Thursday, 29 August 2002  
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Ending "election eve goodies"

Not infrequently, Lanka's voters enjoy the largesse of governments on the eve of elections, to both the central and provincial legislatures. This has now come to be known as "election eve goodies". For instance, just prior to the December 5th general election last year, attractive salary increases were granted to public servants and a vast number of them, whose status in the service was uncertain, were granted permanency. Steep reductions in the prices of essential commodities are another ruse adopted by endangered governments in the face of elections.

Needless to say, all this contributes towards emptying the government exchequer. Last year, the extravagance of the then government grew to such a degree that the State was almost reduced to the condition of bankruptcy. The bitter harvest of those vote-catching tactics, the people are reaping today in the form of spiralling economic hardships.

Therefore, sound financial management by the Government becomes an urgent and compelling necessity. We are glad to note that the wasteful practice of Finance Ministers bountifully disbursing "election eve goodies" all around, will be banned under the financial reforms proposed by the Government. Our front page report yesterday on this development stated that the Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act will preclude all Finance Ministers from authorising "pre-election subsidies", a euphemism for the seductive relief measures afforded electors on election eve.

The silver lining in this dark cloud of governmental extravagance, however, is the native astuteness of Lankan voters who throw out governments which have served them badly, "goodies" or no "goodies". Let's hope that from now on financial stringency would prevail and that governments would act with a greater degree of accountability. It is very likely that the country's major aid agencies too would be pleased with this development.

Unfortunately, the patronage system is deeply ingrained in the local consciousness. It is true that we have been a functional democracy in a great many respects, for many decades, but it is open to question whether we are a fully institutionalised democracy. For many years since political independence, a patriarchally-oriented patronage system has been in operation in the affairs of the State, despite Sri Lanka acquiring the trappings of democracy. This phenomenon has deep cultural roots but in the post-independence era the evils of the patronage system, practised by politicians and those looked upon as notables, have become increasingly stark and stultifying.

It is this seemingly impregnable patronage system which has given rise to the indignifying and undemocratic practice of vote-buying and other abuses.

But enough is enough. Stringent legal curbs need to be placed on governments which resort to abuses which have not only survived the democratic era but which seem to have been further accentuated by it.

This brings us back to our reference to fully institutionalised democracies. In such an order, procedures of accountability are put in place to ensure the responsible and judicious exercise of political power. The current financial reforms could be considered a move in this direction. Office and position, we hope, wouldn't be exploited for political and personal gain.

HNB-Pathum Udanaya2002

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