Discharge diligent governance

CONTRARY to widespread expectations in particularly opposition circles that governmental instability would be our unenviable lot, the recent redistribution of vacant Cabinet portfolios among 6 Ministers and six Deputy Ministers, by President Kumaratunga, establishes beyond doubt that the process of governance in Sri Lanka would continue with the expected steadiness and vibrancy.

Whereas the dire prediction among the critics of the Government was a precipitous collapse of the administration following the pulling out of JVP Ministers from the Cabinet, the deft handling of this crisis by the President raises the hope that the governmental machinery would continue to tick. This development ensures that the essential needs of the people would be met and that day-to-day life would continue in an undisturbed fashion.

We congratulate the Ministers and Deputy Ministers on their assuming new and added responsibilities and call on them to reflect the highest diligence in the course of discharging their duties. The vesting of such responsibilities should not be considered a cause for personal vainglory but as an opportunity to work tirelessly towards the well being of the people.

We take this opportunity to remind the Government of the need to forge ahead with the peace process. The President has time again shown an ardent willingness to resume the peace effort and to take it to its logical conclusion and we hope she would have the unstinted cooperation of her Cabinet.

Thus far almost the entirety of PA Ministers have stood by the President in her effort to bring peace and such unity of purpose and vision should continue among those who have been vested with Ministerial office.

As we see it, more needs to be done to educate the people on issues at the heart of the peace effort. President Kumaratunga has been speaking to the people very forthrightly on the gut issues in the peace process and she needs the sustained support of her Cabinet in this endeavour. Her Ministers and Deputy Ministers too need to constantly dialogue with the people on these questions so as to ensure that no knowledge vacuum exists among the people on them.

Such a knowledge vacuum could be dangerous because the agents of disinformation could easily fill it with blatant falsehoods, misconceptions and misleading ideologies which may divide the people rather than unite them. Special care must be taken to ensure that the people are not vulnerable to the demagogues of racial and religious hatred.

The people need to see their representatives working untiringly for their benefit. Less interest should be taken in perks and privileges and more exertions made towards the common good. The people need to get value for every rupee invested in the upkeep of Ministers and their Ministries.