With just about two weeks to go before the cessation of propaganda activities for the 5 August general election, at least one party has realised the need to present its manifesto to the people. Not that it matters as to what the document contains, because history has shown us over and over again that manifestos are nothing but hogwash to hoodwink the masses and rob them of their precious vote. It has been said that if just 10% of what has been promised by various leaders and parties since Independence was actually implemented, Sri Lanka today would be a first world country standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Singapore and Malaysia. But the general silence this time around on what is usually an elaborate, ritualistic process of paying obeisance to party leaders while launching party manifestos in the full glare of the media is indeed food for thought. Does it mean that other than the United National Party (UNP), the other parties don’t see the need for a manifesto, or are they still pondering their policies with so many cooks trying to cook their goose? Or is it that the other parties feel that their manifesto for the presidential election which was held nine months ago still holds good even today although the world has changed on its head during that period and our economy has been brutally ravaged by the Covid-19 global pandemic, irreversibly altering the political as well as social and economic dynamics? Whatever the reason, the absence of political tamashas and party sycophants turning up at the door is a refreshing change brought about thanks largely to the Covid-19 pandemic, and a blessing in disguise. In the past few decades, at least from the time Chandrika Bandaranaike launched her manifesto famously promising to provide bread at Rs. 3.50 a loaf and more importantly, the abolition of the executive presidency along with the “bahubootha” ‘78 Constitution, all other subsequent leaders have promised more or less the same thing but nothing really has changed with the same Constitution and same presidency holding sway. J.R. Jayewardene’s 1978 Constitution, though amended 19 times, is still pretty much intact. The cries to change it have gone from a throaty roar 25 years ago to a hardly audible whimper now. It is much the same with everything else, with the same old wine coming in different bottles at different times. Which is why it is said, the more things change, the more they remain the same. If one is to analyse the manifestos of the parties that have won elections in the past 25 years, it may not come as a surprise that barely 10% of the promises made were actually fulfilled by the time the respective parties relinquished office. Since no accountability mechanism is in place, and no timelines or key performance indicators are given for any of the policies or promises presented, the document is usually not worth the paper it is written on and only serves as a PR tool during campaigning. The irony however is that if ever there was actually a need for a manifesto from a political party contesting an election in this country, now is that time for, notwithstanding its uselessness post election, at least it would serve as some sort of an indicator of how in touch a particular party is with current realities. And to put it mildly, that reality is a frightening prospect considering the extent of the impact of the pandemic where not a single individual or a single sector of the economy has been spared its lethal consequences. With most of our revenue streams going dry and bills starting to mount, it is nothing but out-of-the-box thinking that can get this country out of the woods. But which party is capable of such thinking and if they are, where is it spelled out? Today, our top three revenue streams, namely apparel exports, foreign remittances, and tourism, have all taken huge hits with apparel order cancellations leading to downsizing of factories and laying off of staff, Sri Lankan expatriate workers especially in the Middle East being repatriated back home in their hundreds, and tourist arrivals hitting zero for four consecutive months and counting. To make matters worse, huge tax cuts were made in the wake of the presidential election in the hope of maintaining the political momentum up to the general election, but Covid-19 had other plans and those tax cuts are now beginning to take its toll on government revenue. To tide over the situation, the Government has imposed a ban on imports and further restrictions were imposed last Friday (17) in the form of a freeze on outward remittances on capital transactions for a period of six months. It seems that saving precious foreign exchange for essential imports such as fuel is now the need of the hour. Import restrictions often tend to be a double-edged sword as it also hampers the importation of raw materials needed for export products, thereby impacting whatever little export revenue as well. Therefore, an impartial assessment on which of the 150-odd political parties preparing to contest the 5 August poll is geared to handle the impending crisis better than the other, based on their policy document, is impossible to say in the absence of such a document. It is as good as driving blindfolded on a highway where one wrong turn can wreck the vehicle. The surprise of the week therefore was the UNP, which being beleaguered as it is, still found some oxygen in its lungs to come out with its policy document spelling out its Covid recovery plan. It is likely that the others will follow. But party manifestos are not the kind of thing that should be released one week before an election. They should be prepared and made available months ahead in order that they may be studied and debated in the public domain. If politicians and parties are to be held accountable to their policies and promises, it may not be a bad idea to set up another independent commission under the Constitutional Council with its sole mandate being to monitor an elected government and its adherence to the policies stated in the party manifesto. Failure to achieve at least 60% of what has been promised should result in automatic disqualification for the next scheduled election. If such a mechanism is established, it will result in leaders and parties being held accountable within a legal framework where failure will attract consequences. This no doubt will lead to greater focus on the achievement of stated goals and a guaranteed development agenda for the country. The ultimate beneficiary will be the country and its people as politicians will no longer be able to take them for a ride. In fact, the roles will be reversed. Food for thought, during this manifesto season.