ONE of the things that my mum loved to persistently tell me while I was growing up in the 80s was the gravity of living up to one’s words.
She would lecturer me on ’cause and effects’ saying not being true to one’s promise had serious negative consequences.
“You word is your bond,” she would say.
I did not understand that rule until I became the victim of lies, such as when dad failed to be home on my birthday although he said he would, or when mum did not buy me what she promised to get from the toy shop.
I remember feeling hurt. I would stomp my feet and whine like a spoiled brat.
Mum was true to her words when it came to instilling discipline. She loved using the belt or the sasa broom to drive a point.
“If you dare do it again, you will get it from me,” she often said. Every time she kept her word I got a heavy belting. Those were the good old days when corporal punishment was a norm in the community.
During my teenage years, I learned how to pledge using gestures, like crossing the fingers, lifting your palms in the air, and kissing the bible. Some even said “Mother father die!” when trying to convince someone what she or he was saying was true.
Many years later, as an adult, I realised that not keeping one’s words in a relationship provided enough fire power to start a world war. When someone lied to me, I would often feel like a jilted lover.
In my professional life, I realised that not being true to a promise easily tarnished my reputation and credibility. Every time I failed to keep my words, those I loved would look at me as unreliable and lacking integrity, and each time I lost someone’s trust, it was hard to mend the rift created.
Funny how the same is happening everywhere around us, even in world politics. Last year, the most powerful man in the world promised to help his people by bringing down prices, among other things.
In fact, Donald Trump supporters named inflation as their top concern during the election campaign period. And he responded to their concerns by saying tackling it would be one of his first assignments.
In August 2024, Trump delivered a press conference surrounded by packaged foods, meats, produce, condiments, milk and eggs.
“When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on day one,” he said at the press conference.
Yet, over a month into his term, even his address to Congress has hardly been decisive on the need to tame rising consumer prices.
Instead, Trump has announced tariff and immigration policies that many believe could increase the financial pressure weighing down on millions of low to middle income earners.
And economists are saying Trump’s spate of actions could worsen American consumers’ financial well-being.
Away from the corridors of power in DC, people are responding in other parts of the US by taking part in protests and getting heated up at town halls. People are doing their best to hold their leader to account, for what he promised.
Closer to home, this week Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka tabled the Constitution Amendment Bill 2025, something he has promised he’d do.
The Bill seeks to change the requirement for the 75 percent of the Members of Parliament needed to amend the Constitution and to also entirely remove the requirement of a referendum and support of 75 per cent of the registered voters under Section 160.
Four members from the Opposition voted with the Government to lend their support on the floor of Parliament to change the 2013 Constitution.
Talks and moves to amend the 2013 Constitution are not entirely new or surprising. In fact, when Rabuka came into power, one of his election promises was to change the controversial 2013 Constitution. What he is currently doing is simply keep his words.
At one time, that seemed almost impossible, but with the Fijifirst party no longer in existence and the splitting up of its MPs on the Opposition side, the path to amend the highest law in the country now seems attainable.
I for one agree that a constitution is not written in stone and needs to be amended over time to correct provisions in it that are inadequate or impractical, or to respond to new and changing societal needs and to reflect evolving concepts of human rights.
The dilemma we have with the 2013 Constitution is that it was designed in such a way to make amending almost impossible.
This makes our constitutional amendment process too rigid and any real chance of making formal amendments extremely difficult. When this happens any necessary reform becomes virtually impossible to implement, and at the end of the day we have a constitution that lacks functionality and legitimacy.
On the other hand, if our constitution amendment process is too flexible then instituting any formal amendment will be extremely easy, leaving the constitution open to erosion by government for political gain. So the trick is finding the middle ground – not to easy and not to rigid.
The current tripartite coalition has been generally true to its words, considering that it had spent a good portion of its first term just undoing the ‘sins’ of the previous administration.
We see a marked improvement in our economy, democracy and democratic institutions and the enjoyment of our human rights.
Though not perfect, the government has ensured, among others, separation of powers, strengthening of human rights, the review of draconian laws and policies and an improvement in our image, in the region and the world.
There has also been some progress in national reconciliation efforts and now, moves to amend the unilaterally 2013 Constitution.
But while government has been true to its words on some things, we should demand more and expect more promises to be implemented, like the holding of municipal elections, expected to be held in the second half of 2025 (as per local government’s ministry’s timeline).
Politicians often make promises they can’t live up to or won’t deliver, perhaps because they make too many disingenuous pie-in-the-sky proclamations designed to only lure voters. If we do not hold them to account for their promises and decisions, government will get away with blue murder and we will lose out in the end.
Keep your word. Remember, always be truthful – if you cannot keep your promise it’s simple – do not make one in the first place.
Until we meet on this same page same time next week, stay blessed, stay healthy and stay safe!!
