Ceylon Today Editorial

We deserve Parliamentarians of better calibre

25 November 2016

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, things simply do not change. Just like our politicians who are, deep down, just a bunch of teenagers, bursting with hormonal rage and sensational melodrama. Like those old habits that die hard, our parliamentarians cannot seem to find an ounce of decency and civility in their line of work. One would think that they would at least behave well at the august House, with respect to the continued traditions and rules. But, in truth, they'd rather behave like baboons in heat.

Earlier this week, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in Parliament warned the House not to engage in character assassination and mudslinging during debates because Parliament proceedings were being broadcast live to the nation.

The Speaker, not once or twice, had to reiterate and highlight the responsibility of all parliamentarians on proper conduct with decorum and discipline in order to ensure that the people do not lose faith in the Parliament.

This was after many comments that were thrown about during a particular parliamentary session where, as usual, the Parliament experienced a tense situation. It is never a dull moment at our Parliament, truly. Sadly, for our Speaker, the warnings of the people losing faith in the glorious institution fell on deaf ears and have already come to pass, unintentionally.

We, as proud citizens of this nation, wish we could forget and singe the memories of parliamentarians conducting a protest/sleep-over at the Parliament well. Lest, we forget there have been countless times when the Parliament's ceremonial mace was stolen, went missing and was threatened to be destroyed.

Yelling out verbal abuse, interrupting other MPs' speeches, and causing disruption in general, aren't unusual behaviour within the Sri Lankan Parliament, so, nobody really bats an eyelid when such incidents occur. These instances have gone beyond just verbal abuse to downright exchanging of fisticuffs and physical violence. If only we can forget the 2011 shameful spectacle of a budget reading that led to what could only be defined as roughhousing of drunkard fools.

This kind of behaviour, being broadcast over the television has led it to becoming more popular than the prime time television shows and reality television shows. This is the sad part; we have accepted this uncouth behaviour of our public representatives that it has become a norm to them. Unsavoury behaviour has been accepted as normal behaviour and we, as voters, have let this happen.

It is obvious that parliamentarians knowingly follow this form of behaviour because they know they will provide entertainment for the voters. It has reached this sad predicament because we, as voters, have let it happen. We who are engaging in entertainment politics have elected the public representatives we are supposed to have. We have voted in a bunch of hillbillies who have no sense of gentlemanly politics based on ideologies. Not to mention of ideas, they simply do not know how to behave as human beings.

What is the solution, therefore? The solution is simple. We should move away from emotional politics that plays on our feelings, titillating us at times. We should avoid politicians who make fun of each other, who are only there for the vote and never there for the work. We should move towards politicians who are educated and well-mannered. We want politicians who can respect another idea and can argue back with words and information, not with their hands and violence. We need politicians who can talk the talk and walk the walk.

After all, as voters, we need better than what we have. We deserve better than this.

Daily News Editorial

The public won’t buy it

25 November 2015

The Joint Opposition is to launch an awareness campaign to enlighten the people on the misuse of public funds by the Yahapalanaya government it was reported yesterday. In furtherance of this, the JO also plans to hold seminars in each district twice a month. A website is also to be launched on corrupt Yahapalanaya politicians, the report states, while handbills too are to be distributed among the public. To top it off, a direct telephone line and a email address is to be introduced for the public to complain on any corruption by government functionaries, taking place.

And who is spearheading this elaborate campaign to rid corruption in the government and make Sri Lanka a model state? He is none other than our good old Mahindananda Aluthgamage, whose rags to riches tale is now in the public domain.

Why, the former Sports Minister, whose many financial depredations are currently being exposed, who was for a brief period a guest at the state lodge, and who is currently out on bail in a court case involving a mega financial scam, failed to demonstrate this enthusiasm and crusader's zeal to eliminate corruption in governance, during the 10 long years he was a powerful minister in the Mahinda Rajapaksa government begs an explanation.

Surely, he would have had all the wherewithal and easy access to the records at the time as a government Minister, to name and shame the culprits, unlike now where he has to rely only on second hand information and hearsay. For, there was enough incidents of mind boggling acts of corruption at the time, as is being gradually unraveled at present, for Aluthgamage to go full throttle exposing all the graft and sleaze, now that he has shown himself to the public to be a champion against corruption, taking the trouble to hold seminars, distribute leaflets etc. around the country.

Is it because he was a powerful government Minister at the time and rode the gravy train, like the rest in that government, that he kept mum and now has suddenly turned into an anti-corruption crusader when the long arm of the law is closing in on him? According to the news report Aluthgamage says; “There is no evidence for the complaints made against us. But we have solid evidence against the complaints we are about to make” with regard to his widely proclaimed determination to expose 10 corrupt Yahapalanaya ministers.

