Blame games will not fix the economy

That we are in an economic hole as a nation is no longer surprising. The more disturbing thing is the reaction of those to whom we are looking up to figure out how to pull us out and back to safety.

Rather than device a plan, they seem keener on apportioning blame. The thing with blame games is that they can be distracting from the real issues and blinding to where the solutions lie.

By excluding ourselves from taking responsibility for the state of affairs, we fuel further deterioration of the situation since we have a convenient explanation that leads the buck elsewhere. All this while, continuing in our ways that might dig us into an even bigger abyss.

We should all be very concerned by all these alarm bells that are ringing about the state of our economy.

More so with the current state of the global economy that is obviously contributing to where we find ourselves. We are more likely to suffer as things continue getting tighter and out of hand.

What vital public services might have to be withdrawn as a direct consequence of being broke and not being able to pay those who deliver them?

It is a disturbing sign when the government struggles and delays paying its staff. Remember public service is often regarded as one of the safest places to work - hard to be fired on a whim, very predictable, with no rush and pressure about delivery.

Apparently, what it lacks in competitiveness associated with the remuneration in the private sector, it makes up for in stability. Then lately, it just got struck by the winds of unpredictability that are shaking the core of this stability!

It is even being whispered in some quarters that with these prevailing circumstances, even layoffs are not entirely a remote possibility.

The supposed delay in paying legislators' salaries, for instance, must have been the last option for whoever is responsible. These are senior members of society who consider themselves of a higher caste. It just shows how desperate the situation must be.

That it still happened regardless, says something about just how dire it is. Unfortunately, it has been more about apportioning blame than reassuring civil servants that it is not going to happen again. Like it is often said, it is not about whether one gets knocked down but about getting up.

Getting in a financial fix can happen to the best and most financially disciplined of us - individually as well as collectively. It is not unusual. What is more unusual is when those responsible for national coffers pretend that they did not see it coming and blame it on their predecessors.

Yet, reportedly acquiring new fleets and hiring a cadre of top but unnecessary officials among other measures while preaching about austerity.

The way that we will get ourselves in this mix is by accepting the situation and taking up the responsibility of fixing it. More importantly, we have to manage our expenditure and to keep it within our means.

Even more serious is the timing of this crunch that we are experiencing - when the cost of living is at an all-time high. Then incomes become unpredictable!

Besides hurting individuals, this could scare many away, including critical manpower, away from public service.

Thus, the lesson for those in charge is to forget who needs to be blamed and to instead focus on where the solution will come from to put us back on the rails.

It is time to dust ourselves up and to do something. Blame games cannot fix things.

@butunyi