By Roger R.Zanbaka
A lot of people are asking for reform, but how many are really aware of what they are asking for?
Some are under the impression that reform means lower prices, more jobs and fewer taxes, while others are only concerned with political reform regardless of the economic reforms. Let’s be realistic here and admit that the majority of the people asking for reform are copycats. So before jumping on the bandwagon of change, let’s at least know what we are getting ourselves into.
This doesn’t mean in any way that I am resisting change or against reform. If reform relates to bureaucracy in government institutions, then let’s ask ourselves who works in those establishments, are they imported labor or Jordanians? How many of us use their contacts to speed up a process or jump over a red line? Don’t we all like to bypass a long line at the airport or in any other public establishment? Are we ready to all be treated the same: an army general, an ex minister and a simple worker? We are all the same, being humans and citizens of this country.
Are the financially less privileged citizens ready to let go of government subsidies on various items they buy daily? That’s also part of reform.
Some citizens, coming from large families, expect to be ministers, advisors in the government, mayors…etc. regardless of how much they know and how much can they improve and achieve. So are those ready to let go this privilege that is taken for granted? Are they ready to stop feeling that they are entitled to all this?
Are we as drivers, or at least many of us, ready to stand in line on the traffic light and not take any opportunity to bypass the queue? This is reform too. How many of us are willing to stop littering from their vehicles?
We all know that no immediate economic reward will come after reform, on the contrary it might bring more difficult times; and we all know that none of the influential families or citizens are ready to give up their so called social power; so who is really for reform? If we exclude the financially under-privileged citizens and the big families taking government jobs for granted, who is left?!
Corruption is our biggest enemy , but here again, isn’t this a cultural issue ? A lot of us know about it, most of us accept it and some of us use it to get things done one way or another. Don’t make a mistake thinking that corruption is only financial. It is a way of life.
Everyone wants reform in his own way and to his own liking. Real reform starts with each one of us.
We need to ask of the government only to put us on the right track to develop and change on our own, starting from kindergarten. We have major cultural issues that need to be addressed. We take so many things for granted and that needs to change as well. If we are under the impression that this can change in a year or two then think again; this can take a generation or two. The important thing is to start now.
Steady mini steps with a clear road map accompanied with a time frame toward self development, accepting others, and learning to share resources, is all that we need. Unfortunately, we will not see the ideal Jordan in our life time , but let’s make sure that our children get to see it.
