There seems to be a common misconception in the so-called ‘developing world’ that the role of opposition parties, as the name suggests, is limited to opposing everything or anything an incumbent government proposes or suggests. But contrary to this, in emerging democracies around the world the opposition has been playing an increasingly important role in shaping policy agendas, conducting civic education, and fighting corruption, singly or in alliance with other entities.
However this fact has been largely undermined and has remained unappreciated. Typically ruling parties continue to dig deep into the national treasury and use official resources to out-compete opposition parties. Opposition parties continue to be victims of legal and political restrictions designed by the incumbent regimes. Such actions are clearly seen in the UWP’s allegation that access was denied them to the state-owned DBS radio during the last General Election. If true, it is not a unique case. Opposition parties in developing countries around the globe face an un-leveled political battlefield.
Faced with these challenges what role does the opposition play in an emerging democracy? What function does it serve? What can it do to promote the democratic process?
In order to answer this question it is important to briefly define the word “democracy.” Ideally democracy guarantees the freedom to form and join organizations (such as political parties); freedom of expression; the right to alternative sources of information, guaranteed, among other things, by a free press that is unencumbered by restrictive state legislation; right to vote or be voted into public office; regular, free and fair elections; and the right to private property. Interestingly, in rather recent times democracy’s list has been expanded to include the “right to good governance.”
I think this last point opens even more avenues for the opposition to actively involve itself in the democratic process because in many parts of the developing world the populace has been led to believe that democracy is simply the casting of ballots every five years or so and the government is to be left to its own accord until election time comes around again.
Within the context of the above the role of the opposition is without doubt critical and it serves very important functions. Below I shall propose some points which I think opposition parties should endeavor to adopt in order to keep the democratic process alive and probably even increase their chances at the next polls.
First, the opposition should have the capacity to promote responsible and reasoned debate, particularly after an election and the “silly season” has dissipated. Keeping issues alive and on the front burner is crucial but the opposition must be able to dance the fine line between keeping them alive and remaining non-divisive. Debating is not simply screaming one’s opinion at each other but is a form interactive argument and should not be “way out there,” lacking in substance, not fully thought out, or ambiguous. Through healthy debates the opposition might be able to promote some kind of “national conversation” and push democratic discussion to a higher level of political development and maturity.
After an election politicians generally tend to disappear and are hardly seen again until the next polls. It is no secret this happens in Dominica and voters are left to wonder where the people who sat with them and even ate their food had gone too. This is even more prominent among winners on the government side who generally feel warm and snug in their victory and who later come up with the cheap excuse that they have “ministerial duties” to perform. A well organized opposition should be able to move in and fill in that void, maintaining contact and building networks with the voter-citizen, ordinary people, the oppressed, the marginalized, the disenfranchised and demonstrating to them that democracy and politics are not limited to only casting ballots. This creates a bond between the citizens and the opposition party and if maintained will become crucial during the next election season.
Thirdly, opposition parties should be able to act as some kind of training ground for future leaders. In some countries opposition parties normally form “shadow cabinets” where members of the party are designated cabinet portfolios reflecting the incumbent government. I think this is a great idea because shadow cabinet members are given the opportunity to start acquiring their own network of contacts and developing strategies within their specific portfolios making it an easy transition into a ministerial job should they win the next election. Many times when a party comes to power its members are assigned ministerial portfolios and they have no idea of what is going on or where to start. Nothing is more detrimental to good governance than a clueless government.
“Shadow cabinet” members who enter government portfolios with at least an idea of what they should do, I believe, has a better chance of being successful than someone who doesn’t.
Fourthly, opposition parties hold the government to account for its commissions or omissions. It serves as a watchdog making sure that the government acts within the scope of the law, pointing out cases of corruption, nepotism and the like. This is crucial because it keeps the government on its toes and ensures a high level of transparency in state matters.
I mentioned in a previous article that the opposition should present itself as a viable alternative to the incumbent government or a “government in waiting” with all the mechanisms in place to take on the reins of power. This is important because if the government let the voters down citizens need to know the country is in ‘safe hands’ if the opposition becomes the government. A well-oiled, well maintained “government in waiting” attracts not only potential voters but new members who may want to join the party and play important roles in it.
The sixth and final point I want to make is that the opposition can strengthen the culture of democracy from within the party itself. The old adage that ‘charity starts at home’ comes to mind here. An opposition that promotes open and reasoned debate during delegates’ conferences, advocate free and fair internal party elections and ensures accountable use of party finances is more likely to carry these traits into its administration. An opposition that suffers from internal strife and lack of internal organization simply cannot take the reins of power and be successful. Instead it will be a disaster and there are no shortages of these in the developing world.
The real work of the opposition begins the day after a General Election and it should not simply pack up and go home. While in opposition political parties should endeavor to build strong party institutions with vibrant internal democracy. The goal is to deepen democracy within the party before it can become champions of national democracy and good governance. Democracy cannot thrive without a viable and vibrant opposition.
I think it is vy hlpful ans fr evyone bt nt fr mi.
This is a highly plagiarized article. Shame on the author, R. Sanford, for not giving credit to the mind (Dr. Julius Kiiza of Makerere University) who originally crafted these ideas. Please see Kiiza’s article at the following link: http://www.kasyp.net/fileadmin/kasyp_files/Documents/reused/PP_the-role-of-opposition-parties-in-a-democracy_1_.pdf.
Well crafted commentary.
Opposition cannot be effective or rather, no one will give you a listening ear if you continue to babble nonesense.. I am not hearing any constructive plans on how the opposition can move Dominica forward if given that mandate.
Really, what is opposition doing?
