Roadmap to Democracry

The IG has taken quite a significant step this last week towards normalcy by lifting the public emergency regulation.

We are also told that the Public Safety Act of which the emergency regulation comes under is still in effect - but that the police are now the first line of law enforcement....

Does this mean that there will be no more hauling of so-called 'inciters - written or verbal' to QEB for "questioning"?

Does this mean also that the 'travel bans' are lifted? Will ousted PM Qarase be allowed to travel to Suva?

This, I suppose remains to be seen.

But still holding on to the positive side - after this one step, the IG must also make the effort to end all human rights violations.

Then, there must be transparency. Get the groundwork for preparations of the elections out of the way. Let the people vote. Whether the SDL, NFP, Labour or the short-lived Alliance Party wins or not is irrelevant. The people must have their say. But at the end of it all - we must find our way back to democracy and the rule of the law.

In this long-drawn out 5 months of rule under the IG - I have come to the following conclusions as a citizen and a voter:

(a) I have seen the true colour of the politicians in the forefront of this country.

(b) I will never vote for Labour AGAIN if Chaudhary continues to rule the roost. I'm not a racist. I never was. But the antics of the Labour party during their run as opposition and the jump over the fence of some of their own to join this illegal regime has driven me to the very edge of being one.

(c) I will never vote for the Alliance. They have cheapened "chiefly" in all senses of the word.

(d) I might vote for SDL but only if there is some likelihood that the leadership will change. I have one question to ask the ousted PM - Where were you Sir, when the chips were down - when you as the democratically elected leader of my country were supposed to stand fast and tall?

(e) GVP - I could vote for them too. Is Ms Wilson still around? Emelita - please take the reins and move forward.

(g) CAMV - uh...no

(e) SVT - I might also swing here provided they let go of their loose cannon first. Methinks he is more of a hindrance than anything else.

But most important of all, I want a multi-party government to run my country and take it forward. I want a clean albeit untainted judiciary system. I want the police to do all the policing. I want the army back in the camp in its originality. And for heaven's sake - NO MORE COUPS!

Now is that too much to ask?