A land of spiritless, 'structures' and 'structures'

From out of the blues one afternoon last week, Mr. Wijeratne -popularly-known as 'uncle' in the Daily News - turned around and asked me, "Afreeha, what is a structural interview?"

I guessed he was responding to an advertisement in the Daily News, for he had it wide open before him.

"Perhaps it's an interview at different levels starting off with the politician," I replied. 'Uncle' laughed loud.

"Why not," I exclaimed, "it's first in the series of structural interviews where the politician is briefed beforehand of the applicant's work for party well-being.

Next, is the differently layered management - whatever is the institution - also of similar political colouring which 'interestingly' is the personal chain of command and not Max Weber's impersonal kind.

Incidentally, the post being advertised is a formal matter followed to the letter, in keeping with proper administrative procedures - never mind whatever deviation follows.

The only thing to perfection in this country, whatever be all inadequacies, are structures - all in place - a perfect fit - never mind again whatever its composition. Let's now examine more of these structures and the administrative deviation in post colonial times.

Not so long ago, learned opinion was that democracy has somehow survived in this country.

"Look, the Parliament is intact, the judiciary is there and the executive goes on. So what?"

As long as liberal democracies' structural mechanisms are in place all is all right? What comes off these structures has not been even such learned men's concern.

A learned Parliament with its thrust and parry of intellectual debate, an independent judiciary, star-studded with high calibred personalities - outstandingly, the indefatigable, unforgettable Neville Samarakoon, a fearless executive into public good ignoring the legislature's pressures, undoubtedly were hallmarks of a never to be repeated rainbow era for these structures did not fall short of the elegant human capital within its fold.

Perusing structural goings on in the past three decades or so reminds me of some long past signature tune of which the catch line was "the bird has flown and the coat is hung." In simple terms, 'the carcass minus the spirit'.

This then brings to mind yet another structured effort - the SAP program or the structural adjustment one mapped out for third, less or least developed or whatever world to reach high brow development - all drawn up by 'benign' external forces.

Whatever one may say, 'structures' apparently is a flashy word these days floating around in elite circles. In its pronunciation itself provided you pronounce it correct, there is an aura where one could feign intellectuality.

Claiming relationship to structures is also the institution building program - not institution development. All types of buildings for all kinds of activities - adorned with some expensive nameboard outside is the latest fancy of the status conscious.

Their commitment to patriotism is seen in what has become of the country today. Starting from Parliament - the apex body right down to the village co-operative - only structures and buildings stand. What of those religious structures - mosques, kovils, temples, churches.

Its structural commonality or similarity lies only in a pointed apex - symbolic of what man's spiritual growth should be - the broad base being man's grosser self and the pinnacle - the zenith of his spirituality which message is lost purpose. Only externalities of brick, mortar and sand remain - the 'structure' I mean.

Also in this 'structured fancy' is the social layout, neatly structured into levels of class or what sociologists would call hierarchical structures, includes at its top the champagne socialist besides the corporate membership - all vehemently interacting at starry coffee mornings and charity dances while the poor remain where they are.

Poverty alleviation, land distribution, - by the way what happened to those poverty friendly buzz words? - the unrestricted jargon of politicians on both sides rather all sides of the divide. Now let us examine some other kind of structures.

The country's defence structures pledge to defend the land's territorial integrity and sovereignty. So structural integrity and structural interviews apart, there's territorial integrity as well where apparently power-sharing is abhorred and perhaps is considered deceit.

After all, the integrity of territories is all the bother of a majority - a majority that lives to rule at least nominally - the very majority rule theory - all very highly questionable now considering its past performance over minority rights the world over.

So never mind how we conduct ourselves even reducing ourselves to characterless swine yet reiterate I must these much fancied physical structures and their 'integrity' alone would suffice!

Ha! haa! remember the oyster minus the pearl?