Trust in authorities is crucial for maintaining social cohesion and a sense of community. When people lose faith in the authorities and institutions, divisions and conflicts can arise within society, leading to a breakdown in social harmony. Trust is essential for citizens to willingly comply with laws, regulations, and public health guidelines. Trust is the glue that binds human relations, be it in personal, governance or social spheres. The recent development in Salangtem Ward makes one wonder if the public has no trust in the authorities.
While the Salangtem Ward Yimden did what it was supposed to do, it is pertinent to note here that it acted on complaints received from various quarters. This gives rise to one question – why was the complaint not made to the authorities? It points to one direction and, that is, members of the public have apparently lost trust in the authorities and rightly so. It is a known fact that contraband liquor is sold everywhere in Mokokchung town – and openly. Everybody knows all the places where ‘prohibited’ liquor is sold. The authorities that are supposed to enforce the law, for whatever constraints they face, have failed to do their job. The authorities may be doing their best, but the fact of the matter is that contraband liquor is sold without any compunction. Thus, the trust is lost and along with it respect.
When trust in authorities is lost, people may be less willing to follow rules and regulations, leading to non-compliance and potential lawlessness. Trust is the foundation of effective governance. When the public loses confidence in the authorities, it becomes challenging for authorities to enforce laws effectively. Trust is essential for cooperation between citizens and authorities. When trust is lacking, people are less willing to work with government agencies or participate in public initiatives, hindering progress and development. A loss of trust can lead to decreased civic participation and engagement. Citizens become disengaged from the political process, resulting in reduced community involvement and apathy towards public issues. Lack of trust in authorities fosters an environment conducive to corruption. When people believe that those in authority are untrustworthy or corrupt, they feel justified in engaging in corrupt practices themselves.
The Salangtem incident is a classic example of people losing trust in authorities. It gives rise to so many questions. Why must the public take their complaints to someone else if they trust the authorities? Moreover, how is it possible that the shops were run by people to whom the permits were not allotted to? What made people brazenly sell illicit liquor in the market? What will the authorities do now since they have been caught with their pants down? This incident may seem to be a minor issue but the major question is, if the authorities are not competent to check the minor issues, can the public trust them with the major issues? Nonetheless, this incident has provided an opportunity to the authorities concerned to engage in a trust-building initiative.