A platform to advance the Development Debate

Lynn Ockersz Chief Editor, ‘Daily News’

Two concepts which seem to have gone out of currency in international discourse on development over the past 30 years or so are North -South Cooperation and South-South Cooperation. They seem to be casualties of the heady international debate on market-led growth which has raged over the decades, and all but snuffed-out the traditional concerns of the developing world in global discourse on development.

However, the UN stands out as one international development organization which has kept the essential needs of the developing world alive and one only hopes that concrete progress would be made towards the realization of the UN Millennium Development Goals, for instance, which, unfortunately are not very much in the news currently. It is an open question whether free market economics have proved the great leveller they are made out to be and the indications are that the ‘development model’ has only widened the wealth gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ alarmingly, both within national societies as well as internationally, among countries.

Parliament of Sri Lanka

It is against the backdrop of this bleak international economic landscape that the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference is being held in Colombo, with Sri Lanka in the Chair, and the indications are that the forum possesses the potential to revive the international Development Debate or discourse, with international economic equity emerging as a prime concern.

Developing world

The Conference which brings together some important members of the developing world as well as countries of considerable political and economic weight from the ‘Northern hemisphere’, is being conducted under the principal theme, ‘Ensuring a Relevant Commonwealth for the Future’ and no other subject could be of greater interest to the majority of developing countries currently than this, in the context of Commonwealth affairs.

The observer would not be wrong in taking the position that besides the Development Debate being progressively eclipsed over the years in international discourse on issues that are seen to matter, the concept of development itself is not currently meriting the world scrutiny it fully deserves.

Definitions of development have been numerous but the position could be accepted now that whatever the broad features of this process, all would be lost if development does not result in personal and collective empowerment.

Role of Parliaments

For empowerment to possess any sense, it could be argued that the strengthening of individuals and collectivities, politically, economically and socially, should steadily occur. These and many more issues relating to empowerment need to be constantly probed and debated and one could be glad that the 58th CPC is rising to these tasks. Among the very many topics of discussion in the many fora of the CPC would be, ‘Empowering Future Generations through Access to Health and Education and Vocational Training, ‘The Politics of Constitution-making, the Role of Parliaments in Relation to the People’, ‘The Role of Parliamentarians in Conflict-Resolution and Peace-building’, ‘Tackling Youth Unemployment’, and other issues of profound relevance to the world community.

Our hope is that the CPC deliberations would yield expanded and enhanced understanding within the Commonwealth of the issues that matter to both the global South and North. As would be seen, international political, economic and social issues cannot be left in the hands of a few powerful international actors.

Moreover, the economic crunch worldwide should indicate to the world community that past development paradigms, in particular, have been abysmal failures. Given this backdrop, the Commonwealth of Nations could ensure that this glaring shortfall in international knowledge and understanding of global development issues could be considerably met. The CPC could be a means of meeting this lacuna in knowledge and understanding.

Current CPC

The CPC should meet the challenge of being an effective international actor on issues that matter to the Third World and other important sections, and not be happy with a mere symbolic and ceremonial existence. This process could be taken several notches higher with the effective conduct of the current CPC.

It is a matter for gladness that the CPC would be also focusing strongly on the role of Parliament in democratization. This is as it should be because Parliament needs to be seen as a means of empowering the people. The people need to be at the centre of policy and decision-making and this aspect of democracy needs to be constantly focused on.

There could not be a ‘trade-off’ between Human Rights and development. Rights could never be sacrificed at the altar of development. This, we hope, will receive sufficient emphasis at the CPC. It all boils down to ascertaining what development really means. Human well being is the focus of development and this proposition should be seen as axiomatic.