat now to reserve instruction, medicinal services and framework, the nation is not situating the economy well for the day when the oil runs out. Case in point, spending on instruction is lower than on liberal veterans' advantages for the resistance warriors and their families who removed Indonesian occupiers in nineteen ninety nine. Gatherings like Hamutuk say that at last, it is dependent upon the administration of East Timor to foil debasement.
It is necessary to expand open inputs into the running and heading of public services and gove...