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Democracy in disarray

04 Nov 2018

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” – Martin Luther King Jr. Lies, damn lies, deception, disloyalty, and corruption are the new “virtues” that a whole new generation of Sri Lankans is beginning to acquire. Their leaders who possess these “virtues” in ample measure have made this the new norm – the done thing – and it is ok to betray any cause for money as long as the amount is right! How did Sri Lankan society, that was once proud of its righteous ways, find itself in this morass? The answer lies in the tale of two men and their shared craze for power. Thanks to them, Sri Lanka has assumed notoriety as a country where its lawmakers have become lawbreakers and anyone with the prefix “honourable” is a potential tradable commodity awaiting sale to the highest bidder. On Friday, a state minister in the Wickremesinghe administration informed the Speaker in Parliament that he had received an offer of $ 2.8 million to pledge his allegiance to the “Pohottuwa”. Having declined the offer he followed it up by stating that the matter will be referred to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption. Many others though seem to have fallen for the multi-million dollar temptation. Other than becoming the president, prime minister, or speaker, the next highest office a politician can aspire to is that of becoming a cabinet minister. Therefore, there is a certain dignity that is associated with that office and appointments are usually made in a ceremonial manner. Nowadays, we hear of cabinet appointments being made on a daily basis, most often when the country’s citizens have gone to sleep. While no doubt demeaning the office, it points to political expediency of the highest order. The cat was out of the bag when the vociferous Udaya Gammanpila was asked as to why he and others that campaigned vigorously for the “Pohottuwa” have so far not been given any portfolios. His response shed light on the acquisition process: “The party has decided that priority should be given to those who crossover. We can look at positions later.” The game plan seems to be to sign and seal even though the validity of these appointments are in question, given the fact that 118 MPs signed and handed over a resolution to the Speaker on Friday morning, calling on him to convene Parliament. A social media post was doing the rounds last week to the effect that Sri Lanka need not bother with elections anymore as the 225 Members of Parliament can change seats and appoint the leader of their choice as and when needed. Billions of rupees that are expended on seeking the people’s mandate can thus be saved and used for more productive purposes like importing luxury vehicles for their use. The contempt with which today’s politicians are looked upon by society is unprecedented. Never has bribery been practiced so openly. It is a sad indictment on the country that its lawmakers are now a law unto themselves. They will quote the constitution chapter and verse and shout themselves hoarse on late night TV shows to justify the means, but the people know better. As Abraham Lincoln, in all his wisdom, once pointed out: “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” When the laws of the land are treated with disdain at the highest level, what can be expected from the man on the street? It is indeed the country’s karma that it has to suffer a bunch of self-serving politicians who masquerade as its saviours. A people that have been constantly cheated and deprived of fair representation in the country’s legislature can only have so much patience. The day that they rise up and hold their elected representatives to account is not a long way off. Treachery in any form has its consequences and there is no reason as to why the rules of natural justice should not apply to the politicians of Sri Lanka. Recent history shows that innovative methods have been used by leaders, well aware of the temptations that the system offers, in order to keep their members in check. The “Old Fox” J.R. Jayewardene, in his infinite wisdom, made sure he obtained undated letters of resignation from the candidates given nomination by his party to contest the general election in ‘77. With this letter in JR’s pocket, no MP dared to challenge the status quo. In the present setup there is very little leverage for electors to exercise their collective muscle and ensure that the MPs they elect to represent them, do not desert them midway. It seems free market economics hold sway in Parliament too. A cross section of society has now come to the conclusion that the time has come to introduce greater legal binding that could constitutionally dissuade arbitrary action by MPs to barter their mandate, other than at an election. Forsaking the voters’ mandate goes against the very grain of democratic representation in Parliament and makes a mockery of the will of the people. Then again, it is the same bunch of politicians who will be called upon to fix the system (no pun intended) and the likelihood of that happening is rather remote. Given this hopeless scenario, a return to JR-style tactics may not seem too undemocratic. Meanwhile, the UNF, TNA, and JVP have jointly called for a floor test to decide on the Prime Minister. As convoluted as the situation is with regard to the current representation in Parliament given the recent crossovers, it still remains the best available option to decide on the matter. And the sooner it happens, the better. In a matter of a week, the goodwill the country earned for its democratic principles has been virtually erased and other than China and Burundi, no other nation has recognised the new Prime Minister and his Government. The largest trading bloc for Sri Lanka – the EU – has in fact been hinting that the recently restored GSP+, which contributed to an 18% increase in exports last year, may be withdrawn if the constitutional process is not followed. Ultimately, out of a population of over 21 million, it is the greed of two men that has brought this country to the brink. One has already served two terms, the maximum allowed by the Constitution while the other has sworn that he will only serve one term. With democracy in disarray, it is time that the people reminded them of their obligations, commitments, and that their vote is not for sale.

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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


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