Political crosswinds that appear to be gaining momentum seem to have influenced the election-averse President to finally relent and hint at a poll sometime soon. Addressing the party faithful during the United National Party’s (UNP) Annual Convention last week, the President called on grassroots organisers to gear up for an election next year but stopped short of describing exactly what type of an election he had in mind.
While the Local Government Polls are already long due and a Presidential Poll is anyway scheduled in the latter part of next year – a matter the President has no say in, with the Election Commission duty bound to hold the poll on the due date – speculation is rife that the President is hinting at a General Election which everyone other than the ruling cabal has been calling for, for over a year now.
However, up until now the President has routinely dismissed that demand, citing all manner of excuses, preferring to go as far as he can with the support of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). That strategy appears to have run its course, with noticeable cracks appearing in the ruling party and pressure mounting on all fronts given that economic recovery is proving to be much tougher than anticipated, as a result of which governance is becoming increasingly challenging.
Of late, strong political crosswinds appear to be blowing within the SLPP, to the extent that an implosion seems imminent, forcing the President to go before the people. The increasingly-visible cracks appearing in the ruling alliance, with one-time bosom buddies openly training their guns on each other, are likely to aggravate the President’s political headaches, with him being wholly dependent on SLPP majority support to stay in office.
The Rajapaksa clan-led SLPP has very little competition when it comes to being politically savvy, routinely turning adversity into advantage and capitalising on a weak opposition. But with the likes of outspoken MP Nimal Lanza, with the backing of many other party MPs, openly confronting the Rajapaksa leadership itself, even going to the extent of challenging them to vote against the upcoming Budget next month in order to walk the talk, it appears that the President, who is a past master in the business of divide and rule, may have outdone himself this time around and will now have to up his game to keep the edifice from crumbling.
The President cannot be unaware of the ground reality that the biggest stumbling block to the economic recovery effort is the corruption-tainted SLPP itself in light of the IMF’s no-nonsense stance on the fulfilment of its funding criteria, most of which is essentially rooted around corruption mitigation. This is where the going will get tougher as it is a known fact that politically-induced corruption usually reaches a peak in the run-up to either a General or Presidential Election – and especially so when a change is in the offing. Therefore, the President will have to rely on his political acumen to carefully navigate the minefield that lies ahead while minimising the collateral damage that will accrue to the people due to increasing corruption, notwithstanding the risk of the IMF bailing itself out of Sri Lanka due to non-fulfilment of anti-corruption criteria.
It appears that the President has exhausted all other options short of an election, including repeated calls for a grand coalition being ignored by the collective Opposition, who are now well accustomed to the opportunistic use and dispose methods that historically have had all to do with self-preservation and little to do with national well-being. While it will be political hara-kiri for the Opposition to join hands with those responsible for bankrupting this nation, it must also be smart enough to market its unique selling proposition of standing against corruption not only in word but more so in deed by distancing itself from anyone tainted with corruption allegations.
The fact that the President was forced to execute a Cabinet reshuffle last week is acknowledgment of the immense pressure even at this late stage to act against those tainted with corruption allegations. However, the reshuffle has become a joke and laughing matter for the people, who see the ‘change’ in portfolio for the former Health Minister more as a reward than any punitive action for the serious corruption allegations against him – none of which the President has seen as necessitating inquiry, at the very minimum.
It also vindicates the parliamentary Opposition’s recent no-confidence motion against the embattled former Health Minister. Although it was comfortably defeated by the SLPP majority, it appears it is the Opposition that has had the last say on the matter, with the President being forced to act despite disapproval from the SLPP, which again has added to the increasing friction between the two.
The corruption allegations against the former Minister are scandalous to say the least, some of which have been explicitly detailed by the media and are readily available in the public domain, including instances where saline supposedly costing less than Rs. 100 had been purchased at Rs. 10,000 under vague ‘emergency purchase’ criteria, despite significant inventory of the specific product. To date no State agency has seen fit to conduct an inquiry despite a brand-new anti-corruption law, which, like most other laws in our statute books, are observed in the breach.
With the country inevitably having to shift gear into election mode, most members in the current regime are alive to the reality that this may well be their swansong. It is therefore all the more reason to dip into the till wherever possible, knowing well that it is open sesame with the prospect of action being taken against them negligible – unless, of course, a future government decides to do so. This is why the example of the ‘action’ taken against the former Health Minister is not only hazardous but also exemplifies all that is wrong in this country and why governance is so very broken. Nothing short of a complete overhaul from top to bottom and vice versa can ever hope to fix all that is broken. Given this hopeless situation, it is the people who must take the lead in fixing what is broken by demanding accountability from those holding public office.
Last year Sri Lankans domiciled abroad took the progressive decision to stop sending remittances through official channels as a mark of protest against corruption – their argument being as to why their hard-earned forex should be used to pay off loans for white elephant projects mired in corruption. If this principle is applied domestically to public utilities, where prices are unconscionably jacked up multiple times within a short span, then the onus will be on the political leadership to be more accountable and work towards eliminating the triple evils of corruption, wastage, and malpractice.
It is absolutely unfair to force ordinary people already burdened by the high cost of living and even places of religious worship to unquestioningly foot the bill for unmitigated corruption. The day people realise that their collective power is greater than those in power will be the day that this nation truly gets on the road to recovery – economically, morally, and ethically.
To put things in perspective, it has been estimated that Sri Lanka’s economy must grow by around 10% of the GDP in order to fulfil its debt obligations of $ 5 billion each year for the next few years. Any student of economics will understand that the fundamentals required for that type of growth is nowhere in sight. Therefore, it is just a matter of time before people decide to become the masters of their own destiny – election or otherwise. It will be good for the political leaders of all hues to keep that prospect in mind.