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Democratically elected governments are accountable to their electorate as they face the poll at the time of election. Their performance is scrutinized, analyzed an d their mandate is terminated if they fail to win the confidence of the people. This form of accountability is essential in tuning government policy with the main stream of public opinion.

Our parliamentary democracy is immature and unable to provide such scrutiny on our behalf. Major government policy affecting essential aspects of our lives and the future of our children is formulated and implemented with little public consultation or parliamentary scrutiny.

Government administrations are often short lived and ministers in essential portfolios are appointed for political rather than ideological reasons and can be in office for few short months which preempts their short lived tenure to failure.

The role of big government needs to be targeted to essential aspects of the life of our community where market forces and capitalism will neglect the weak and vulnerable. This role is essential in social, health and educational policies. Looking after the weak, the sick, handling poverty and poor education is a noble pursuit that tests the skills of the most skilled politicians and public policy makers. Creating the environment for businesses to flourish, creates jobs and prosperity through minimizing bureaucracy and red tape, is a function of good government.

The immense challenges that exist in handling the above issues in today’s Jordan is not addressed by governments and ministers who turn to short term fixes and are usually concerned with politics rather than policies. The recent lack of debate and public consultation on constitutional changes reinforces the lack of governance and political elitism that will affect the validity and the mandate of such changes.

Poor social mobility and poverty are of extreme concern to those concerned with the lack of social justice in our communities. The continuous erosion of civil liberties by government and other public institutions in our daily lives remain unchecked and basic human rights can be easily overlooked.

Governance is essential for government to improve its performance and make it accountable to the public. We meet aspects of the government organizational dysfunction and control in our daily encounters with its offices. When good governance is absent, there will be resistance to change.

More educated parliament and electorate, true democracy and public involvement in decision making will improve the performance of government and create policies that deal with our social needs and challenges.