A Country Ruled By Legends

by Wimalanath Weeraratne

 

Former president

The former President also related so many stories. He used to consider the Buddhist monks who were in the audience as the sole witnesses to his speeches whenever he failed to relate a story correctly by telling, neda ape hamuduruwane like an amateur.

The current President does not have such problems. He is able to end his stories convincingly. He will present his advices and opinions in a proper and appropriate manner. He does not deliver philosophical stories. His stories are not for the elite but for the general public. Thus, we have to listen to the presidential stories from morning. Early in the morning, we hear a presidential speech on the radio. We can read an elaborate version of the same speech in newspapers as well. But present presidential speeches are more organized than the former’s. Still, it is difficult to listen to even a well-organized speech again and again. The elders are also like children. Children are unable to focus their attention to a specific thing for a long time. They will most certainly divert their attention to another thing after awhile. President needs to understand this fact very well.

 

After the 1st of May

The President has stated at an opening ceremony of a water project in the Medirigiriya area that he would never allow regaining power for those who looted and misappropriated the public funds. While talking about the water shortage in Rajarata and its kidney issue, he also mentioned the rascals thereby making his speech more entertaining and attractive. If he avoided talking about rascals in his speech, it will become the same old story. The President’s speeches will be similar to that of the speeches of the leaders of the past regime, if he does not take steps to make them realized by the people. What is more important is to take adequate measures to punish those corrupt individuals instead of engaging in verbal combats. Then, there is no need of putting extra efforts to find synonyms for the true names of these rascals.

The President says those important decisions will be taken after the first of May. The Prime Minister also stated earlier that several special statements would be made in parliament. But those were yet to be made. April 26^th newspapers published the news that the Prime Minister is to make some special statements in parliament in July about the country’s economy. It will be about planning a special economic zone in Sri Lanka with the participation of India, China, Singapore, and Europe, the news in the newspaper reads.

 

Poverty

Sri Lankan leaders have no power when they are brainy and when they gain power they act like morons. Gammanpila was able to confuse the Prime Minister by stating in parliament that a leader’s good characteristics will disappear once he or she attains to power. The age gap between the Prime Minister and Gammanpila is vast. The Prime Minister belongs to the generation prior to that of Gammanpila. A Prime Minister like Wickremesinghe should not get confused by hearing such statements.

The President also needs not to emphasize the machinations of the previous government too much. He should not act or speech as well so as to get published in newspapers. Because the media or politics has no one who qualified to hit the first stone. Politicians should not waste their time struggling to solve trivial issues. If they are not philosophical enough to solve problems, at least they must use their commonsense in this regard.

 

Problems

When the Prime Minister took measures to increase VAT, the President said that he would send all those economic experts in the advisory committee home. Three member committee including the President, the Prime Minister, and the Finance Minister was established after this issue came to the fore.

This committee should have been established prior to increasing VAT. Sri Lanka’s economy is not something that we cannot improve. The productions and the manufacturing industry of the country should be developed in order to improve the economy. We can request investors to support us in this regard. The contribution of the business community must also be taken into account. They may have refrained from investing in mid-term development projects because they have lost their faith in the government.

The Prime Minister has no right to say them to be silent just because they have no faith in the government. They must not forget that the general public was instrumental in changing the previous governance.

The country had been ruined in every respect at that time. No need to mention that the present leaders including the President and the Prime Minister must show invincible strength and patient if they want to rebuild the country. Because of trivial matters, they cannot make it a pipe dream.

It is visionary to hand over the Hambantota harbour and Mattala airport to a Chinese company. There’s nothing wrong in turning SriLankan Airlines to a joint venture. No need of incurring losses in lakhs continuously when there is no possibility in doing certain things. No need of giving all the things to the private sector as well saying we cannot manage them. We do not need a government for realizing such achievements, not a national government indeed. A government should lead two or three main administrations to show their management skills to people.

 

May Day debate

A set of the members in one party engages in a debate these days if they should attend Galle or Kirulapana May Day rally. Fortunately, the May Day falls on this Sunday. Otherwise, responsible people of the country will probably fly off the handle. “No matter where the new government is going to celebrate the May Day, they have to improve the lives of the people because the public appointed them solely for that purpose,” the general public must be convinced to express.

The divided members will not get any disadvantage by debating about a May Day rally but it will be a disaster for many others. We know by experience that unimportant debates crop up whenever something important is going to happen in the country. This trend is not beneficial for people. Only the media will be benefited because these debates provide them with good stories. Labourers, the heroes of the May Day, have been completely forgotten because of the prominence given to unimportant debates of the politicians.

Trade unions of the two main parties can raise this issue. SLFP trade unions and UNP Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) are two powerful organizations. They enjoy people’s authority more. But still they are blind to these developments. The reason for this is that trade unions depend on the main political parties. Therefore, it is important to create a political tradition by giving prominence to the working class.

 

Northern problems

Leaders should realize that they are wasting time in finding solutions to problems in the North. People ask for a federal or any other thing when they face so many unsolved problems. During the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, people did not ask for anything because the Rajapaksas took measures to make them silent. People received their fundamental rights only after this government came into power. Northern citizens gave their support unconditionally in order to change the previous regime. Otherwise, the common candidate would have undoubtedly faced many hardships during the run-up to the presidency.

Since they support them in winning the presidential election, these two parties must not be allowed to divide the north and south sedately. Instead they must be asked to provide an acceptable solution that both parties can tolerate. The solution may be in a federal government.

 

Tigers and Southern nationalism

The wife of former LTTE leader Ram has complained to Thirukkovil police that her husband has been kidnapped on last 24th. Later, the police stated that he has been sent to the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) for interrogation. The army took Ram in to custody in 2009 and rehabilitated Ram later got married.

The south came to know about such stories which do not get reported because of the basic ethics of journalism. Wigneswaran ‘s federal report and taking Ram into custody are not two different stories but one. Seed of mistrust grow because of such stories. Ram should have been taken into custody with great transparency. The opposition leader needs not arrive at the army camps. He must arrive only after informing the relevant authorities. The opposition leader may have arrived on inspection tour. But he cannot do that appearing suddenly without informing the relevant authorities. In such a situation, newspapers carrying the story under the headline ‘Sambandan enters army camp in the South’ is inevitable. Political party leaders must refrain from making this type of mistakes in future.

 

Solution

The Prime minister is interested in economy. It can be seen that relevant steps have already been taken in improving country’s economy. The President, meanwhile, could initiate a huge project to solve the national crisis and enhance the reconciliation process. He could use his oratory skills to enhance and stabilize the much awaited reconciliation. Such stories and legends that he relates no doubt will help enhance that attempt.