Ceylon Today Editorial

JVP ‘s SHABBY TREATMENT OF CHITHRANGANIE

Sunday 15th November 2015

George Orwell once wrote, "In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia."

As a Cold War writer Orwell was against authoritarianism and the socialism that was brimming in Russia during the era. However, he also faced an identity crisis as a colonial police officer in Burma. If he were alive today to witness the predicament concerning the Wijeweera family and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, it would have definitely helped him pick a side.

Chithranganie Wijeweera broke silence recently by audaciously suing the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna charging that the party had violated the provisions of the Intellectual Property Act of the country by printing and distributing seven of her late husband's books. Chithranganie in the past said that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna did not pay attention to her and her family and only paid them an allowance of Rs 5,000. That amount was later increased by twofold, but the family of Rohana Wijeweera, the founder of the party, continued to face hardships. She was promised a house in relation to which former JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said, the party had allocated an amount of Rs 10 million for the family of their former comrade.

To the general populace, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna is in disarray and is on the knife's edge of being consumed by chaos. Once a proud Marxist party which scoffed at the defections in the two major political parties of the country, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the United National Party which are now the proud owners of their own defections.

After the 1971, 1988 and 1989 insurrections the party saw the exodus of several party members. The exodus commenced with their firebrand member Wimal Weerawansa who left the party to join their opponents the SLFP by creating the National Freedom Front. He was followed by several other small time members such as Kumar Gunaratnam who initiated the Frontline Socialist Party. However, the biggest letdown of the century to the party was when its former leader Somawansa Amarasinghe left the party this year following the presidential election.

Wijeweera's wife claims that even if the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna had collected funds that amounted to a staggering sum of Rs 10 million to purchase a house for her family, it had never materialized.

Chithranganie earlier asked whether the JVP was collecting funds from overseas and international sources. Now she has gone before the courts over the intellectual property of her late husband. She claims that the party has printed and sold seven books by her late husband and had earned its income since he disappeared on 13 November 1989. If these claims are true and if it in actuality something similar was perpetrated without the Wijeweera family's approval, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has certainly breached the provisions of the Intellectual Property Act and should be held accountable for their actions.

The Sri Lanka Navy recently granted a six month period of refuge to the Wijeweera family. Who would look after them thereafter, is a question which should be an answered by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, as Rohana Wijeweera was the founder of the party where they are standing their ground. Would the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna denounce their Marxist heritage and adopt a legacy of elitism and capitalism?

Another question that has to be answered is regarding the ultimate fate of the revenue that was collected by the party in printing and selling seven books written by Rohana Wijeweera.
Regardless of this, the socialist history in Sri Lanka will record Chithranganie Wijeweera as the first widow of a socialist leader to take a socialist party, which was founded by her late husband to the Court.

Sunday Leader Editorial

Maithri And Ranil: Crack Your Whips

Sunday 15th November 2015

 

The National Government was formed with the lofty objective of bringing the two main political parties together to resolve national problems which have defied resolution because of the fierce interparty rivalry for supremacy. The compulsion of putting together a majority to form a government overcoming the seats won by the UPFA under Mahinda Rajapaksa was also a main factor.

Maithripala Sirisena, the triumphant common candidate having retained his post of General Secretary of the SLFP, enabled him to become the leader of the party after being elected was a decisive factor in the formation of the coalition.

Thus the Yahapalanaya government, as it is commonly known, has resulted in bringing together disparate political bedfellows and the effects are beginning to show in the three months of its existence. The controversy over the Avant Garde affaire resulted not only in clashes between the two main parties but also in intra party locking of horns.

The only redeeming feature was that Cabinet Minister Tilak Marapana, who ventured to offer an opinion, resigned from his portfolio in accordance to parliamentary traditions which have been rarely observed in recent times.

Disparate opinions that were being held before the formation of the government are being voiced overtly and covertly. All this does not augur well for this coalition that has given itself two years to achieve certain objectives and the failure to do so will lead to its voluntary dissolution.

Both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who head the two main political parties, should read the riot act to dissidents some of whom openly exhibit allegiance to the arch foe of the government, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Political alignments in the current parliament have resulted in different factions within the Opposition.

