Nepotism Tip of the Iceberg - Opinion

Yesterday's surprise resignation by AKEL presidential secretary Vassos Georgiou on allegations of nepotism is just the tip of the iceberg.

Although the practice of nepotism, or rousfeti as it is called here, is clearly unacceptable, perhaps it is also time to call for clear guidelines - and penalties - on what kind of behaviour constitutes a blatant abuse of political power.

For example, getting your cousin into a position of political power - nepotism? Or granting government sponsorships to your brother-in-law - nepotism? If it goes like this, at least half of the government would have to resign today. The fact is that Cyprus is such a tight-knit society that nepotism or shades of nepotism are endemic in every part of it. But it doesn't mean that every cousin or brother-in-law is unqualified or incompetent, and perhaps this is the real crux of the matter - it is incompetence which can destroy a government project or initiative, not whether the person is a relative or not.

Look, we know that politicians are experts at manipulating public perception, and Georgiou's resignation just seems a bit too easy. The board of CYTA did the same thing, resigning en masse to take the heat off, and then getting back to business as usual when the media settled down to another story.

So, yes, it sends a positive message that nepotism is not allowed in government when a presidential aide resigns over a TV report implicating his office in influencing national guard appointments and transfers. But where will Georgiou pop up again? The cabinet?

Tongue-in-cheek aside, the government must get really tough and very clear on what consitutes nepotism, because at the end of the day, it is substance that we need, not empty actions and words. The practise of meritocracy can contribute to a more productive and democratic government that makes fewer mistakes and wastes less money, because in the opinion of this writer, a little expertise and experience can go a long way.