MOM calls on men to be more responsible
In launching the ‘1000 Men On Mission initiative’, the president’s speech was populated with precepts such as ‘shouldering responsibility’; ‘becoming more supportive’ and ‘acting collectively.’ In speaking to these precepts, the President addressed the purpose of the initiative, the negative sociological factors affecting the male population of Guyana and practical ways and means of addressing them. As was to be expected, in his speech, the President situated Guyana’s peculiar conditions as regards its male population in a global context.
According to newspaper and social media reports of the one thousand men who were called up, over three thousand registered to be actively involved as mentors in the initiative. Should the President’s call on the Guyanese male population to shoulder their responsibilities, to become more supportive and to act collectively become a living reality, the purpose for which the initiative was established would have been realized. In terms of its range and scope, the initiative is not to be underestimated. Those who criticize MOM even before it gets off the ground should await progress reports on its implementation before rushing to judgment.
The objectives of MOM include; portraying men in a positive light; uplifting the younger generation of men; creating economic empowerment; combating domestic violence, drug abuse and gang violence. These are all massive undertakings that require interagency coordination and collaboration and, if necessary, donor coordination. Moreover, with an effective monitoring mechanism in place, government can play a key role in ensuring the success of MOM. According to the President, MOM is aimed at achieving enhanced and greater accountability by men for their actions at an individual and collective level.
Accountability is defined as the duty of an organisation or individual to account for their actions and accept responsibility for them. Achieving accountability at an individual and collective level in a country like Guyana where machismo, male domination, cultural and religious factors are dominant sociological factors as well as the general breakdown in discipline will be no mean task. The view that men are products of circumstances and upbringing, and therefore, changed men are products of changed circumstances and changed upbringing, forgets that it is men who change circumstances and that in the final analysis, it is the human factor that will be critical in realizing the President’s MOM initiative.
In a broader context, different aspects of accountability apply to organisations and individuals. Personal accountability is the duty of the individual to take responsibility for his or her actions. Every individual is socially, morally and legally accountable to the community or organization that they belong to.
The President mentioned that all institutions of government will be utilized to ensure that the initiative reaches every corner of society. This is probably where fulfillment of the concept of ‘unified development’ the President recently spoke about will contribute to the growth and enhancement of the ‘welfare needs’ of the citizenry.
Sincerely,
Clement J. Rohee
Of comparative interest, the former Canadian owned Bauxite (Rusal) and Electricity (GPL) companies still manage a retirement age of 65 years. At para 315 the Report commented as follows:
“315 The higher retirement age of 65 years would provide for higher pensions under the Pension Act for public officers who would also continue to contribute to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) until the age of 60 years when NIS pensions would be paid. This would further increase the finances of the NIS Scheme by the extended contributions from the employer and the employees for an additional period of five years, thus contributing to the continuing viability of the National Insurance Scheme. We are convinced that a higher retirement age for the Public Servants would be mutually beneficial to the State, the public employees, and the National Insurance Scheme.”
(Note: The Report adverted to the fact that there is no stipulated retirement age for our Parliamentarians and Ministers.) Accordingly the Report made the following Recommendations:
“64. That the retirement age for new entrants into the Public Service, and those currently in the Public Service who are below 50 years of age, be retired on attaining 65 years of age, with the option of retiring on attaining 60 years;
65. That pension entitlements be calculated at a maximum of 43 and one-third service years;
66. That public servants who are currently below 55 years of age, be allowed the option to retire on attaining 60 years or any time before 65 or on attaining 65 years of age;
67. That no person retiring from the Public Service before attaining the age of 65 years should be employed on contract in an established Public Service position;
68. That the Pensions Act Chapter 27:02 be amended as may be required to provide for higher pensions as a result of the higher retirement age.”
More than two years after, implementation of the above does not appear to have attracted any attention. In any case ‘gratuity’ has become much more desirable than ‘pension’.
Sincerely,
E.B. John