These are stressful days for under-fire British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been caught red-handed partying, not once but on multiple occasions, at 10 Downing Street, when the rest of his fellow citizens were in lockdown on his orders. He has been ridiculed for living up to the name of his street by ‘downing’ pint after pint at events he has termed “work-related”. Johnson is not alone in indulging while enforcing inhibitions on the rest of the citizenry. We have had the Neros of the world who continued to fiddle while life around them was literally going up in flames and also the Marie Antoinette types, who carried on regardless, oblivious to the social decay around them. The insensitivity of Sri Lanka’s grand Independence Day celebrations last Friday (4) are being compared in a similar vein, given the dire economic circumstances of the majority of its people.
When the British handed over governance to our rulers in 1948, the penchant for upholding not only the law but more importantly decorum and convention by those holding public office is well documented. It was the tradition those days for any public official tainted with even the slightest indiscretion to resign from office forthwith. It is by and large the same Westminster style British governance model we have in place even today, albeit in a different avatar, but while the British still hold their leaders to account for impropriety as seen in the Johnson episode, in our part of the world, such indiscretion is more the norm than the exception. While Johnson must surely envy our political setup, where in contrast some of our politicians are known to have done far worse during lockdowns without the inconvenience of any protest, let alone media exposure, it indicates the extent to which society at large has been desensitised to the concept of decent governance.
Unfortunately, it is this ‘did not see, did not hear, and definitely won’t speak’ policy that has emboldened our politicians to continue their errant ways, with the ones in office tending to go further into the breach than the ones who came before. Given this trend, it is not difficult to trace the root of our problems as a nation. Seventy-four years is indeed a long time, traversing at least four generations, and it is time that politicians of all hues realise and own up to the fact that they are the problem. Unless and until they acknowledge this fundamental fact and resolve to at least respect the law of the land, every attempt to turn things around is bound to end in failure.
There however appears to be a ray of hope on the horizon, with the President himself recognising this reality and calling upon the members of his Government to behave themselves and set an example to others in his Independence Day speech. Hours earlier it is believed that a state minister was asked to resign following the unruly conduct of his son, which is a step in the right direction. But, as in all things, the key to success is consistency and only time will tell as to how effectively this newfound respect for propriety can be maintained by the political establishment – in turn helping restore at least a semblance of confidence in a broken system.
As the nation takes its first steps into its 75th anniversary of Independence next year, it would not be a bad thing for some introspection on the part of the people who at the end of the day have been the masters of their own destiny. Even though our politicians love to wax eloquent on the ‘knowledge and intelligence’ of our voting public, the people have been known to vote with their hearts rather than their minds – a weakness that has been exploited to the maximum by all political parties. The resultant failure on the part of the electors to hold those elected to account for performance deficits through consecutive polls has by default given free rein to politicians to act with impunity.
However, realisation seems to have dawned that our political monsters are entirely a creation of voter apathy and, as in all things, there is only so much that can be stomached. It is in this light that an emerging trend is being observed of a palpable hostility towards politics in general and politicians in particular. Some ministers who attended public events last week experienced this firsthand. Fed up of being taken for a ride time and again, people seem to be awakening to the reality that their voice matters and the current administration would do well to take due note of it sooner than later. It also means the coming of age of a voting public who are more likely to actually weigh their options at the next available opportunity rather than blindly casting their vote based on the usual familial and parochial lines.
This awakening, though late in the day, is a result of things coming to such a state that were there to be a hypothetical referendum on whether this nation should return to the status quo ante as of 3 February 1948, the result is likely to be a foregone conclusion – the clearest indictment of the collective failure of our political establishment. When the British left our shores, Sri Lanka was by no means a third world nation, but 74 years later we are identified as one. And then the question arises as to where the finger should be pointed. While the politicians will waste no time in pointing at their political opponents, the majority of people are likely to point their finger at the entire political establishment, complaining ‘unuth ekai, munuth ekai,’ meaning all are the same. But that is where it seems to have gone wrong, because in effect, that finger they readily point at politicians should in fact be pointed at them.
By any standard, 74 years is a long time in today’s world, where in half that time countries have gone from being in the dumps to the very elite, with Dubai to the West of us and Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam to the East of us being prime examples, while some have experienced the reverse; Lebanon and Myanmar come to mind. Where we fit in in this equation is indeed food for thought. The sad reality is that despite the extravagance of Independence Day parades, today we are a nation that is dependent on the rest of the world for mere survival: India for fuel, China for rice, the Middle East for support at the UNHRC to ward off punitive action, the EU for market access without which we would be in a far worse position, the IMF for economic aid and direction, etc. – all of which need not have been the case had the right policies been in place.
At first glance the current predicament could be attributed to the absence of an inherent culture of national planning and the more obvious lack of foresight. It is a fact that no government has planned a national development programme beyond its tenure. There is a reason for that; the public in general, thanks to years of vote buying tactics clothed in policy garb, has grown accustomed to a culture of instant gratification. It is this destructive culture that has forced governments to prioritise today over tomorrow. Take for instance the looming oil crisis that the rest of the world is bracing for, which our leaders seem oblivious to, going by the colossal wastage of fuel throughout the past week over an unnecessary parade. When in fact the crisis hits us proper in the months ahead with oil prices predicted to hit $ 100 per barrel, it will be the people who will once again be told to make the necessary sacrifices.
