Deciding collectively

By El-Sayed Eleiwa

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Some decisions are of a far reaching nature and should therefore be approached with caution. The sale of Omar Effendi and the Bank of Alexandria, and the demolition of part of Alexandria University and the parking facility in Ramses Square are just a few examples. Current constitutional amendments are too. If misjudged, these decisions would be costly and difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.

We're changing laws on tariffs, health, education and monopoly. We're amending the regulations governing the employment of public servants. And we're doing so without engaging the public and without weighing all the consequences. Some of these decisions may change the demographics of the country, as in the Toshka projects. Others affect the future of the young, as in education. Yet we seem to be taking decisions without fully exploring the implications and consequences.

All the above are strategic decisions and they warrant public participation on a large scale. Let's take opinion polls. Let's call for hearings at legislative and local council levels. Let's engage civil society groups, including political parties and professional syndicates. Let's ask for the opinion of universities and research institutes. We need proper methods of decision- making in this country.

Frequently our decisions are taken by the few then pushed through without proper consultation. We need to change this. We need to agree that when it comes to strategic decisions, national-scale projects and weighty legal measures, we must consult first, to get it right the first time. Conversely, many of our decisions are taken in a random manner, based more on sentiment than on good judgement. This type of decision-making is generally harmful, but more so in the case of strategic decisions. Let's think again. Let's think before we act.

This week's Soapbox speaker is a professor of political science at Helwan University.