February 2019

CONSTITUTIONAL ideals are under threat. The Republic is falling apart. Our democracy is in danger. Governance has become merely a word. The issues being discussed and debated by various leaders before Elections 2019 are a clear reflection of these dangerous trends that threaten to uproot the four pillars of the parliamentary system. No one’s talking about cures and solutions. Each one is talking about what’s wrong with the other – in finger-pointing exercises of the extreme nature. This at a time when fingers need to point at the moon, rather at the future. At this critical juncture, our politicians are busy looking at the past. These emperors have no clothes, but they continue to walk brazenly, confidently, and aimlessly.

These and related issues form the theme of our cover story package. Several articles in this issue dissect, flesh out, and analyse these worrisome issues. We feel that they need to be put on top of the country’s agenda a few months before the national elections. We think that although micro national and local needs are important, this is an opportune time to re-look at how society has changed, and sharply deviated from the ideals we cherished.