The truisms of Mr Pamboridis

Will the Democratic Rally’s political bureau tackle all the issues or are they going to sweep things under the rug on the pretense that DISY remains the strongest party?

And if all issues are laid on the table, would this bring about meaningful change in order to bridge the gap between leadership and the base (which became undeniably obvious in the elections) or would they continue to bury their heads in the sand like ostriches and ignore the bitter truth?

These are the questions that keep DISY folks awake especially if they lived through the party during a time when values and principles were conspicuous and not hidden in some drawer. Because, if we want to be honest, we have to admit that the criticism offered by former health minister George Pamboridis regarding DISY’s low point sheds light onto those issues that already needed to come to light.

And so, here is another question: Why hasn’t anyone else from the Rally up until now addressed the truisms that Pamboridis pointed out? Do they not share his views? Or is it that they didn’t want to oppose their leadership? Or worse even, they are trying to protect their own dealings in their own quarters without realizing that the foundations of those quarters are in fact the people of the Democratic Rally who have been let down. Whichever may be the case, it shows that meaningful change will be hard to come by because a certain attitude apparently has taken root where instead of vision it is guided by other priorities such as quest for power, maintaining the lead, or even worse, ensconcing of those career politicians who not only insult the intelligence of people but mainly the lessons from Glafcos Clerides.

Allure of power and war trophies

Why, then, nobody ever spoke publicly except Pamboridis? Are they perhaps under the illusion that taking publicly such a position would only boost the opposition and so instead of gifting this trump card to the opponent they would rather lie to the Rally folks? And if so, do they think this is kind of politics is honorable? Don’t they realize that this not only does it not honor them but in fact proves that they have been embedded so deep in the allure of power which they simply view, as Pamboridis correctly points out, as a war trophy?

The issues raised by the former minister regarding the Rally’s diversion contain certain truisms, which unfortunately have to do with a deeper mentality that defines political thought and delimits the scope. And this deeper mind-set does not change so easily because it requires awareness and rising above the fray, two concepts that have long appeared for some time to be a long way from the mental state of our politicians.

So? What’s worse? Is it perhaps that the leadership of the party doesn’t even comprehend that it finds itself in an apparent discord with Democratic Rallyers? And if they don’t realize it, then it is indeed about time for prominent figures in the party to show the way and point out, even now, the reasons for reaching such a low point in hopes they could turn things around and help reposition those values and principles which we ought to ourselves to live by in politics.

So Pamboridis correctly pointed out what is going on, that essentially DISY gives the impression that it is nothing but the orchestrator of the politico-economic establishment and the ones who carry out the orders of powerful financial interests.

But the notion that DISY was one a radical camp, with a modern center-right orientation that clashed with the establishment, is just a sad reminder for those folks who served the party under these values and prescribed principles. Same goes for those today that in all their wisdom and age with experience are simply watching in dismay what is being unraveled in front of their eyes, wondering whether it was a waste of time and years trying to raise the bar of our political conscience way beyond the mediocrity of those who strive for average.

The article was first published by Kathimerini Cyprus on 9 June 2019