Hi emeterio thanks for the article let the saying goes "nobody is above the law" so what does it mean. It means that the law applies to everybody. Including cops and other authority figures. As for solution to the problem recently I heard a news in the net that a guy in Russian solve a century old puzzle mathematical problems that the scientist is not able to solve and won a million dollar. But my question is how the heck do the scientist know is a correct answer when nobody for a century know the answer ? Beyond my belief that man choose what and when to belief and what is right and wrong ? Food for thought .
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2003/12/30/century_old_math_problem_may_have_been_solved/
Posted by emeterio
Looking for solutions to our problems is what we want. To point to what is wrong is easier than to point to what is right. This in turn is easier than to point out what is best to do. No country is without problems or without potential problems. To be aware of problems that may come our way even If we have no solutions at least forewarns us. Listing problems and finding solutions is necessary. Being an archipelago with twenty large islands and seven thousand smaller ones, our first problem is smuggling.
But physical smuggling is not the problem in this country. It is smuggling through the regular ports with false papers. An honest customs man recounted an offer of a million pesos just to be absent on a certain day since the bribers knew their goods could not pass if he were present. We can be proud of such heroes. We have many non heroes. A high ranking customs man when asked how to reform customs operations suggested that he would fire 90% of the staff and the other 10% he would line up before a firing squad. This is an extreme solution even if facetious but a possible solution.
A more serious problem is the justice system. When people cannot get justice or a fair shake, a revolt is not far behind. Some seriously suggest a jury system both grand jury and court jury. This has the advantage of giving people a say in the justice operation. Some say that this was tried during the American occupation but did not work. Will it improve the operation of the justice system? With so many fiscals, prosecutors, judges can the system be effectively monitored? For some this is trying to enforce what is unenforceable. You need a belief in the next life or a strong culture or a ruthless enforcer. Prof. Christiansen implicitly told his MBA graduates: This is the reason why democracy or capitalism cannot work in some countries. Unless there is a belief in another world or a next life; or a strong cultural background that has conditioned the citizens democracy cannot work. Without these beliefs or backgrounds despotic governments and dictators may do better for the people than democratic systems. We need a solution for our problem of administration of justice.
Corruption where self interest lords it over the common good complicates the problem of poverty. According to our President elect: If there is no corruption there would be no poverty. We agree but how to get rid of corruption? If the leaders, at least, show probity the argument of the sergeant would not be valid: that since the generals get their cuts why should the lowly sergeants not taste the pie? Then come the "ten per centers" and the "fifty per centers" who would not move or delay approval of papers unless there is something under the table or in the open drawer. Playing cops and robbers in this context is a futile exercise. Foreign or even local investments would be turned off in that kind of climate.
Smuggling, injustice or un-justice, and venality are some of the problems that have no ready solutions.
We need solutions if the country to rise up to a par with our neighbors. As Prof Christiansen points out, in a democracy the need is to motivate the citizens to obey the laws that are unenforceable.
Direct your comment to emeterio_barcelon@yahoo.com
