Times Of Swaziland: FACEBOOK WRITE-IN: WHAT DO YOU THINK DEFINES FIRST WORLD STATUS?

FACEBOOK WRITE-IN: WHAT DO YOU THINK DEFINES FIRST WORLD STATUS?
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The Editor on 13/11/2013 00:20:00


Sir,
First of all what I would say is the target is too high in a very short space of
time. According to my understanding a First World country is well determined by
its politics because all elements needed to achieve a First World status are
politically orientated.
So it calls for every country to make sure of the good governing of the people
whereby good policies and strategies will be engineered which will then, if well
implemented, make the gap between the rich and the poor evidently narrow.
This is to say everybody has access to excellent health facilities, good quality
education, unbiased and independent justice system, freedom of association and
freedom of speech whereby the media is free to work without fear and
intimidation. The country should also boast of a good infrastructure and the
best communications system with cheaper and reliable modes of transport as well
as 100 per cent telecommunications network coverage at an affordable rate to
every citizen.
It should be able to produce enough electricity power to supply its industries
and every home in the land at affordable rates. Access to clean water is
essential.
That country must be able to feed itself with little import of agricultural
products, it must also be able to design and manufacture technologically
advanced tools and gadgets to improve the standard of living of its citizens so
the country shouldn’t be confined to a certain rank or status.
It must be able to grow economically and otherwise so it can be a role model to
other countries, thus they could see it as a First World country.
Nhlanhla Gama