VOA常速英语:An Opportunity Missed in Equatorial Guinea

The recent legislative and municipal elections in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea were a chance for the government there to live up to the goal of widening the country’s democratic space;a goal that was the focus of Equatorial Guinea’s celebrated National Dialogue of 2014.As long-time President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said at the time, “Democracy and national unity must be priorities in the problems that affect the nation…Where there are no public liberties, there cannot be institutional development.”
赤道几内亚共和国在近期举行的立法机构选举和市政选举对该国政府而言是一次实现扩大国家民主空间目标的机会；也是该国庆祝2014年全国政治对话的焦点。正如长期在任的总统特奥多罗·奥比昂·恩圭马·姆巴索戈当时说的那样：“民主和国家统一是影响国家的首要问题…没有公众自由，就没有制度发展。”

Unfortunately, as U.S. Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea Julie Furuta-Toy wrote in a recent op-ed, the opportunity for the government to expand the country’s democratic space, demonstrate that it hears the voice and the will of the people,and improve its image on the international stage, was missed in November.
遗憾地是，正如美国驻赤道几内亚大使朱莉·芙璐达·托依在近期的一篇专栏中所写的那样，赤道几内亚政府扩大国家民主空间的机会，表明其听取民众声音和意愿、改善其在国际舞台上形象的机会，在11月份已经丧失了。

“The elections were a step back,” she wrote.“The balloting of candidates did not allow the public to vote freely for candidates to represent them at any level, since the voters only had the choice to vote for a party; the members of the public were registered to vote in a process that was not transparent and was not observed by the international or domestic observers; and the final count of the votes was not at all transparent or free…Additionally, restrictions on internet and communications systems were enforced.”
“选举是一次退步，”她写道。“在为候选人投票的过程中，不允许公众自由地为代表他们利益的任何阶层的候选人投票，因为选民只能投票给一个党派；注册民众的投票过程不透明，国际或国内观察员不能对投票过程进行观察；最终计票完全不透明、不自由…此外，对网络和通信系统实施强制限制。”

Reportedly, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, the party of President Nguema, won the legislative and municipal elections with 92 percent of the vote. At the Chamber of Deputies in Malabo,only a single member of the opposition from the Citizens Party for Innovation were elected, leaving 99 seats to the party in power.
据报道，赤道几内亚的民主党，即总统恩圭马所在的党派以百分之九十二的选票支持率赢得立法机构选举和市政选举。在马拉博的众议院，反对党创新公民党赢得了一个议席，剩余99个席位属于执政党。

Ambassador Furuta-Toy emphasized that a “vibrant and loyal opposition is necessary to create economic opportunities for everyone.Without hearing the voices, without an independent representative democracy, the government limits the ability of its citizens to make informed choices for the future of the nation.”
芙璐达·托依大使强调“一个充满活力和忠诚的反对党对于为每个人创造经济机会而言是必要的。不听取这些声音，没有独立的代议制民主，政府就会限制公民为国家的未来做出明智选择的能力。”

As she wrote earlier this year, the greatest resource of Equatorial Guinea is not its abundant supply of oil and gas.“The greatest resource of Equatorial Guinea is actually her people,” said Ambassador Furuta-Toy.
正如她在年初写的那样，赤道几内亚最伟大的资源不是丰富的石油和天然气。“实际上最伟大的资源是她的人民，” 芙璐达·托依大使表示。

It is past time for the leaders of Equatorial Guinea to ensure that Equatoguineans are allowed the democratic space required for their country to flourish.
赤道几内亚的领导人早就应该确保本国人民获得国家繁荣所需的民主空间。