There is a faction in the government who are part of government but overtly and covertly support the Mahinda Rajapaksa who is opposed to the government. There has come to be a faction that has labeled themselves the ‘United Opposition’ bitterly opposed to the government. These are mostly not members of the SLFP, whose leader is the President, but members of the UPFA. But UNFGG members too are under the president who is the leader of the UPFA and it’s the UPFA that’s recognized by parliament.

This is a unique instance in parliamentary practice where members of a government party have officially declared themselves an Opposition and are actively opposing the government.

Differences of opinion within political parties are known and intra party dissidence is common but they are permitted only within limits of party discipline and cabinet responsibility. If tolerated it would lead to chaos within a ruling party and followed by chaos within a political coalition governing the country.

The UNP has only a single coalition partner, the JHU that contested the election under the UNP symbol of the elephant. Its leader Champika Ranawaka has not attempted to rock the boat although he has shown dissidence in certain issues. The likes of Rajitha Senaratne contested under the UNFGG while claiming to be members of the SLFP. However, ministers and deputy ministers in the government are now openly engaged in verbal mud-slinging against each other, which has left the masses with mouths wide open.

The government has indicated its plans for the future with Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s new economic policy as well as indications of plans for the proposed megalopolis. These proposals run in the face of traditional Third World socialism which is sacrosanct to some of those antiquated politicians and economists who seek safety in state controlled institutions – even if they run at tremendous losses – and government service with meager pensions.

The political stability, which President Sirisena sought to implement his policies of reconciliation with people of the north and east, are being vehemently opposed by some political desperadoes who made their mark through class-hatred and racism. The government’s decision to release political prisoners was recently attacked by one government member in public which was televised on some national TV channels. This was a government MP under the leadership of President Sirisena attacking his own policies.

With provincial council elections on the cards, these racists will hope to have a field day attacking their own government.

President Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe are committed to protect the right to freedom of speech and expression. But surely they cannot permit such attacks by those within their own government.

These are dissidents who seek shelter under the SLFP umbrella because they cannot exist on their own. They should be asked to quit the National Government to follow their own rabid policies.

The Nation Editorial

Creating private sector pension fund, a timely move

Sunday 15th November 2015

 

Among the measures announced by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his medium term economic plan for the country is the proposal to set up a state sponsored pension fund for the private sector. The fund to be set up by amalgamating the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employee’s Trust Fund (ETF) is to be managed by a board consisting of professional investment managers as well as trade union representatives.

The idea at once seems to be a timely one because most developed countries have such funds which are paying higher returns to the contributors by growing and enhancing the fund’s value through prudent investments. It has been proposed that the independent and professional persons would be appointed to manage the fund and they would be made accountable to the constitutional council thus eliminating room for political or bureaucratic interference with the day to day management of the fund. 

This kind of independence is a salutary measure as there are enough examples in the past where questionable investments have been made both by the EPF and the ETF putting people’s money into peril. There were also allegations that such funds were used during the previous government to buy shares in some of the respectable financial institutions and private banks with the idea of appointing political cronies into the managing bodies of such institutions opening avenues for political interference.

Currently there is no law to ensure that professional managers are appointed to the governing bodies of these funds and often government in power appoints them according to their political preferences the same way members are appointed to the boards of other state owned entities. Only a small percentage of the funds are invested in the stock market and a major part is invested in the government securities. In a situation of this nature question of professional fund managing does not become much relevant as the funds are invested in the safest manner without much emphasis on high returns.

If the two retirement funds are to be amalgamated as proposed and converted into a pension fund prudent management and high returns would be necessary in order to pay continuing pensions that are commensurate with the cost of living. The introduction of private sector pensions will one way reduce the competition for state sector employment. Like in some of the developed countries people with higher income will be able to contribute to more than one pension fund paving the way for a comfortable retirement with adequate income.

The fear that this amalgamation could lead to mismanagement is not altogether unrealistic. That is why it is essential to have top fund managers with integrity at the board level to manage it. When there are massive amounts of money available there is always room for corruption. This can be curtailed by including independent persons with suitable background who are not strictly fund managers and trade union representatives also in the board of management.

With proper fund managing it will also become possible for the pension funds to invest in highly profitable ventures both in and outside Sri Lanka ensuring a higher growth for the funds. If the funds are managed properly there would not be much opposition to the idea of channeling more money into profitable and nationally important ventures by way of investment which would ultimately help the economic development of the country.