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| Thursday, 18 March 2004 |
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Letters | |
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Please forward your letters to [email protected] in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.
life cycle of Sri Lankan politician Every product invented has a life cycle same way as humans. There are five phases of this life cycle. They are introduction, growth, maturity, saturation, decline and extinction. Products are invented and introduced to the market. They grow in sales, reach maturity, sales saturate and then go into decline and finally the product becomes extinct. This applies to the humans without differentiation. Unfortunately, so it is with a career of a politician too. In the life of a politician, introduction is equivalent to birth, the birth in the field of different political parties. When a product is introduced to the market, the best technological strategies and methods are used today. Politicians too introduce themselves to the field of politics with a lofty ideal, with a tag, "service to the people". I actually do not know whether our politicians really know the connotation of the word "service". Of course, they do serve themselves lavishly. This is the first phase of his/her life cycle, as a newly elected member of the Parliament. The second phase is growth, which is visible in a life of a politician in the role of a Cabinet Minister. Here he/she sees to his/her growth with leaps and bounds. Commissions from large-scale tenders and involvement in multimillion rupee frauds make him/her grow like the Cedar of Lebanon. The third phase is the maturity state where he/she becomes a Senior Cabinet Minister or the Speaker of the House, rarely because of his/her qualifications but chiefly because of his/her allegiance to the party. Saturation is the fourth phase, which is very vital, becomes an Elderly Statesman. Here one becoming the President or the Prime Minister, because of the penetrative and executive powers, makes a Constitution which cannot be raveled out and put the whole nation into a soup or builds a slaughter house to destroy one's enemies once and for all. This is the stage of experience, and penetration where one wields unlimited power with irresistible force. Then goes the decline phase, the 'Back Bench' era. decline starts with changing of parties for colossal financial incentives and gets caught for bribery and corruption plus for election violence. The last stage is the extinction where he/she loses the seat and goes to the retirement step. Then he/she goes to the oblivion, of course with a huge dowry from the government, contributed from the poor peoples' money. This is the quiet, tranquil time where he/she can go to the temple, church, kovil and the mosque, to pray, to repent for one's sins, malpactices, bribery, corruption, bestial in one's life and get ready for a "Holy Death". WALTER GOONETILLEKE - Colombo 15. Two years ago Prime Minister after taking over the government announced austerity measures first on his Ministers to exercise due caution on the use of official vehicles and foreign travel. In the first two months there was restraint and caution among the Ministers but thereafter the past misdeeds of the previous government which was vehemently critisied by the present Ministers were all forgotten. Ministers began to use half a dozen vehicles, in some instances one dozen and in certain instances 2 to 3 dozens. Ministers began to travel abroad for the slightest excuse. The Peace Committee members made use of this facility and thereafter began to abuse the privilege of travelling abroad. Now that there is another election round the corner, leaders of political parties must pledge to the people that their nominees of Ministers will not be permitted at any cost to abuse foreign travel and usage of official vehicles, which we have been witnessing in the last couple of years. Certain Ministers who had powerful corporations, such as the SLPA and others drew vehicles from such corporations and allocated to themselves and to their political yes men and fuel at government expense. I trust the President and the PM will at least ensure that these types of abuse and wastage will be stopped in the welfare of the country. A. J. COOREY - Katubedda. Sandanaya or alliance is a term very much in vogue at the moment. This was mainly after the SLFP-PA signed a MoU with the JVP. Alliances are nothing new in our political climate. The 1956 UF government was formed by the SLFP with the MEP lead by Philip Gunawardene. This was about half a century ago. Later on in 1964 the government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike was brought down by crossovers from the SLFP during the throne speech. This was also an alliance. Again we had patch work alliances among political parties through horse deals to enable a government to run with a working majority. The 1970 election was fought with an alliance that included the SLFP, LSSP and the Communist Party and this alliance came into power. The 1977 election had no alliance of any significance but with the Thondaman faction was able to obtain 5/6th control of Parliament to pass the many pieces of obscene legislation both retroactive and otherwise. Most other elections in 1990 and 1994 were also formed with the help of minority groups such as the CWC and Muslim Congress. The 2001 election had a hidden alliance with the UNP taking several crossovers from the PA to form the United National Front that came to power. It is still an alliance of the UNP and the crossovers from the PA with Rauff Hakeem and some Tamil parties who support them. The present PA-JVP Sandanaya appears to be bothering mainly the UNF government which sees this as a threat to them. After Parliament was dissolved, it was reported that the Chairman of the UNP was out shopping or may be marketing for candidates from other political parties. Most major political parties indulge in this morbid exercise. However the PA-JVP alliance has sent a chill down the UNF spine and even the LTTE bravado that was observed prior to the dissolution has been reduced to a whimper. ARAVINDA GAUTAMADASA - Nawala. A vote, a vote, my kingdom for a vote King Henry never needed to alter his famous plea for a horse and many years later, Abraham Lincoln did say that "the ballot is stronger than the bullet". This is the time that the Sri Lankan voter has multiple visits from the cronies of those in the election fray. They come in their droves and in different attitudes, ranging from the humble solicitors to the loud-mouthed extortionists with muscles in their throats. Just for a couple of months we are a bunch of the elite whose votes will make or break the constituent who gambles his personal or sponsored wealth. Woodrow Wilson's comment would apply to him who will perish at the stakes - "Never murder a man who is committing suicide". After all these frantic efforts where the candidates aspire through cajoling, murder and mayhem what will be the end result but a hung Parliament and a Spike Milligan will say, "The don't - knows will get in and then where will we be?" Another famous saying may be apt at April's hustings and if we are to go by past experience - "It's not the voting that is democracy, it's the counting". It is possible that more than one candidate will echo Anastasio Somaza: "Indeed you won the elections, but I won the count". SHARM DE ALWIS - Kiribathoda. Before and after coming to power I have seen Mr. Ravi Karunanayake's recent paper advertisements and wish to inform that there may be hundred or thousands of reasons for him to be re-elected to the government. But there is only one reason for not to be elected; which... "Before coming to power he shed tears in the various media programmes for the cost of living and he was not even able to bear an increase of one rupee on essential food and other items. With much hopes we elected them as our governors. The finance minister and his deputy don't know what they speak and they both took Prime Minister and us for a ride and at least both of them never answered the public. See the prices of rice, flour, fuel, gas, etc. etc. He was not only able to reduce the prices but not been able to keep the same price that prevailed during the time he took power even under the condition of a no war situation. All traders coming under his ministry and for a same commodity can find different prices in the different shops situated in the same vicinity. Masses are suffering and they are enjoying......." We are asking him to practise and fulfil what he promised for us even before being re-elected. The team selected by Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe was not efficient to do anything except a few. They only looked after themselves. A. ATHAS - Colombo 3. From time immemorial, from during my mother's lifetime, we had a man who used to come on his push cycle to sell coconut oil. It was the same man who took away our old newspapers. When we married, he continued to come to our house too, regularly. About three years ago, he told me that he has given up collecting old newspapers, and that he would be sending another man in his stead. This man came on a motorcycle. Then, last year, he told me he would send his brother as the deputy couldn't come. Lo and behold, his brother turned up driving a threewheeler. Signs of the times? THERESE MOTHA - Colombo 6. It is hoped that the forthcoming elections will be free from violence and lawlessness which all peace-loving and law-abiding citizens will deplore. It is heartening to note that many leaders of political parties contesting the elections have appealed to the masses to this effect which is praiseworthy. KINGSLEY W. DIAS - Wellawatta. |
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