Hope
To be hopeful is a very human thing. I am hopeful of a new beginning after the election, even though I am also worried about the future.
I am hopeful that some of the young or new politicians will be elected to our Parliament (Inatsisartut) November 28th. I have witnessed quite a few televised debates in the election campaign now, and I have noticed that there is a new breed of politicians on the rise in Greenland. Nive Olsen and Aviaaja Neumann Sinkbæk (Both represent the Democrats), Per Rosing (Naleraq), Karen Motzfeldt & Julie Rademacher (both from Siumut), Aaja Chemnitz Larsen and Mûte Bourup Egede(both from IA) who all represent a new style and flavour.
They are perhaps not skilled politicians, but they have a more holistic view on solutions and the ability to work out a compromise. This is promising if they get elected.
On the other hand there is also quite a big bunch of politicians who are like a broken record: the same tune as I have heard before.
So what will it take for me to go one step further and be happy after an election?
First of all I hope that the leaders of the political parties will be mature enough to place their ego’s outside the door when the coalition agreement have to be made. And I hope that they will have the courage to involve a skilled (or a few) mediator to guide them. How come, you might ask?
Our country face great challenges - on the economical side, on the social arena, on the educational area and in regards to our community spirit.
There is an imminent need of reforms, which will not be taken lightly in the eyes of the population. Serious change is needed, and there is a need of explaining why.
Change processes are hard for most people and we are no different in Greenland, so we have a need to debate the need for reform - and involve the population in this debate.
One of the things I have noticed over the past three, four or five years is the willingness to debate publicly. We have also discussed topics at kaffemik (festive gatherings), but not much out in the open. This is changing. Now quite a lot of people debate on www.sermitsiaq.ag on www.knr.gl and in a political discussion forum on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129100667273522/
This shows a new trend in Greenland where more and more debate happens through social media with a different logic attached. This is in many ways a game changer in politics in Greenland.
So I am hopeful that more people in Greenland will participate actively in the political life in our country. And I am somewhat hopeful of our future.
