By Ibrahim Adam Ghalib

In this country at all levels of government, elected and appointed officials are making decisions that profoundly affect the people. These decisions do not reach the people outside the capital Hargeisa. Elected and appointed officials must be concerned about the views and interests of all their constituents in the whole country. If these officials ignore the voters in the regions they would not hold office very long.

The five other regions of Somaliland is entirely isolated from the capital Hargeisa. There is no media whether radio, television or news papers that can reach the regions. The only source of information in this modern technology today is the people traveling to and from Hargeisa. These people often bring speculative information not the facts. If the government makes a statement in a public forum which carries more weight, there is no timely media coverage. Speeches are especially powerful means whether in parliament or the executive and needs to be presented live. Important events are not known by the people in the regions.

There is a national television as well as commercial television stations in Hargeisa. The national radio and the daily news papers are also in the capital only. All these do not reach even the regions near the capital. There is ministry of posts and communications and there is no even local postal service in the country. The internet which has become an essential communication in the world to reach the people is not widely used here. It is not possible to know the groups and individuals who are arguing against the position of this administration and there is no means to address these issues and offer counter argument timely. It is not difficult to at least upgrade radio Hargeisa to reach the whole country but the resources are being used at the wrong time and in the wrong place. There are no good roads which connect the capital to the other regions as well.

Al most one third of the population of Somaliland lives in Hargeisa. This is the only city where you can see business movements. All the resources of the country are spent in the capital and still Hargeysa is a ghost city. The only road of Hargeisa is not even repaired. The trenches in this main road of the capital can damage your car. Rubbish is every where and the hygiene situation is appalling. The water is also rationing and the people get their water from dirty manholes under the bridge. The borders of Somaliland are open and it is easy to have access from any border point. Burao is completely not connected to Somaliland and uses the old notes of Somalia and have business transactions with the southern Somalia.

Counterfeit products are sold in the stores. These items are sometimes expired and nobody bothers the health hazard this can cause to the public. The trees are cut for charcoal and

There is dangerous erosion to the good soil. Donor agencies are all stationed in the capital. They usually finance the organizations in the capital and only finger tips reach the regions. The local councils are incompetent and cannot even look after what the private sector is engaged. There all sorts of products that are sold in the market and sometimes not valid for human consumption and nobody bothers. The people in the councils are badly untrained and are engaged to grab the meager resources of the public for a bribe. Almost all the budget of the central government is spent in Hargeisa and you cannot see any development any where. Corruption plagued all levels of government and it is difficult to get a remedy in future.

The government of Hargeisa is so far in different to the new developments in the south as if it does not affect them. If they do not comment on the situation and inform the public their position on time this will create the administration and the people to head in opposite directions. Keeping silent in these situations will make the issue more complex and not easy to solve in future.

Understanding politics is not simply a matter of learning about different forms of governments and elections only. Politics is the attempt of people to regulate the society in which they live. The people want to control their government but do not want their government to control them beyond the limits of providing law and order and a healthy society. The problem of creating workable balance between liberty of the individual and authority of the state is the crucial job which must be accomplished before any system can work and survive.

Democracy means active participation by all citizens in all the affairs of the country. The participation of the people in the decision making of their country is exercised through their elected representatives and the political parties who will make the check and balance on behalf of the people. This will greatly increase the size and functions of the government not reduce it.

Allowing more political parties will cut the chain of three parties with the same leadership dominating the political scene for ever. More political parties contesting are sound democracy in action. It is not possible that only 3 persons dominate the political spectrum forever. This means keeping always a loosing candidate at the party ticket.

In this respect the constitution is the highest law of the country. An amendment on the provision of the political parties needs to be made so that this can address contemporaneous practical problems. It is not fair that every body take the law of the country in his own hands and make interpretations of his own to fit their choice.

The parliament being the legislative body of the country should enact this amendment before the presidential election so that the country is saved from authoritarian rule which ultimately lead to conflicts and turmoil. The parliament already experienced the single handedness of the administration and the inability of the opposition to make any difference and I think this is a force than can move them to fulfill the will of the people requiring an amendment in the constitution allowing more political parties.

The people who announced a political party should make the necessary lobbying through the proper channel (parliament) and I am sure they are ready now to listen to their constituents. If democracy is to gain root and flourish citizens should be allowed to meaningfully exercise their democratic rights and the 3 persons always at the top of the parties be challenged.

Public relations are a means for engaging constituents in constructive dialogue. The news media is an excellent vehicle for disseminating information to the people. It also enhances the public awareness of the society to know what is happening in their country as well as the outside world. There is no acceptable reason at all from this administration why radio Hargeisa cannot be upgraded and developed to reach the whole country so that the people are interconnected and get information at least at the moment.

Email: kaalib33@hotmail.com