McKinnon's observations

After all that has happened over the last few days centring around the opposition's decision to boycott the CPA conference, the question as to where things went wrong is asked by many. The fault lines must be detected and taken care of to avoid such embarrassment in future.

McKinnon has analysed the situation critically on the basis of the ground reality prevailing in some Commonwealth countries, including Bangladesh. His observations are basically focussed on the attitudinal problems of both the ruling and the opposition parties in the emerging democracies. He has pointed out-- and there are very few among us who would not be convinced by his argumentthat there cannot be any working relationship between the government and the opposition as long as election victory is viewed as a license to capture all "democratic and state structures". Similarly, the highly negative attitude of the opposition often reduces it to the role of a 'spoiler' detrimental to democracy.

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The observations need a little elaboration. The ruling party has to shun its 'acquisitive' character, while the opposition's task is to place national interests above party politics.

One of the focal points of the CPA meet is to evolve ways and means of forging partnerships among the Commonwealth countries for the collective good of people, one-third of whom live on less than one dollar a day. However, the bigger issue of bringing the nations closer to each other should be preceded by a streamlining of national politics, which is a source of endless worry in many societies. Partnership between the government and the opposition can go a long way to ensuring peace and prosperity that have eluded several Commonwealth nations despite introduction of democratic systems.

Things are not changing fast in our context, as antagonism remains the most distinctive feature of the relationship between the government and the opposition. The two major political parties are expected to interact as forces complementing, and not denuding each other.