Ceylon Today Editorial

Mixing Entertainment with Business

31 January 2017

For Sri Lanka, when it comes to politics and public entertainment, lines blur quiet a lot.

Several politicians – most of them, rather – excel at entertaining the masses instead what they should be doing: being public representatives. These public comedians tend to create news every now and then with their misadventures and when it does, it's nothing but entertainment.

Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare Ranjan Ramanayake pulled off such one slapstick stunts recently where he scolded a government worker, accusing her for incompetent behaviour in her jurisdiction.

The Deputy Minister who made himself present at a public protest at Ihala Madampella in the Divulapitiya Divisional Secretariat Division against soil excavation had then visited the area where sand excavation was allegedly taking place. During that inspection, the Deputy Minister who had been told that the Divulapitiya Divisional Secretary had allegedly been involved in the illegal excavation had called her to confront him on the matter.

The ensuing telephone conversation had been a rather gruesome one, where the Deputy Minister had used harsh and obscene language to prosecute her of apparently allegedly misplaced accusations. The telephone conversation that took place on the Deputy Minister's personal phone's loud speaker was broadcasted on all news programmes that night, which led to an obvious public outcry.

As a protest against Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake's verbally abusing the Divulapitiya Divisional Secretary in public recently, the Gampaha District Administrative Services Association (GDASA) decided to boycott their official duties on Monday.

They demanded the withdrawal of the malicious statement allegedly made by the Deputy Minister. The Association's Vice President and Secretary has written to the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister with copies to the Ministry Secretaries, District Secretaries and heads of all public institutions in the Gampaha District.

The Association has said the Deputy Minister had undermined the entire public service and demanded that he publicly apologizes to the Secretary and would keep away from duty on Monday in case he does not do so.

MP Indika Anuruddha, who was allegedly also accused by the Deputy Minister for the soil scandal, filed a Rs 500 million defamation lawsuit. In the turmoil, Ramanayake standing his ground, refused to apologize for his actions. Addressing the media he has said that, even if he is to die or relinquish his ministerial portfolio, he will not apologize to the Divulapitiya District Secretary for anything in connection with the telephone argument with him yesterday while at the Madiwela Housing Complex.

Ramanayaka has said his distressful concern at the clandestine Akaragama, Divulapitiya illicit earth-fill led to the stoppage of that illicit operation and he would continue with his campaign in the future too.

The minister has noted that President Maithripala Sirisena also spoke to him about it and told him that there was no need for him to apologize to anyone as he had done no wrong.

He has argued that there has been a serious financial fraud pertaining to the Central Bank Bond issues and also Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has encroached into the Wilpattu Forest, the minister added. He has stressed that he would in no way hesitate to criticize those wrongdoings, and if that would mean that he would have to quit the Party, he can always seek re-election as an independent.

Leaving aside his melodrama, if taken the entire situation as a whole, one could two opinions. One is that, the Deputy Minister Ramanayake should not have used obscenities in this endeavour but should have gone about it in a gentlemanly manner. He should have shown some humility where it is due, harshness where it is due and some, most of all, sense when it's most necessary. None of this happened, but his ultimate goal was achieved – stopping the illegal excavation – and none can argue with that.

Secondly, it should be noted that the Deputy Minister took what seemed like desperate measures in order to obtain his goals and indirectly, do what public representatives are responsible for. Many public representatives are hindered by incompetent and corrupt government sector State employees, who follow their own agenda instead of working for the benefit of the country. When that happens, a duly elected public representative has the responsibility, let alone the authority, to change the course and put it back in the right path.

This is what Deputy Minister Ramanayake intended to do, we believe. Even though he went about it in an absolutely horrendous manner, he had grounds for his actions. We also believe that this might have been a result of his acting career getting mixed up with his politics. But nevertheless, we are led to believe that his cause was good and that the only thing bad about it was the way he went about it.