I am here wondering if there are any ethical principles that guide the body politic (politicians) similar to medical ethics that guide the medical profession?
Just like our actions as health care providers should be geared for the benefit of the patient, is there something out there that guides politicians so that their thoughts, words and deeds are geared for the benefit of the country and by extension the people they serve?
Is it the absence of such political ethics why we are in the position where we are today in terms of what we see in parliament, the political platform and on the airwaves and social media?
If there is lack of political ethics, does that mean that anything goes, and that the prime directive in politics is to ensure that unprincipled behaviour go unchallenged and if challenged do not contravene the laws of the state and the constitution, and if they do, they should use all the resources of the state or otherwise to capitalise on those unprincipled behaviours?
When politicians talk about being fearless in the political arena, are they referring to being fearless in their unprincipled behaviour? Why can’t civil society also be fearless on the side of higher expectations of principled behaviour? Is that what is missing in our national discourse?
What if a person is both a doctor and a politician, as was, is and may continue to be the case in our Federation?
Should he/she endeavour to raise the standards in the political arena to that of their medical ethics, or should they lower their standards in the medical arena to the political standards of the day?
And finally, how can we use the lessons of yesterday and yesteryear as teaching points, to help transform everyone concerned, from the top to the bottom, along with the standards of discourse and engagement that will help lift the BAR (Association) so that we can help break the cycle of political tribalism and the consequential less than desirable behaviour?
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