Budget 2009

The final vote on Budget 2009 will take place today with the Government poised to romp home with a huge majority. It is important that the rancour and bitterness of the month long debate in Parliament be put behind by all and co-operation extended to the Government to speedily implement the proposals set out in the budget for the public good. This is needed since the country is today at a crossroads with the decades long terrorist problem set to end.

There is also the international financial crisis that is sooner or later bound to affect small countries such as Sri Lanka. Contingency plans are thus called for. The majority of the public who are least concerned with these developments expect speedy redress to their problems and expect the Government to deliver come what may. It is here that the Government must ensure that all wheels of its administrative machinery operate smoothly to bring relief to the people.

We say this because from past experience it is more often than not the implementation of budget proposals at ground level that has been found wanting with bureaucratic red tape the chief impediment. The Government must ensure that these obstacles are overcome if the people are to receive the full benefits of the budget relief.

It is also hoped that the austerity measures proposed by the President for all Government Departments will be followed to the letter so that the country could save much needed funds.

All in all it could be said that the four budgets presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa are on course to realising the goals of his 10 year development plan. Budget 2009 too follows in the same vein. It is now hoped that the decades long conflict that has bled the economy would be brought to an end so that these goals could reach fruition swiftly.

A musical icon

A road has been named after Pundit W.D. Amaradeva in his native Moratuwa to mark the 81st birthday of the music maestro. Of course this is small tribute to a man who pioneered classical Sinhala music and opened new vistas for our indigenous music to flourish.

It was fortunate that Amaradeva like many others of his ilk emerged at the dawn of independence to usher in a rich indigenous musical ethos that went deep into to the roots of Sri Lanka's culture. To Pundit Amaradeva goes the credit of delivering our music from South Indian influence and transforming it into a true indigenous art.

His versatility in the field of classical music earned for him many accolades here and abroad and he was bestowed with many titles for his contribution to the evolution of indigenous music in the country.

Alas today classical Sinhala music is a dying art with the rapid encroachment of Western influence into all areas. Like all other facets of national life our indigenous music too seems to have been swallowed up by the commercial hegemony that has swept the country with the advent of the open economy and liberalisation.

It has taken a vice like grip on the national ethos, shifting values and perceptions that were held sacrosanct not long ago. If this trend is allowed to continue unchecked there is a danger of our indigenous music and all it means to Sri Lankans being obliterated.

Already we see the works of such greats like Amaradeva being bastardised by their vulgar renditions on TV dance shows.

This no doubt is a grave affront to outstanding classical exponents of the calibre of Amaradeva who is a national treasure. It is certainly a snub on the pioneering works of all our indigenous artistes.

Today what we have is a "super star" culture where cheap imitators try to mock our great virtuosos of the past in the classical music field. This amounts to cultural sacrilege.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs should seriously view such attempts to undermine and debase our classical songs and music that are being included with gay abandon on CDs and TV dance programmes to the accompaniment of equally unholy calisthenics. A law should be introduced to put a halt to this trend where our cherished indigenous music symbolising the country's cultural roots and ethos are sought to be undermined and debased by cheap imposters for commercial gain.

People like W.D. Amaradeva are national icons whose works evoke a national feeling. Their efforts should not be allowed to be buried by the new wave of popular culture.