One recalls reading a news report some time ago, at the tail end of the Rajapaksa era, of a questionable acquisition of a property at an elite address in Colombo by Aluthgamage. The news report also furnished the number of the court case at the Colombo District Court and explicit details of the transaction including the astronomical sum paid for the property. The case was consigned to the forgotten things of limbo at the time and it is time that the Yahapalanaya government unearth this case and pursue with the matter, if only to give the lie to the MP's claim.

Be that as it may, there is no question about exposing corruption among the present ministers in the Yahapalanaya government. After all, President Sirisena was elected on the plank of not only bringing to book the crooks of the last government, but also eliminating corruption from the body politic. Aluthgamage and his band of anti-corruption crusaders, now trooping to the Bribery Commission, almost on daily basis, with complaints against government ministers, are well within their right to pursue action against the corrupt.

However they should first establish their credibility for the task they have undertaken. It will be hard for the public to believe that the exercise undertaken by Aluthgamage and Co. are genuine and done with good intentions. Almost all the JO MPs going before the Bribery Commission have cases pending against them.

Their entire project is going to fall apart based on just one factor. The JO in their enthusiasm has also accused Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of collusion in the alleged Bond scam. The PM may have his faults, but corruption is certainly not among them. Even the worst critic of the Premier will concede that the PM is aboveboard who is untainted by even a whiff of a financial scandal during his four decades long political career. This fact is also firmly ingrained in the minds of the public, cutting across political differences. The Premier's credential in this respect was vouched for by none other than Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga when she was his bitter rival at the 1999 Presidential election, at a public rally.

Dragging in the PM's name, plus the highly questionable credibility of the current crop of “crusaders against corruption” would no doubt have created the public perception that what they are engaged in is a pure act and a media circus. The exercise is also a clear attempt at drawing a red herring to detract from the host of mega corruption investigations against the “anti-corruption crusaders” themselves and former VVIP politicians. This too, the majority of the public are aware of.

The Island Editorial

Media Blues

24 November 2016

 

President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have lamented that it is depressing to read newspapers these days; they should adopt a positive outlook, help instill patriotism in people and develop the country, he has said.

We thought we would be left without anything negative to write about after last year’s regime change. But, alas, no sooner had the Rajapaksa government been dislodged than one half of the rogues responsible for its downfall pole-vaulted to the new administration while the other half chose to remain in the Opposition. Those who had been in the political wilderness for about 11 years without any opportunity to line their pockets at the expense of the public sprang into action like a colony of hibernating leeches after a drizzle. They joined forces with the thieves of the previous regime for political expediency.

The ‘yahapalana’ rule kicked off with a bang; the Central Bank was robbed of Treasury bonds to the tune of billions of rupees in broad daylight; fleets of super luxury vehicles were fraudulently released through the Customs at the behest of the new rulers and the molestation of Justitia did not stop. The wheels of justice were programmed to grind to a halt whenever the ruling politicians and their kith and kin happened to be on the wrong side of the law. When we report on such things it is only natural that newspapers look negative. The messenger should not be blamed for the unpalatable message.

One cannot but agree with President Sirisena that newspapers are full of depressing news. A case in point is yesterday’s front page picture of former STF Commandant, ex-DIG K. L. M. Sarachchandra, being taken to a paddy wagon. Having spent the best part of his life, serving the country in the face of risks to his life and limb, at this age the former DIG should be able to enjoy his retirement. The battle-hardened combatant led the elite police commandos during the war and ensured that they would make a tremendous contribution to defeating terrorism.

Former DIG Sarachchandra has been arrested and remanded for allegedly causing a loss of about Rs. 140,000 to the public purse by misusing a state-owned vehicle while those involved in bond scams which have cost the public billions of rupees have not only gone scot free but also are given VIP treatment. Many MPs have sold their duty free vehicle permits thus committing a financial fraud with impunity. Minister of Agriculture Duminda Dissanayake, a trusted lieutenant of President Sirisena, stands accused of wasting public funds to the tune of Rs. 23.5 mn a month as rent on an unused building.

Military and police personnel disabled in terrorist attacks during war unfortunately suffer injuries at the hands of the riot police when they protest, demanding their dues in peacetime. We thought the harassment of the ex-military commanders would end with the cashiering and incarceration of former war winning Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka under the Rajapaksa government. But, the practice continues.

We don’t enjoy being bearers of negative tidings. Let the President and other government grandees be kindly requested to rid the country of corruption, political witch hunts, near lawlessness and the blatant abuse of power besides ensuring that the people are given adequate relief and one million job opportunities created in keeping with the present administration’s election pledges. Once they get their act together, we will be left with no alternative but to write sunshine stories much to the liking of the President.

Meanwhile, all is not lost for the government worthies troubled by media induced blues as it were. They can always turn to the kept media for escapist entertainment such as journalistic cabarets, cancan and pole dancing if they want to cheer themselves up. That way they will also be able to lull themselves into thinking that everything is copacetic and there is no need to worry.