DOWN GRADING POLITICS
By Dr. Tilak S Fernando
By Dr. Tilak S Fernando
Politics
appears to be a 'dirty game' throughout the world. In Sri Lanka, it has stooped
to gutter level with corruption spearheading like a contagious disease. Many
Sri Lankan politicians entered the political arena, in the past, out of sheer
patriotism and the yearning to work for the people. Besides, many of them were
icons of wealthy families, who died after spending all their fortunes in trying
to serve the country.
Contrary
to such candid representatives in the past, most present-day Parliamentarians
tend to display a certain amount of vulgarity, where his 'commission' seems to
take priority over any development project or a contract.
These
people's 'representatives clad in immaculate white attire seem to arrive at the
Diyawannawa camp, purely to enjoy the subsidized, sumptuous
Parliamentary canteen meal (as widely known, no offence intended). Others are
seen falling asleep in their chairs while debates are in progress. Some do not
bother to attend, even after receiving a payment of Rs.100, 000 as a special
allowance. How could responsible MPs attempt to run away with the ceremonial
mace inside Parliament, and a bunch of MPs getting involved in fisticuffs as in
a street fight? Such unruly behaviour inside the august assembly, akin to a
gang of incorrigible schoolchildren, only creates negative responses from the
public.
Preferential
system
Undoubtedly,
the cause for such degeneration, in turning Parliament sessions into a comedy
of errors today, has to be the existing preferential system of voting that
every Dick, Tom and Harry could get elected to Parliament with the power of
money. It is unpardonable when some of the Ministers are absolutely clueless,
and do not know their onions, when it comes to question time. In such
circumstances they become baffled and go round the mulberry bush, or keep
blaming their predecessors or turn the question into a joke. Do Yahapalana administrators take
the intelligent voters to be utter nincompoops? Such activities have debased
Sri Lanka into a laughing stock among the international community, after
enjoying the so-called 70 years of democracy. The guilty and corrupt
politicians, in real democracies, are dealt with sternly. At the end of the
day, either they are written off their positions or sent home. In Sri Lanka,
such situations are turned into a new game of political Ping-Pong, and
Parliamentarians keep on blaming each other, and mark time for five years, to
qualify for a pension for the rest of their lives!
Difference
The
difference between Sri Lankan politics and that of Britain is that the British
always concentrate on maintaining a high standard in public office.
Occasionally, of course, as in any other scenario, there are instances where a
member of the British Parliament might be caught with his pants down by being
ignominious, at which point the politician always makes it a point to resign
from office with dignity.
In this
regard, Westerners in public life set an example by commuting in public
transport and even riding bicycles to office. So, the thought process between
the British and Sri Lankan politician seems to be evidently different, for, the
British are a deemed species, whereas our elected lot seems to think they
descend from heaven! This is clearly demonstrated by the Netherland's Prime
Minister recently riding a bicycle to the Royal Palace. Former British Premier
David Cameron rode a bicycle at times to attend Parliamentary sessions at
Westminster. He was also spotted travelling in the London underground trains
mingling with commuters. Prince Charles often enjoys a bicycle ride, not that
he cannot afford the best of limousines. The writer has witnessed Ken
Livingstone, the former Mayor of London, travelling (standing) in the London
underground tube train, while no one paid any heed. But, it is only our
politicians, who are unable to commute in public transport except in deluxe
limousines (with escorted back-up vehicles and an army of hell's angels, and
breaking all the possible motor traffic laws). It is pretty amasing that
when these guys are in London and the High Commission vehicles are not at their
disposal, how their limbs begin to function perfectly well, and are able to
travel by public transport too.
In my
mind, it is nothing but a divine curse on the country itself, that current
politicians in Sri Lanka have become selfish, blind to reality, self-centered
and power hungry; their only aim being to recover, by hook or by crook, what
they had spent on pervious elections! With the new proposed system of local
elections, (if that ever takes place!) and spreading into Provincial and
finally to General and Presidential elections, the harassed public's fervent
hope would be to resurrect the old system with new & young, caring and
intelligent parliamentarians, who would be able to feel the pulse of the
nation.
Ceylon Today - October 2017