For any politician seriously interested in putting Sri Lanka on the right track, the required formula is a very simple one. Firstly, the most difficult – put politics aside and country first; secondly, ensure rule of law; and thirdly, treat all citizens as Sri Lankans. Do this and Sri Lanka will be a much better place on its diamond jubilee anniversary of independence next year.A recipe to rise again
05 Feb 2022
A recipe to rise again
05 Feb 2022
These are stressful days for under-fire British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been caught red-handed partying, not once but on multiple occasions, at 10 Downing Street, when the rest of his fellow citizens were in lockdown on his orders. He has been ridiculed for living up to the name of his street by ‘downing’ pint after pint at events he has termed “work-related”. Johnson is not alone in indulging while enforcing inhibitions on the rest of the citizenry. We have had the Neros of the world who continued to fiddle while life around them was literally going up in flames and also the Marie Antoinette types, who carried on regardless, oblivious to the social decay around them. The insensitivity of Sri Lanka’s grand Independence Day celebrations last Friday (4) are being compared in a similar vein, given the dire economic circumstances of the majority of its people.
When the British handed over governance to our rulers in 1948, the penchant for upholding not only the law but more importantly decorum and convention by those holding public office is well documented. It was the tradition those days for any public official tainted with even the slightest indiscretion to resign from office forthwith. It is by and large the same Westminster style British governance model we have in place even today, albeit in a different avatar, but while the British still hold their leaders to account for impropriety as seen in the Johnson episode, in our part of the world, such indiscretion is more the norm than the exception. While Johnson must surely envy our political setup, where in contrast some of our politicians are known to have done far worse during lockdowns without the inconvenience of any protest, let alone media exposure, it indicates the extent to which society at large has been desensitised to the concept of decent governance.
Unfortunately, it is this ‘did not see, did not hear, and definitely won’t speak’ policy that has emboldened our politicians to continue their errant ways, with the ones in office tending to go further into the breach than the ones who came before. Given this trend, it is not difficult to trace the root of our problems as a nation. Seventy-four years is indeed a long time, traversing at least four generations, and it is time that politicians of all hues realise and own up to the fact that they are the problem. Unless and until they acknowledge this fundamental fact and resolve to at least respect the law of the land, every attempt to turn things around is bound to end in failure.
There however appears to be a ray of hope on the horizon, with the President himself recognising this reality and calling upon the members of his Government to behave themselves and set an example to others in his Independence Day speech. Hours earlier it is believed that a state minister was asked to resign following the unruly conduct of his son, which is a step in the right direction. But, as in all things, the key to success is consistency and only time will tell as to how effectively this newfound respect for propriety can be maintained by the political establishment – in turn helping restore at least a semblance of confidence in a broken system.
As the nation takes its first steps into its 75th anniversary of Independence next year, it would not be a bad thing for some introspection on the part of the people who at the end of the day have been the masters of their own destiny. Even though our politicians love to wax eloquent on the ‘knowledge and intelligence’ of our voting public, the people have been known to vote with their hearts rather than their minds – a weakness that has been exploited to the maximum by all political parties. The resultant failure on the part of the electors to hold those elected to account for performance deficits through consecutive polls has by default given free rein to politicians to act with impunity.
However, realisation seems to have dawned that our political monsters are entirely a creation of voter apathy and, as in all things, there is only so much that can be stomached. It is in this light that an emerging trend is being observed of a palpable hostility towards politics in general and politicians in particular. Some ministers who attended public events last week experienced this firsthand. Fed up of being taken for a ride time and again, people seem to be awakening to the reality that their voice matters and the current administration would do well to take due note of it sooner than later. It also means the coming of age of a voting public who are more likely to actually weigh their options at the next available opportunity rather than blindly casting their vote based on the usual familial and parochial lines.
This awakening, though late in the day, is a result of things coming to such a state that were there to be a hypothetical referendum on whether this nation should return to the status quo ante as of 3 February 1948, the result is likely to be a foregone conclusion – the clearest indictment of the collective failure of our political establishment. When the British left our shores, Sri Lanka was by no means a third world nation, but 74 years later we are identified as one. And then the question arises as to where the finger should be pointed. While the politicians will waste no time in pointing at their political opponents, the majority of people are likely to point their finger at the entire political establishment, complaining ‘unuth ekai, munuth ekai,’ meaning all are the same. But that is where it seems to have gone wrong, because in effect, that finger they readily point at politicians should in fact be pointed at them.
By any standard, 74 years is a long time in today’s world, where in half that time countries have gone from being in the dumps to the very elite, with Dubai to the West of us and Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam to the East of us being prime examples, while some have experienced the reverse; Lebanon and Myanmar come to mind. Where we fit in in this equation is indeed food for thought. The sad reality is that despite the extravagance of Independence Day parades, today we are a nation that is dependent on the rest of the world for mere survival: India for fuel, China for rice, the Middle East for support at the UNHRC to ward off punitive action, the EU for market access without which we would be in a far worse position, the IMF for economic aid and direction, etc. – all of which need not have been the case had the right policies been in place.
At first glance the current predicament could be attributed to the absence of an inherent culture of national planning and the more obvious lack of foresight. It is a fact that no government has planned a national development programme beyond its tenure. There is a reason for that; the public in general, thanks to years of vote buying tactics clothed in policy garb, has grown accustomed to a culture of instant gratification. It is this destructive culture that has forced governments to prioritise today over tomorrow. Take for instance the looming oil crisis that the rest of the world is bracing for, which our leaders seem oblivious to, going by the colossal wastage of fuel throughout the past week over an unnecessary parade. When in fact the crisis hits us proper in the months ahead with oil prices predicted to hit $ 100 per barrel, it will be the people who will once again be told to make the necessary sacrifices.
For any politician seriously interested in putting Sri Lanka on the right track, the required formula is a very simple one. Firstly, the most difficult – put politics aside and country first; secondly, ensure rule of law; and thirdly, treat all citizens as Sri Lankans. Do this and Sri Lanka will be a much better place on its diamond jubilee anniversary of independence next year.Kapruka
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!
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!