A disgraceful proposal
Sir. John Kotelawela, who was prime minister of this country over sixty years ago used a pithy Sinhala aphorism which spoke volumes when he said "henda athey thiyanakam bedaganilla." This literally means "as long as the ladle is in your hand, serve yourself." This is true for the recent approval of the so-called Independent Police Commission to assign units of serving policemen to retired IGPs and Senior DIGs to presumably serve during their (the ex-cops) lifetimes. This was sharply criticized by a retired Senior DIG. Mr. Merril Gunaratne, in the last issue of this newspaper.
We must first commend this retired policeman, who would personally benefit from the proposal if it is implemented, for publicly coming out strongly against it. That is not something we frequently see in this Island of ours where many, if not most, will feather their own nests given the opportunity. The proposal that seems to be up in the air at present, recommends that a five man unit plus a driver be assigned to each retired IGP and a similar three member unit, also with a driver, to the former senior DIGs. Whether it will be implemented or not remains to be seen.
Apart from retired policeman Merril Gunaratne’s comment last Sunday, a special correspondent writing to this issue of our newspaper has socked it in his horror very much harder than the previous writer did. We commend that article to the reader if he has not already read it. That writer, perhaps sarcastically or cynically, asks whether this sought-after perk is a reward for the gigantic security failure that resulted in the Easter Sunday massacre. Some of those who bear accountability will possibly or probably be among the beneficiaries. Worse, two would-be beneficiaries are among the members of the Police Commission. Did they promote this would be a fair question. But who cares? This business of giving retirement benefits at taxpayer expense has a long and sorry history in this country.
These range from senior public servants being permitted to buy, at book value, the vehicles they used at the time of retirement – often refurbished and repaired at government cost – as D-day approaches. The political establishment too has not done badly out of this generosity with other people’s, read the taxpayers’, money. Former presidents enjoy government housing, a personal staff and other privileges that probably includes (we are not sure) official cars. Few will begrudge Mrs. Hema Premadasa whose husband was assassinated by the LTTE these privileges but many people may think otherwise of some of the other beneficiaries.
We have in this space said that former President Maithripala Sirisena, now seeking to prolong his political career as a Member of Parliament for the Polonnaruwa district, has committed impeachable offences although he has not been held to account. A full bench of the Supreme Court undid his sacking of his own government, replacing it with that of Mahinda Rajapaksa, with full knowledge that Rajapaksa did not command a parliamentary majority, The numbers were expected to be engineered, but that was not to be. The result was that Sirisena had to eat humble pie (not hoppers) and reinstall Ranil Wickremesinghe and his government. This same politician, via a cabinet decision, was permitted to keep government housing specially created for him by joining two mansions, to befit a serving president.
That’s the name of the retirement benefits game that is played in this republic of ours which is supposed to be democratic and socialist. Our special correspondent says that the effort to serve the gravy to retired policemen was due to former service commanders having a similar privilege. That is a plausible suggestion although it is ONLY the commanders and not their chief-or-staff who are entitled to the privilege. But in the police, the privilege is sought to be conferred not only on the IGPs but also on their senior deputies. It won’t be long before similar benefits are sought for all DIGs – and there are dozens of them – if this ridiculous suggestion is implemented.
In his article, Senior DIG Merril Gunatratne made a case for special security for some officers – he named STF DIG M.R. Latheef – who may well have made lifelong enemies of underworld hoods who may seek revenge. Thus special protection, depending on the threat perception, may properly be accorded to them. We are not aware of any IGP who may be at risk of the underworld seeking to bump him off. This goes for the Senior DIGs too. Most people would agree that these proposed special squads may well turnout to be valets or domestics in the households of ex-cops. We have seen special squads, assigned to protect politicians during particularly the second JVP insurrection, being used as private armies to pay off political scores. There was also an allegation that one former MP had wanted the police officer assigned to her to work in her paddy field.
Nobody would quarrel with families of servicemen (and policemen) killed in action looked after by the state with taxpayer money. This country can be proud that she does that with posthumous promotions of one rank, continuing pay till the age of retirement and thereafter a pension. Disabled and maimed servicemen are also similarly cared for. It is questionable whether the proposal that has been made falls within the mandate of the Police Commission. If permitted, this will be the single swallow making a springtime. Retirees from other services, prisons for one, would make similar claims. Perhaps the concerned authorities revisit the perk accorded to retired service commanders as well.
We are not saying they should live in penury but would add that there was a former commander of the SLAF who traveled on a motor scooter. Ours is a relatively poor developing country with limited resources. These will be further strained post the Covid Emergency. The asinine and immoral proposal should be rejected out of hand. Those who made it should be ashamed of themselves.
