Broken Governance
FADE IN:
EXT. ROAD - DAY
PETER, carrying a small bag, jogs along. A MAN (60s), also carrying a small bag and with wet hair, sees him from a distance and encourages Peter with clapping hands.
PETER
(To the man)
Exercises! Exercises!
They exchange smiles.
PETER (V.O.)
He has already swum.
I'm just about to do so.
We're very disciplined!
We want to do good to
ourselves.
INT. SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Peter swims lap after lap in circular lanes. He follows slow swimmers. Others pass them risking colliding with others swimming in the opposite direction.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Walking past a football pitch, Peter sees workers cleaning the renovated pitch.
PETER (V.O.)
They unearthed it months
ago. It is made good now.
INT. CLUB HOUSE - DAY
Peter's hair is still wet. He reads a newspaper's editorial column.
PETER (V.O.)
It's a crisis of broken
governance...
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
So there was governance -
direction and control of an
institution for its best
interest. A government
conducts public affairs and
manage resources. A company
runs its business in the best
interest of its owners or
shareholders.
Peter remembers something.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I saw a newspaper photo the
other day about "Free food
and coffee for Federal workers..."
I love ethical corporate governance.
It has news value and the media
promotes it freely.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Governance has many challenges.
The decision-making process
may not be participatory,
consensus- oriented, equitable
and legitimate. The execution
process can be non-transparent,
ineffective and inefficient. And
no one may be held responsible
and accountable.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Every day, the media report
stories of bad governance, from
governmental to corporate
levels.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
When I was directing and
controlling a Government
department in Hong Kong, I
exercised my best endeavours
in good governance. I wouldn't
let incidents becoming emergencies
and crises. I assumed responsibility
and accountability even for
short-comings rendered by
external service providers.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I did a reasonably good job.
Peter then reads stories in the business section.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Peter works behind his computer.
PETER (V.O.)
Good governance is not an
ideal. It's realistic and achievable
particularly if the actors are good.
ie having the right value and the
courage to try.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Just unearth the problems and
make good. If at first one doesn't
succeed, try, try again! Mending
broken governance also mends
stakeholders' broken hearts!
FADE OUT. The End