One of the country’s top scholars Dr Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka has questioned whether this country should be celebrating its 36th year of independence.
In his challenging note posted on FSII’s face book page, Dr Kabutaulaka said whilst the country celebrated its 36th independence, what he sees of the past 36 years is a country imprisoned with official corruption, maladministration, poor governance, economic mismanagement and people struggling to access basic social services.
“In Honiara, after the public events, the dignitaries will retire to extravagant cocktail parties while the majority of Solomon Islanders will return to their homes wondering what they will have for dinner.
“This makes me wonder if what we are celebrating is the incompetence of our government, the corruption of our politicians and public officials, and the struggles of our people.
“Maybe not. Perhaps what we are celebrating is our nationhood and our identity as Solomon Islanders.
“Although this was a colonial creation, it is one that we cherish and want to nurture, despite the struggles. Perhaps, we are celebrating a dream – the dream for a better country,” Dr Kabutaulaka said.
Adding if that is the case, then this should not be a day of celebrations but a day of reflections.
“A day when everyone dig deep in our collective soul – our national soul – and ask questions and demand better leadership.
“It is a day when we should demand that the flags of official corruption, maladministration and economic mismanagement be pulled down and burned. Let us pull up the flag of hope and sing the songs that demand better leadership,” Dr Kabutaulaka stressed.
He said before citizens sing the national anthem and salute the flag, they should ask themselves what exactly they are celebrating.
Meanwhile he posed the question of how can everyone demand better leadership and collectively create a better Solomon Islands.
But to Dr Kabutaulaka,the country’s 36th independence makes him to only reflect on the country’s future and dream for ‘joy, peace, progress and prosperity’.
“That is all I have: a dream…just a dream,” Dr Kabutaulaka concluded.
BY DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
