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Yes, experts should come back to earth
2007-11-26 09:40:28
By Editor
Saying experts are people recognised as reliable sources of specialised techniques or skills and whose ability to judge or decide rightly, justly or wisely is accorded authority and status by their peers or the public could understandably be dismissed as a cliché.
Still, it is commonly agreed or assumed that experts boast extensive knowledge or ability in a particular area of study and are called in for informed advice on their respective subjects.
Usually, a person grows into an expert by virtue of training, education, profession, publication or experience and is believed to be so much more knowledgeable about a particular subject than the average person that others rely upon his or her meticulous opinion.
That`s why we say people contact experts for expertise, that is, for characteristics, skills and knowledge that distinguish those with the relevant know-how, experience and other attributes from novices and those with fewer of these qualities.
We view this as much more than a mere dictionary or encyclopaedia definition.
In fact, it gives invaluable insight into and hints on the direction in which our own experts ought to move as they seek to serve their communities, the nation and the larger world.
That is why, by extension, we believe that last Thursday`s remarks by Planning and Economic Empowerment ministry deputy permanent secretary Joyce Mapunjo deserve to be taken very seriously by all concerned.
Speaking at the official launch of Economic and Social Research Foundation`s strategic plan for 2008-11, Mapunjo challenged economic researchers in Tanzania to explain the country`s economic achievements in language simple enough for non-experts to understand.
Effectively calling for the popularisation of complicated disciplines like science and economics, she noted: `Researchers have done a tremendous job in the area of economic development but the challenge ahead of them is to interpret their findings in simple terms.
That will make people out there understand when we say the national economy is growing and thus reduce unnecessary complaints against the government.`
Interestingly, ESRF executive director Hohela Lunogelo noted that the thrust of the four-year plan was on making sure that Tanzania did away with its social and economic problems by making opportunities that promise to lead to viable solutions equitably available to all the people.
There is little doubt that it is the people themselves, often as individuals but also many times as members of their different communities, who feel the pinch of the problems they have to contend with each passing day.
It is the people that bear the brunt of the impact and consequences of disease, ignorance, income poverty, violent crime, corruption and other social and economic problems.
However, this is not to suggest that experts have no role to play in pulling the stings of misery and dehumanisation from these problems.
After all, it is they that are armed with the scientific tools to discern and recommend workable ways of dealing with the respective causes and effects.
Mapunjo has raised extremely valid points the experts should take careful note of.
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