BY AND large, Guyanese want to see improvement in their lives. They recognise that some institutions outside of the family play a role in making possible the improvement they seek. Holistic well-being can take many forms, including spiritual, financial, social, cultural and political.Among these, there are some where choices can be exercised easily and others not so. It is the latter to which many will pay much attention. People will agitate to bring such institution(s) in line with what they consider acceptable conduct, in order to realise improvement in their lives. Where persons have the flexibility to move from one social or religious group if dissatisfied with the group’s membership, leadership or philosophy, such flexibility is not that easy in being a member of society. As a member of society, persons are expected to live by the rules and standards established in laws, international conventions and charters, which are the values upon which state and government institutions are built and persons are expected to confirm.

The management of these institutions by leaders, elected or appointed, will see members of the society increasing vigilance to ensure and maintain conformity to the standards set therein. In the era where people are sourcing informing, being educated, acquiring knowledge, and sharing ideas from multiple sources, such are seeing a more informed society. Being more informed would carry with it expectation and demand for more.

Governance is becoming more complex, not only from the standpoint of what governments are expected to do in a dynamic landscape, but more that of responding to the people’s expectation, including vocal demonstration of intolerance for things abhorred. The increasing level of awareness and intolerance in our society is largely influenced by the power of social media, the voices for law and order in civil society, intolerance to abuse by previous government, and pre-election commitment made by incumbent government.

The expectation of this level of accountability may look daunting, and perceptions may be held that persons are harsher on the incumbent, more particularly its own supporters. It should be said that, in the evolving landscape, there was no commitment given by the people to continue along the path of previous governments when they made clear their intolerance to said management. In instances when the people see acts and actions of government as inconsistent with what are considered acceptable conduct, or acting out of conformity with the laws, displeasure will be voiced.

Where dissemination of information was once contained or denied to the masses, the advent of social media has seen these become outlets to spread the news, make cases, and mobilise support for particular actions. Traditional media outlets are no longer the sole source of news dissemination or the platform for knowing what is happening and mobilising action one way or the other. In fact, the present media landscape is informed by symbiotic relationship between traditional and social as both originator and source of news.

This is the environment politicians and government officials will face, and have to be mindful of in guiding decision-making. Society has witnessed the power of social media in holding the last government accountable and waging a relentless campaign to remove the party from office for what was considered its misdeeds.

With the ongoing revelations in the forensic audits, those who fought for change are seeing these as vindication they were on the right track. But for them, this is not only what is desired. Beyond revelations, they seek action on recommendations made in the audits, be they in systems’ improvement or judicial. It is instructive, too, that the diplomatic community has added its voice to the people’s. The management of Local Government is also seeing a clamour to ensure the system works for the people, and officials, elected and appointed, know their roles and functions. In the instances of the Georgetown City Council’s handling of the vendors’ removal and the parking meters’ issue, people have not stayed silent in the face of what they think are the mishandling of the issues. Our Sunday edition reported that central government has intervened in the parking meters’ matter and put a halt to the project pending due diligence and application of ethics.

The people who are the funders of government are making their presence felt and using their influence to bring about a society they think will provide the needed support to realise the improvement they seek in their lives. Like the family, government is part of their lives, which they cannot divorce. Consequently, they will expect government to toe the line to bring about comity, even if it means confronting the administration they support. It is to every government’s advantage to listen to the people.