When it comes to public representatives, the natural expectation is that their loyalties should lie with the public, as opposed to whichever political party or faction they are affiliated to. This is in fact one of the core principles of democracy – elected representatives serve as the voice of a particular constituency in directing the future of a nation.
However, amidst several ministers, ministerial secretaries, and other key figures being stripped of their positions due to their criticism of the Government, doubts over where our public representatives’ loyalties lie became troublingly apparent after National Heritage, Performing Arts, and Rural Arts Protection State Minister Vidura Wickramanayaka made a questionable statement in this regard.
Acknowledging that the economic crisis has now run amok, and that the people will take to the streets resulting in the crisis being lengthened, he expressed concerns that when the reality of the prevailing situation is acknowledged by him or other members of the Government, they may have to face disciplinary action. Even though Wickramanayaka voiced what the majority of the citizenry is thinking at the moment, pointing out that acknowledging the crisis may lead to disciplinary action implies a certain sense of fear among decision makers. Most importantly, if public representatives cannot speak their mind, especially when it comes to matters that deeply affect the people and generations to come, that is a sign of a declining political culture and weakening democracy.
When observing the recent removal of several members of the Government, Wickramanayaka’s concerns seem understandable. However, it is far from being acceptable, because as a public representative, State Minister, and senior politician, his duty is to take the people’s side, instead of complaining or warning about how those speaking of the people’s plight are muzzled and threatened with disciplinary action.
In January, former State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities, and Distance Learning Promotion Susil Premajayantha was sacked from his state ministerial portfolio, allegedly for criticising the Government’s conduct, and early this month, former Energy Minister and Co-Cabinet Spokesman Udaya Gammanpila and former Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa also faced the same fate, after vociferously expressing their opinion about the crisis the country is in. They were all removed by the President, and these removals were condoned by many members of the Government.
It is the concept of collective responsibility that most members of the Government use as a reason to justify the said removals. Some of those members even went on to claim that what happens within the Government, irrespective of whether they are favourable to the public or not, should not be revealed to the public without agreement with or permission from the Head of the Government and other governmental leaders. However, in this discussion, which is based on the need to protect the Government and power at any cost, the responsibility to the public, which is far superior than any collective responsibility within the Government, has been subdued.
What most politicians in Sri Lanka do not acknowledge or understand, and very few see as an essential part of a democratic rule, is that the politicians’ main role is representing the interests of the public, or at least of their voters, as public representatives. That role and responsibility being overpowered by their role and responsibility as members of a certain political party or of a political ideology is a dangerous situation, and can affect the very process and meaning of sending representatives of the public to Parliament.
Even though they spoke out a lot later than they should have, Premajayantha, Gammanpila, and Weerawansa spoke of the people’s plight. In addition to Opposition parties, there are several more members in the SLPP and in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) who are critical of the Government’s conduct. However, that is not enough when the country is on the brink of the biggest economic and social crises Sri Lanka has seen. More and more public representatives need to come forward, instead of telling the people that they are not willing to risk their positions and powers to perform the main duty for which they were sent to Parliament in the first place.
Saving positions over serving the nation
16 Mar 2022
Saving positions over serving the nation
16 Mar 2022
When it comes to public representatives, the natural expectation is that their loyalties should lie with the public, as opposed to whichever political party or faction they are affiliated to. This is in fact one of the core principles of democracy – elected representatives serve as the voice of a particular constituency in directing the future of a nation.
However, amidst several ministers, ministerial secretaries, and other key figures being stripped of their positions due to their criticism of the Government, doubts over where our public representatives’ loyalties lie became troublingly apparent after National Heritage, Performing Arts, and Rural Arts Protection State Minister Vidura Wickramanayaka made a questionable statement in this regard.
Acknowledging that the economic crisis has now run amok, and that the people will take to the streets resulting in the crisis being lengthened, he expressed concerns that when the reality of the prevailing situation is acknowledged by him or other members of the Government, they may have to face disciplinary action. Even though Wickramanayaka voiced what the majority of the citizenry is thinking at the moment, pointing out that acknowledging the crisis may lead to disciplinary action implies a certain sense of fear among decision makers. Most importantly, if public representatives cannot speak their mind, especially when it comes to matters that deeply affect the people and generations to come, that is a sign of a declining political culture and weakening democracy.
When observing the recent removal of several members of the Government, Wickramanayaka’s concerns seem understandable. However, it is far from being acceptable, because as a public representative, State Minister, and senior politician, his duty is to take the people’s side, instead of complaining or warning about how those speaking of the people’s plight are muzzled and threatened with disciplinary action.
In January, former State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities, and Distance Learning Promotion Susil Premajayantha was sacked from his state ministerial portfolio, allegedly for criticising the Government’s conduct, and early this month, former Energy Minister and Co-Cabinet Spokesman Udaya Gammanpila and former Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa also faced the same fate, after vociferously expressing their opinion about the crisis the country is in. They were all removed by the President, and these removals were condoned by many members of the Government.
It is the concept of collective responsibility that most members of the Government use as a reason to justify the said removals. Some of those members even went on to claim that what happens within the Government, irrespective of whether they are favourable to the public or not, should not be revealed to the public without agreement with or permission from the Head of the Government and other governmental leaders. However, in this discussion, which is based on the need to protect the Government and power at any cost, the responsibility to the public, which is far superior than any collective responsibility within the Government, has been subdued.
What most politicians in Sri Lanka do not acknowledge or understand, and very few see as an essential part of a democratic rule, is that the politicians’ main role is representing the interests of the public, or at least of their voters, as public representatives. That role and responsibility being overpowered by their role and responsibility as members of a certain political party or of a political ideology is a dangerous situation, and can affect the very process and meaning of sending representatives of the public to Parliament.
Even though they spoke out a lot later than they should have, Premajayantha, Gammanpila, and Weerawansa spoke of the people’s plight. In addition to Opposition parties, there are several more members in the SLPP and in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) who are critical of the Government’s conduct. However, that is not enough when the country is on the brink of the biggest economic and social crises Sri Lanka has seen. More and more public representatives need to come forward, instead of telling the people that they are not willing to risk their positions and powers to perform the main duty for which they were sent to Parliament in the first place.
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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!