As we have time and again said it his paper, the problem of our country is not poverty. It is the inequitable distribution of wealth and opportunities. For we are actually a rich country. Our problem is about 90% of the nation’s wealth and economic and political opportunities were cornered d by only about 20 percent of the ruling elite. The rest of us, about 120 million have to fight or even kill each other to get our rightful crumbs of share from the vast riches of this land.
A lot of saliva will just wasted discussing theories on how to solve the problem. Such will get us nowhere in the short term. There is, however, an opportunity to do that in the coming days– when we go to the polls.
We should only vote for those who will do something about what we unfortunately inherited.
Vote only for those who have the heart and courage to fight for equalizing the chances for us, the masses, to be able to exploit opportunities. One way of doing that is affording the people the chance to get educated. For, indeed, education is the great equalizer.
Another way is to help political candidates who are helping MSMEs. Ninety percent of our labor force are employed by that sector. And yet government is not pouring enough resources there. They should be a priority, instead of just paying lip service to providing what they need. What they are getting from the national budget is just a measly portion.
On the contrary, the biggest chunk of the national budget year in and year out is going to infra projects. For that is where politicians can corrupt the most.
Whatever money being given to MSMEs in the guise of helping them is nothing. Just measly amounts like a million or a lot less. Can you put up a credible business with that amount. No, not with our present realities.
The other kind of candidates we should be eyeing are those who are supportive of cooperatives. Coops are a way by which small people like most of us can pool their resources together to come up with viable businesses whose income will be divided among the members. This is the hope of the country where almost everybody is considered small. We are just like ants who have nothing individually, but united, we can make a big difference.
In sum, your vote is valuable. Watch out who you will be voting for.**