Who’s running the show?
Prime Minister George Papandreou’s international diplomacy drive has been all well and good, and most of his meetings have brought positive results for Greece. Now, however, the country needs a leader and a strong government that will show the same levels of organization and strict methods that it has done in its diplomatic efforts. The task that looms ahead for the government, both in terms of slashing public spending and boosting growth, is massive and requires strong commitment, daily monitoring and close attention to every detail. Papandreou has as yet failed to set the pace for his government and the result is a lot of foot-dragging and uncertainty on major decisions. It needs to be made clear who exactly is in charge of this ship, so that the necessary changes can be made to crucial sectors. Past experience has shown us that ministers who are not under constant pressure and supervision tend to slip into behaving more like parliamentary candidates than managers of the public interest. And at times like these, such a mentality can be catastrophic.