Governments around the world come and go for many reasons, including failure to be accountable to the people they serve, along with tyranny, corruption and undemocratic principles.In these circumstances it is always the people who must struggle to make their voices heard as they seek justice and fairness from those in authority.This is neverending, even with leading nations of the day, as people continue to demand clarity and accountability from whatever government is in power, in tackling crucial problems.Here in Bermuda, despite our beauty and small population, all is not well in how many people perceive the current Government in relationship to transparency and accountability. The Government has to be fully aware of this, even though it is not a subject they seem willing to confront openly.Whenever and wherever in any democratic society, transparency and accountability are held high by authorities of the day, the trust factor is at a higher scale.However, when there is a litany of unresolved issues and questions hanging in the air, the people have every right to question those in authority and demand answers, no matter how unpleasant they may be for those in authority.Bermuda is still a British colony, and most Bermudians take comfort in that historic relationship, although we all know it was not without its challenges. In today’s global climate, no country is truly independent, since economic survival depends on how well even major countries connect on the trading front.The world has become a much smaller place and modern communication technology of the day makes it difficult for any government wrongdoing to remain in the shadows for long. That goes for all democracies.The British government’s recent pledge to step up its role in being a better watchdog for overseas territories should be welcome news for Bermudians after so many felt Britain was too quiet over the Uighur incident.However, apart from that international blunder, what most people are concerned about is the handling of the public purse. Premier Paula Cox recently conceded that abuses of the public purse had occurred and, as a result, she implemented good governance policies to stamp out the practice, which was highlighted in several reports from the office of the Auditor General.The people are watching this as an election looms. They are also trying to assess the real state of Bermuda and how best to use their vote in order to move the island on to a better course. With so many jobless, and the economic crunch continuing to hurt families throughout our communities, there is no doubt that a change of course is needed.Bermuda has much to offer and, as a people, we should let politicians know exactly how we feel about important issues, irrespective of which party they are attached to. While politicians have the right to promote their ambitions, the people reserve the right to reject or accept their initiatives.Most Bermudians have already rejected any suggestions about Independence and the Government is fully aware of this. Perhaps one day that might happen, but for the moment the majority prefer to maintain the link with Britain. That view must be respected.Moves by the British government to look more closely at its overseas territories and how they operate should boost confidence that concerns of the people will get closer scrutiny, and this can only be a positive step for all Bermudians.