By Charlie Charalambous
What I most admire about the political ‘culture’ of this country is that when things are really messed up beyond repair the knife goes in a tad deeper just to make sure the outcome is a mangled car wreck.
Political debate has no texture, context or meaningful insight -- it is tantamount to a full-scale mudslinging competition where even the winners rarely escape without a broken noise.
It wouldn’t be so bad if Cypriot society wasn’t on its knees seeking moral and financial guidance. Currently there is no light at the end of the tunnel just a huge fist fight over who gets to run the established order for another five years of unspectacular progress.
If there is anything more depressing than exploiting children or killing animals it’s Cyprus election time.
Even sadder is a gang of cronies trying to form the middle ground to entice voters that they are the new prophets.
Though what they are peddling jaded voters resembles a rehash of Old Testament politics where the sinners are those who contemplate Cyprus being a bizonal federation. There’s more chance of a bisexual president being elected.
Anyhow the ‘middle ground’ is populated with a rag-tag bag of rejectionists – they are not quite sure what they are rebelling against but it sounds good on TV to be haphazardly critical. The smaller parties are still trying to find a leader that fits their small world vision of planet Cyprus where you can pick and choose to be European or not.
Then there are the other two major parties – AKEL and DISY – who are worlds apart in ideology but closer than the rest on how they view a Cyprus peace plan. But never let a peace settlement get in the way of politics, there are too many mouths to feed and favours to be granted.
Akel pretend to be upholders of the left while Disy are perceived as standard bearers of the right which really makes little sense on planet Cyprus where political ideology is rather a vague concept.
This is because every party perpetuates cronyism in public life and the inherent unfairness of the establishment – they are not seeking to usher in the winds of change so to speak.
And god forbid the political establishment would actually support a woman for the top job in government.
I know the presidential elections are not until next February but already the parties are flexing for another bare knuckle fight where lies and statistics merge to form a virtual reality.
And the reality is that local politicians don’t even ask us to trust them any more – the game is up and honesty isn’t part of their job description.
This administration has already destroyed the economy and the banking system so who ever gets elected is on a hiding to nothing.
If the next President declares he can fix it – you just know the ride is going to be a bumpy and dangerous one.
With this government presiding over the worse economic meltdown in living memory it gives the opposition easy ammunition for an election onslaught. Maybe this is why the government has gone out of its way to try and humiliate former central bank governor Athanasios Orphanides.
Apparently it was this mild mannered banker who was to blame for the Greek debacle which sent the banking system on the verge of bankruptcy. He should have done something – even though his mandate was to advise not to kick butt.
But the government blaming the banker doesn’t hide the fact it squandered hundreds of millions on fat cat salaries, perks and pensions.