Editorial
AL's manifesto: Refreshingly specific and time bound
Welcome emphasis on economic goals but needs to show fund sources
The AL has addressed nearly all substantive issues, and promised new initiatives in many. The prioritisation of the issues--prices of essentials, inflation, poverty, energy, good governance and terrorism --pretty much reflects public concern.
We are heartened by the manifesto's much needed and timely emphasis on economic issues. The timeframe of action for achieving the objectives--both in the short term (five years) and the long term vision up to 2021, coinciding with fifty years of the country's independence--will help in holding the party accountable.
AL manifesto's priority of bringing prices of essentials within the purchasing power of the people is correct. We find encouraging the commitment to break the syndicates that provide the ratchet effect to price hike. The declaration to increase the social safety net and reduction of poverty by 2013 is commendable as also its declaration to attain food autarky by 2012.
Of note is the recognition that unless the energy sector, the most essential vehicle of economic development, is revamped, the economic objectives including the aim of attaining an eight percent GDP growth by 2013, and 10 percent by 2017, might come to naught. Thus the plan to achieve a quantum jump, by aiming for 7000 mw of electricity generation in the next four years, is the appropriate objective to go for.
We are heartened to note that the AL has put its fingers on the issue of good governance that includes, among other things, not only the separation, but also the independence, of the judiciary, and strengthening of the anti-corruption and the human rights commissions. Its promise of an administration fully free of politics and party influence is music to our ears. But our hopes are tempered by the fact that while we had heard it before from everyone, including the AL, we saw the contrary happening.
It is perhaps for the first time that a mainstream political party has included the issue of religious extremism and terrorism in its election manifesto, and has affirmed to work regionally to deal with terrorism by working towards the formation of a South Asian task force. We commend AL for this bold posture and urge others to adopt similar stance, for we cannot allow our religion to be hijacked to justify violence.
While the AL manifesto may be termed as a good, time bound and relevant document, albeit ambitious, that clearly enunciates what needs to be done, we are worried by the fact that there is no clear indication as to how the party, if elected to power, will go about generating funds for achieving the goals, particularly at a time when the world is faced with an economic meltdown.
Additionally, for the manifesto to have any success, the AL will have to maintain an uncompromising stance on corruption.
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