Christmas has dawned, and across Sri Lanka, the faithful would pause to reflect and renew their efforts to find cheer in a year which has brought much strife. A drive around the Capitol will expose you to the lights and sounds of commercialised festivity. This, while some Members of Parliament make merry overseas, while others in Parliament and state officers celebrate with extravagance, on the public dime. The “Cheer” certainly seems to be with those with “power” and “politics” at their beck and call. Nevertheless, the cheer they experience will have little to do with the essence of Christmas.
While there are people out and about, only a few have the means to gift, buy or celebrate. Instead, many wander about Colombo's iconic shopping districts with their kin, taking in the lights as they cannot afford Christmas this year. Nevertheless, it is heartwarming to see families and communities coming together to do what they can for each other.
The tragedy of governance in Sri Lanka is visible more clearly this Christmas, as the Government has called on the masses, already battered and bruised from Covid-19 and the economic crisis, to tighten their belts more, while top business and “friends” of politicians are absconding paying billions in taxes owed, and on repaying billions in loans. Many conveniently forget the role wide-ranging tax concessions made to the economy in 2020, following policy changes by the new Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government. Further, many of the “Mega projects” which were promised to bring relief and progress, lie abandoned or stalled.
What is in store for 2024, remains uncertain.
2023, like that of 2022 will be remembered for somberness and that of want, than a year of cheer and happiness. With the hammer of VAT hanging by a string to fall on the cost-of-living from 1 January, and looming shipping crisis threatening to spike the cost of fuel – a dark cloud hangs over 2024.
All this happens, while the masses watch. The trust deficit between those who’ve governed, and those who are governed, grows with each day. The working masses are aware that the harsh austerity has solely placed on their shoulders while the ruling class continues to remain immune to any form of austerity measures. With 2024 around the bend, and elections planned, the trust deficit and growing anger about unequal austerity will reflect in future polls. There is a growing resentment towards the governance system, like before the “Aragalaya” movement which forced the previous Government to fragment and for an elected president to flee. However, this time, the momentum of that resentment will likely have a safety valve of multiple elections, which now seem more and more unavoidable.
As the main political parties gear up for the “season of elections”, the austerity plans may be derailed, with last-minute, short-sighted policy changes given effect. History has shown that the ruling elites will twist any policy to suit their agenda, and it is likely they will do so again. However, the public’s reaction to such measures may be different this time.
The Sunday Morning and The Daily Morning shared their Christmas with about a dozen children of mothers who are incarcerated at Welikada Prison’s Women’s Wing, giving to them essentials that they need. These children have done no wrong and are often forgotten by society. They grow up, living in the confines of a jail, only to be taken away from their mothers when they reach the age of five years. Please give what you can to those who need it more than you.
Sri Lankans can’t afford to wait for good governance to take root. We can’t afford to wait for corruption and malpractice to be combated by some state entity. We need to make the changes we want to see in society ourselves. We need to change the culture that prevails around us. In this season of hope and joy, let's band together to make changes we can, for ourselves. We deserve better.