Leadership in the national interest.
His Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Albert Palmer, when addressing a leadership conference in Honiara last week, said .leaders must make responsible decisions that would benefit their communities and the well being of their people.
He said he had noted that there was a very high level of tolerance of bad or poor leadership behavior and explained this could be attributed to locals’ concept of the chiefly positions or big men concept in their cultural background.
“To lead is to service” is the national motto of the county and three simple words that should be at the heart of every aspiring and serving leader.
The words remind leaders that they are in service of those that have given them the privilege and responsibility to lead.
The best leaders are willing to make personal sacrifices for their communities, colleagues and above all for the good of the nation. They must never surrender such sacrifices to fulfill their personal needs or to make themselves enriched or to look good.
Twenty one years ago in the Solomon Islands I witnessed the advent of tragic events and occurrences that had there beginnings in leadership failures in previous years and which culminated in the internal civil conflict that ensued for 5 years.
National unity is still needing to be fortified by all present day leaders for it is only when leaders are seen to sacrifice their own needs and put others first will people reciprocate, trust and to make sacrificies themselves to build the strong nation that remains the desire of many.
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
Proverbs 3:27
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