Sir. John Kotelawela, who was prime minister of this country over sixty years ago used a pithy Sinhala aphorism which spoke volumes when he said "henda athey thiyanakam bedaganilla." This literally means "as long as the ladle is in your hand, serve yourself." This is true for the recent approval of the so-called Independent Police Commission to assign units of serving policemen to retired IGPs and Senior DIGs to presumably serve during their (the ex-cops) lifetimes. This was sharply criticized by a retired Senior DIG. Mr. Merril Gunaratne, in the last issue of this newspaper.
We must first commend this retired policeman, who would personally benefit from the proposal if it is implemented, for publicly coming out strongly against it. That is not something we frequently see in this Island of ours where many, if not most, will feather their own nests given the opportunity. The proposal that seems to be up in the air at present, recommends that a five man unit plus a driver be assigned to each retired IGP and a similar three member unit, also with a driver, to the former senior DIGs. Whether it will be implemented or not remains to be seen.
Apart from retired policeman Merril Gunaratne’s comment last Sunday, a special correspondent writing to this issue of our newspaper has socked it in his horror very much harder than the previous writer did. We commend that article to the reader if he has not already read it. That writer, perhaps sarcastically or cynically, asks whether this sought-after perk is a reward for the gigantic security failure that resulted in the Easter Sunday massacre. Some of those who bear accountability will possibly or probably be among the beneficiaries. Worse, two would-be beneficiaries are among the members of the Police Commission. Did they promote this would be a fair question. But who cares? This business of giving retirement benefits at taxpayer expense has a long and sorry history in this country.
These range from senior public servants being permitted to buy, at book value, the vehicles they used at the time of retirement – often refurbished and repaired at government cost – as D-day approaches. The political establishment too has not done badly out of this generosity with other people’s, read the taxpayers’, money. Former presidents enjoy government housing, a personal staff and other privileges that probably includes (we are not sure) official cars. Few will begrudge Mrs. Hema Premadasa whose husband was assassinated by the LTTE these privileges but many people may think otherwise of some of the other beneficiaries.
We have in this space said that former President Maithripala Sirisena, now seeking to prolong his political career as a Member of Parliament for the Polonnaruwa district, has committed impeachable offences although he has not been held to account. A full bench of the Supreme Court undid his sacking of his own government, replacing it with that of Mahinda Rajapaksa, with full knowledge that Rajapaksa did not command a parliamentary majority, The numbers were expected to be engineered, but that was not to be. The result was that Sirisena had to eat humble pie (not hoppers) and reinstall Ranil Wickremesinghe and his government. This same politician, via a cabinet decision, was permitted to keep government housing specially created for him by joining two mansions, to befit a serving president.
That’s the name of the retirement benefits game that is played in this republic of ours which is supposed to be democratic and socialist. Our special correspondent says that the effort to serve the gravy to retired policemen was due to former service commanders having a similar privilege. That is a plausible suggestion although it is ONLY the commanders and not their chief-or-staff who are entitled to the privilege. But in the police, the privilege is sought to be conferred not only on the IGPs but also on their senior deputies. It won’t be long before similar benefits are sought for all DIGs – and there are dozens of them – if this ridiculous suggestion is implemented.
In his article, Senior DIG Merril Gunatratne made a case for special security for some officers – he named STF DIG M.R. Latheef – who may well have made lifelong enemies of underworld hoods who may seek revenge. Thus special protection, depending on the threat perception, may properly be accorded to them. We are not aware of any IGP who may be at risk of the underworld seeking to bump him off. This goes for the Senior DIGs too. Most people would agree that these proposed special squads may well turnout to be valets or domestics in the households of ex-cops. We have seen special squads, assigned to protect politicians during particularly the second JVP insurrection, being used as private armies to pay off political scores. There was also an allegation that one former MP had wanted the police officer assigned to her to work in her paddy field.
Nobody would quarrel with families of servicemen (and policemen) killed in action looked after by the state with taxpayer money. This country can be proud that she does that with posthumous promotions of one rank, continuing pay till the age of retirement and thereafter a pension. Disabled and maimed servicemen are also similarly cared for. It is questionable whether the proposal that has been made falls within the mandate of the Police Commission. If permitted, this will be the single swallow making a springtime. Retirees from other services, prisons for one, would make similar claims. Perhaps the concerned authorities revisit the perk accorded to retired service commanders as well.
We are not saying they should live in penury but would add that there was a former commander of the SLAF who traveled on a motor scooter. Ours is a relatively poor developing country with limited resources. These will be further strained post the Covid Emergency. The asinine and immoral proposal should be rejected out of hand. Those who made it should be ashamed of themselves.
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