Ian McDonald

I read every day, looking for hope whenever I can find it. I would very much like to share such hope, especially with my sons whose century this will be in which to thrive or struggle, exult or tremble. But, sadly, I find I have jotted down in my journal at various times the following, mainly depressing, thoughts:

n Fashionable economic theory tells us the interference with the operation of market forces - through concern for the poor, the weak and the vulnerable or in the cause of civilised compassion of one kind or another - is hopelessly misguided and counter-productive. But this is simply untrue and if followed slavishly, will lead to increasing misery in the world and the brutalisation of relations between people.

n It is incredible. Any other country in the world would long ago have fallen into a chaotic condition of currency devaluation, stock market collapse and generalised economic disarray. But America blithely proceeds untouched. I am speaking of the extraordinary current deficit which America runs with the rest of the world. America imports half as much as it exports and this gap is widening. It is estimated that America needs to raise from abroad US$660 million annually or US$2 billion per day to cover this deficit. And that is not all. America also exports capital at a rate which equals its current account deficit with the rest of the world. What this means is that America requires about US$4 billion per day (US$5 billion per working day) in gross capital imports to balance its books overall. And America gets it.

I do not note this as a criticism of America. It is simply one of the remarkable facts about how the world functions. America, not only militarily but also economically, has graduated beyond superpower into hyperpower status. It bestrides the world. It can do virtually what it wants economically. It can run deficits that would spell doom to even the largest other nation. It can print money as it likes and not experience inflation. And, of course, it can and does dominate the world's leading financial institutions. America, quite simply, leads the world in the economic direction it wants the world to take and there is no one to challenge it at the present time.

n The erosion of human rights in America, and elsewhere, is likely to grow in the powerful wake of the September 11 World Trade Centre massacre. As other major terrorist attacks take place, it is inevitable that more and more fundamental human rights will be infringed. After Pearl Harbour, perfectly innocent and harmless American citizens, who happened to be Japanese, were hauled off to detention camps in their scores of thousands. Alas, even the revered land of the free is not immune from very human, though brutal, reactions.

But there's a gleam in the shadows - there is the refreshing Nolan Committee report. This committee was set up by former United Kingdom Prime Minister, John Major, to investigate corruption and sleaze in the U.K. Government and recommend what might be done. As with most such reports anywhere in the world, this one has been safely pigeonholed. However, it has lived a little longer than most because it enunciated "seven principles of public life" which are now much quoted as setting a benchmark, idealistic no doubt, but useful as a reminder, for public service behaviour.

Principles

At the start of a freshly-elected government here in Guyana, it may be useful to set out these principles. They are: selflessness (holders of public office should serve the public interest, not seek gains for their friends); integrity (they should not place themselves under financial obligations to outsiders who might influence their duties); objectivity (they should award public appointments and contracts on merit); accountability (they should submit themselves to appropriate scrutiny); honesty (they should declare conflict of interest); openness (they should give reasons for their decisions); and leadership (they should support these principles by personal example).

It is good to be reminded sometimes of how a perfect world might work.

Ian McDonald is an occasional contributor who lives and works in Georgetown, Guyana.