By The Editor
It is not an easy task for leaders to distinguish between real friends and false admires. They should be very careful and cautions before taking any decision because if they succeed many will try to take credit but if they fail none but very few really will stand by them. “Good friends are like shock absorbers; they help you take the lumps and bumps on the road of life”, said Frank Tyger. In politics, successful persons will be surrounded with many so called friends who will not hesitate to shower praises even if they make mistakes. But once they are out of power, many will desert them and seek for better pasture elsewhere. Cosimo De Gregorio warned, “Beware the flatterer; he feeds you with an empty spoon”. Leaders therefore ought to take stock of the whole situation before any decision is taken and should be very careful even of their advisers, however sincere they may be, because in the end they and they alone are to bear the consequences. Good and efficient leaders are not afraid of dithering and are ready to take decision.
Jacinta Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, was an inspiration to women around the world after being chosen by her party and elected to the top job in 2017 at young age of 37. During her tenure of more than five years she has handled her responsibility with wisdom and courage thus earning high praise and admiration. She kept the corona virus out of New Zealand for 18 months and during early stages of Covid there was mass shooting in the country which she was successful in tackling the situation. Because of her intellect and diplomacy she succeeded in forging an alliance of centre-left parties against right-wing populism which was on the rise globally and emerged victorious in 2017 general elections. She managed to get the bill passed targeting net-zero carbon emission by 2050 and ban on assault weapons endangering lives of citizens. Nevertheless she was facing great domestic pressures due to emergence of new generations with different outlook and the rise of right-wing forces. Feeling that she could no longer be able to continue with her task she courageously fought back tears and announced on January 19 that she was leaving office after five and a half years.
Within a week, Chris Hipkins (44) was sworn as New Zealand’s 41st prime minister on January 25. Carmel Sepuloni, the first person with Pacific Island heritage, was also sworn in as deputy prime minister. She congratulated Hipkins and thanked him for the trust he had in her. Hipkins assured the nation and its people of 5 million that he will continue the legacy of Arden for development and upliftment of the country with main emphasis on economy. Hardly nine months are left before next general elections and according to opinion polls ruling Labour Party has to face a strong Conservative Opposition with its rightist policy.