Around this time the Ukrainian people are celebrating independence. Independence means previous dependence and implies freedom from that dependence. Independence implies economic and social freedom and self-sufficiency in many ways. But has Independence brought success to Ukraine?
The World Bank country comparison report (2011) places Ukraine in 145th place in the world for ease of doing business. This means Ukraine is not competitive and is not an attractive destination for investors. The World Bank gives a reason for this rating. Ukraine has too many steps (laws and regulations) that make honest business slow, uncertain, unprofitable and occasionally impossible.
I have to say I am puzzled. I know many, many great Ukrainian people. They are very well educated and very smart. They are as good as any person in our World and maybe better than many. Why does Transparency International rate Ukraine as 134th in the World? Why does the Fund for Peace rate Ukraine so badly on issues relating to the law and policing? These are important questions to study and the answers to these questions are guides to development of better life for the Ukrainian people and nation.
But there is hope. Recently in Kyiv, Tomas Fiala, President of the European Business Association, told President Yanukovich (who chaired the meeting) that he believed Ukraine could be one of the top 20 countries in the world if some economic and behavioural reforms were implemented. He advised the President that "corruption and personal interests are paralyzing the implementation of your initiatives and preventing businesses from working, investing and creating jobs." He added that paying civil servants enough so they didn’t look for ‘presents’ would help. So, a regulated free market, harmonizing Ukrainian law with International economic regulations will increase trade and improve the economy.
Beyond economic advancement we all have lives to live, souls to save and intellects to nourish. The societies we develop will be more successful and more harmonious if we provide for these. Now Ukraine has a new anti-corruption law but will it change the behaviour of officials who were educated in the old inefficient corrupt soviet ways? Patriarch Lubomyr Husar recently wrote that corruption cannot be eradicated by laws. He calls for insertion of ethical and spiritual values into the education system so the officials of the future will behave fairly and unselfishly. He shares his idea that human values and relationships are more important than money.
Development of a country requires social responsibility. The state has obligations to give legal rights to citizen but each citizen has a responsibility to give and contribute to the building of the state and the development of the people. This balance of rights and responsibilities is taught in homes and schools in America and Europe. It is an organizational agreed discipline that leads to progress.
It is important to consider that independence is more than a word. In most countries it came as a reaction to grave oppression. It came at great human and financial cost. Honour the memory of those who hoped for independence in the past, but died without seeing it, by using freedom to make life better for every person. Ukraine has suffered and Ukraine is now free. The foreign powers have been exiled. Now the people of Ukraine have to mature and work to develop an inclusive and fair system for all citizens. Independence gives Ukraine the right to determine her own destiny. It can be as good or as bad as you work for it to be.
God bless those who suffered in the past and God inspire those who work in the present to make a better future for all!
