Good governance is often messy. Because it values what is good and lives out its values. It values the common good and the good of all individuals. And most importantly, it respects the dignity of everyone.

Of course, that’s how I would understand the combination of the words good and governance. It’s not how everyone does.

In fact, this sounds nothing like the most common use of the phrase. Usually it means that things are running smoothly and efficiently. Or perhaps that there is relative transparency.

I suspect that the distance between what most politicians mean by good governance and what we want from our authorities is massive.

But to get the kind of governance that is genuinely good requires both a sacrifice in efficiency and conflict-avoidance.