SHILLONG: With the state preparing for the 2018 Assembly polls, Archbishop Dominic Jala has called for a change in the current state of affairs in Meghalaya.
Asked what would be his message for the poll-bound Meghalaya, the Archbishop said, “We need people who are ready to change, the legislators who are really set to make laws and policies and make things happen to bring about change.”
He deplored the representatives who distribute utility items and asserted that the primary duty of MLAs is to legislate laws beneficial to the people and make policies that empower the poor and the needy.
He added that the legislators should be facilitators.
“While going around different places, I see the plight of rural people, the poor, farmers and people who live on the outskirts where communication, health services and educational facilities are poor and we cannot boast of good governance and these things have to change,” the Archbishop said.
According to the Archbishop, unfortunately, “we have people who are only distributing things, and who are there to satisfy needs of somebody or some people, but in the long run it will not bring about change”.
The Archbishop said people need a government which has a long-term vision and that has the capacity to plan ahead, “just like our former president Abdul Kalam who tried to help the State to think ahead, may be 20, 25, 35 years ahead. We hope to have such people in our government. As Christians we pray for the good of our country and those who govern us no matter who they are”, he said.
He said the state is looking forward to have a government that works for the development and which is governed by people who care for progress and development for the good of everyone.
“The government should not look merely at certain sectors of development but it should focus on the overall development,” he added.