Fine article again Mr Sandford and I think that you showed maturity in this article in that you addressed the issues that people like raised the last time. This is the way our politicians should go. Take the suggestions in stride and move forward.
The irony about the dilemna that the opposition finds itself in is that most people accusing opposition parties of being ineffective are government supporters. who pretend that if the opposition does better they will start supporting them. I believe that the brunt of the problem facing opposition parties in our democracy is shaped by our system of governance. One of the very interesting propositions I have heard regarding the role of the opposition came from Hon Peter Carbon. He stated that all parliamentarians should be given a budget to do constituency development. All the expertise that exists within the civil service will be available to these parl reps and they can execute their own projects. The projects will be audited by the relevant bodies and the wider public will be able to judge for the effectiveness of the respective parl reps. this I believe will also increase opposition participation in meaningful nation building.
Another suggestion that I have is for the opposition to present its own budget on certain line items example education, health and so on. So instead to a budget response there will be an alternative budget and the debate will then be on the best way forward. Not just people going over stales news and scoring cheap political points. There must however be a maturing on the part of the members of the house for these two or any other progressive suggestions to work.
cal another by election
Please read my people! Think beyond your partician openion. You are not politicians. Then again. you might be, because it is only politicians who can speak like you do. For all you care, Dominican in BVI, Humble, Da, Me, all of us could be either members of the present Government, or planted by them to represent their views.
However, we need to think for ourselves…listen to what you write. Would you tell your son or daughter or someone you claim to love that bundle of crap you write?
May the Almight have mercy on our souls?
I am a student of higher learning. We recently looked at the concept of “Democracy” in one of our Political Science class (I passed that class). Democracy is a comlex, but easy concept. It depends on how enlightened or educated the people in that ‘democracy’ are, and how freely the wheel of democracy is allowed to turn.
Democracy is about the people within the system. And if the people are tricked out of their importance, or role, that system or democrasy is broken. “The people in a democracy has the right to know”. I was speaking to to a very well known News Editor who favours the incombent Government and admires its leader. He seriously complaines about the ineptness of the oppositon, which he despises, and can find nothing positive about them. The media establishment which this ‘News Editor’ works with, would not allow descending (opposition) voice as a matter of policy. Although, the media outlet is a so called “National Broadcasting Entity”.
My view is, the opposotion will never and can never be effective if the system keeps blocking descending views like this ‘News Editor’ has been, and still is doing. It is the responsibility of the system to create the mechanism for the growth of an effectively democracy. If any part of it is broken, democracy becomes a mockery and if that persists, the country or nation becomes broken.
When the credibility of the OAS election observers, the police, the house speaker
And the judiciary are both in question should the opposition legitimize an illegal administration?
See Caricom news:
http://csmenetwork.com/2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10871:haiti-massive-irregularities-found-in-haiti-elections&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50
Yet this was in a situation with I’d cards as compared to Dominica where anyone could vote anywhere and for any one without any form of verification.
The opposition in Domonica must go to the house an do thier work.Elections is over study where you went wrong and correct.Stop cursing the police,nurses,pastors,priest and the youth.DBS radio was never used by the government during the elections.They had qfm which many people listen on tv.Change your style stop your agents insulting people.The opposition must dismiss thier psychologist Blessings from St.Joe.Dismiss Angello smoke brain Alleyne.Cut of the program qfm has on Sunday we are a christian people and having your agents cursing people on sunday nights doesn’t sound good.
The opposition must stop inciting violence in Dominica because uwp is responsible for political hatred and division in Dominica.This only started when the the uwp came on the scene.
They must remember when they get in government the police have to do thier the same way so stop defying and accusing the police of covering up govt officials if they have the evidence bring it out not just having thier agents spreading lies about the police.The opposition must spend thier doing constructive things and stop the finger pointing at everyone who doesn’t support them.There are so many other thing but i will stop there
This is a much better piece than your previous one.
The role of the opposition is to show the how you can do better than the government.Support them when they do good not just having Agents of doom just critizing them for everything and not showing alternatives.Go to parliment ask question according to the rules not personal questions.Ask the ministers questions according to thier working of thier ministries.The opposition not doing thier job they are just bent on destabliszing the country.Peoples parliment should be abolished by the opposition.That’s not where they are paid to go.
The opposition should not allow thier agents on the radio to curse everyone who have different views to them as the uwp does.The opposition should be examples to the youth not tongue lashing them when they ask relevant questions about thier role.Recently i read an article by a youg person about The threat to democracy in dominica instead of answer the youth he/she got a tongue lashing from opposition people.They opposition has to do is scutinise govt. and let them know when they are wrong.
If a government policy is wrong…should the opposition not say so?? When the health system is failing, should the opposition applaud a loan of $27M for building a house for one man?
When national debt is over $1.5 BILLION should the opposition celebrate major contracts awarded to foreign firms?
Dominicans need to be discerning. The world is getting smarter yet Dominicans thrive on trying to rationalize the most irrational situations…all for what? To say “your party” is in power? That is not just selfish but it is plain ole’ stupid! After a promise is made we never followup if it has been fulfilled.
The state house was supposed to SAVE us money? And what is it now…another drain on public funds! The new hospital by Chinese was promised what 6 years ago? Mydominicatradehouse.com said we have nuff hospitals….yet the blind refuse to see the lies or ask questions! This is not an opposition problem, it is a problem of ignorance in the populace!
So, when the opposition become the GOV. the same thing contiues.
wht a question yar..:-)
Interesting, but thats not the case with the present opposition, they work to their own detriment. and i don’t think that they are presenting themself by taking up the mantle of leading Dominica forward.