Editor,
According to the World Happiness Report 2017 produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a global initiative launched by the United Nations in 2012, Norway displaced Denmark as the world’s happiest country. In 2009, the United Nation Development Programme, Human Development Report, which assesses well being and life chances worldwide, adjudged Norway, number one and the best place on earth to live, after achieving one of the world’s highest standards of living. Just over 4 decades before that, Norway was ranked as “relatively poor” and was known as the “backyard” of Europe.
So what are the factors responsible for Norway’s success story. In short, the discovery of offshore oil and gas in 1969, good management and most importantly they had leaders with a vision. In 1972, the year Meghalaya achieved statehood, Norway’s Parliament set the ball rolling. “We started out as a backseat driver behind the oil giants. We took driving lessons and finally took over the driving”.
According to Arve Johnsen the first Managing Director of Statoil, Norway’s biggest State owned company, “If at any time easy money comes to you be careful how you spend it. And try to share it with future generations. Utilise your resources in the best way for the good of the people, over the long term.” Coming to our own state, someone once commented, Meghalaya is a rich state but the people are poor and the state underdeveloped. A gentleman from our neighbouring state had this to say about us, “wrong people living in the right place.”
In 2013 after the swearing in of some ministers, Dr. Mukul Sangma then Chief Minister was quoted by the media as saying that Meghalaya in relation to developed states in India, is years behind and in relation to developed countries of the world, Meghalaya is centuries behind, for which I also agree. When you look at the standard of living in Norway today and its cradle to the grave welfare schemes, and compare them to the many items distributed to the public through the MLA Scheme, in today’s day and age and 45 years after attaining statehood, it reflects poorly on the understanding about what is development and the level of development both by the one who gives and the one who receives.
Therefore the question that arises, are some of the banal issues raised in the Assembly Session as written by Patricia Mukhim, (for which she is accused of breach of privilege and is another sad story for our state today where a citizen’s right to critically appraise the performance of our elected representatives is sought to be stifled and intellectual dissent clamped down) are but a sad reflection of the many items distributed to the public through the MLA Scheme in the name of development? Coming to the issue of privilege, should privileges of elected representatives be in proportion with the level of contribution one makes towards the progress and development of the state especially when the performance of our public representatives since statehood is measured by the comments and observations made by none other than our veteran politician and present Chief Minister as quoted above?
Meghalaya is rich in God given natural resources and with the abundance of limestone in our state, had there been proper planning and management MCCL like Statoil in Norway should have been the flagship industry of our state’s progress and prosperity but sadly this is not the case. Our state is also rich in a talented and motivated human resource especially the younger generation who just need leaders with a vision to give direction and lead from the front and I am sure that even here we do not lack such leaders. We just hope and pray that the electorate, this time, will realise this as the need of the hour because our precious resources are slowly but surely draining away outside the state and time is running out.
Yours etc.,
Michael N. Syiem
Via email
Racial prejudices
Editor,
Racial attacks on Africans owe its origin to our age-old regressive caste system. As a matter of fact, casteism and apartheid are the two banks of the same river ~ hatred. And there is a colour bridge between them. The bridge is built with prejudice ~ dark means lower castes and fair means upper castes. Indeed, the other name of caste is varna which means colour. A recent study says that the practice of untouchability is still very much prevalent in our country, and this reaffirms the malaise of caste hatred. On the other hand, matrimonial and fairness cream advertisements fan our fair mania. All-out efforts like monitoring such advertisements must be undertaken on a war footing to stop stereotyping human beings with the brush of loathe.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Drug addiction exacts high social costs
Editor,
Drug addiction is the scourge of humanity and drug trafficking is a heinous crime which deserves a death sentence. Killing someone or helping someone to kill himself is equal to a crime. The ones who are trafficking and helping such drugs reach each and every corner of the country are committing a heinous crime. Most people fall prey to the narcotics due to their ignorance. Millions of drug addicts, all over the world, are leading miserable lives, hovering between life and death. The disintegration of the old joint family system, absence of parental love and care in modern families where both parents are working, decline of old religious and moral values etc., lead to a rise in the number of drug addicts who take drugs to escape the hard realities of life. Drug abuse not only affects individuals, their families and friends, but also takes a heavy toll on society at various levels. Adolescent drug abuse is one of the major areas of concern. At the national level, drug abuse is intrinsically linked with racketeering, conspiracy, corruption, illegal money transfers, terrorism and violence threatening the very stability of governments. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, attention deficiency, hyperactivity disorder and antisocial personality disorder are some of the prominent disorders found among drug abusers. The youth should say no to drugs for a successful career and good health. The spread and entrenchment of drug abuse needs to be prevented, as the cost to the people, environment and economy is colossal. Maintaining equilibrium of mind and body would make youths strong and powerful. On the law and order front, no doubt government has taken various steps but a tough posture against the drug traffickers involved in the illegal smuggling of drugs across the state is needed. Tough action against these offenders is the only solution. If need be the law has to be amended to make it more stringent so that it acts as a deterrent.
Yours etc.,
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad- 15