By Gomin Dayasri

Gomin Dayasri

How does a government which peaked in popularity in the middle of the year, find the curve taking a plunge downwards as the year nears its end? Shocking, yet no remedial measures are taken to arrest it. It’s lack of prudence and wisdom that permits the situation to deteriorate daily, with life becoming progressively harder. It may soon reach a level, where a turn around may not be on the card.

It began with billboards on the streets after the war, which announced a coronation of a monarch, without a hereditary title. Such was the admiration; a diamond studded crown would have been conferred by the people, for enabling them to walk the streets without fear of death, after 20 years. The weight of a coronet can disturb a mind, in the self-belief that the king can do no wrong with the vassals bellowing long live the king.

How long is survival possible on gratitude alone? Harking back to the immediate past has a limited response to a nation with a short memory and living in hard times though with glory.

Corruption is endemic and Good Governance is sparse. It percolates down to grass roots as the governed suffer while the governors thrive. It will dawn when the votes are counted with ministers and high officials permanently airborne, travelling in luxury class seats and living in five-star comfort abroad than working in their portfolios alive to problems on the streets- ridiculous when the travellers club exceeds the century mark in ministers alone.

The present government is a duplicate copy of a disposed UNP.  MPs copycat obnoxious traits from their rivals and improve on performance to make it look worse. Many elected on the UNP ticket hold the reins of power and not those for whom a majority of the people marked their crosses on the ballot paper.

Ironically the unpopular UNP may cartwheel to power on the back of their own MPs who crossed over, since the votes they (except a few) attract will be negligible in the aggregate vote count of a district at a parliamentary election. The people see no difference between the rival parties, in appreciating and alleviating their economic hardships; real difference lies in the triumph over terrorism.

It was the enthusiastic people that powered the victory of the present government; now flushed in cash and bent on abusing power- will the people re-elect them to suffer again? The governments list of candidates is overloaded with the dropouts of other parties disqualifying the emergence of attractive new candidates from finding a slot unless they carry moneybags that can buy votes.

Voters may exercise the franchise recognizing the difference between the President and the Parliamentarians by the voting pattern for the government at the two elections. For survival, Presidential election has to come earlier or both together, as it is too risky to expose government parliamentarians prematurely to the floating voter. The percentages, at the two counts, may reflect the true position.

The spectacular military victory was possible because the President and the Defense Secretary were determined and dogged to eliminate terrorism; they possessed a war machine disciplined and dedicated to extract the scalp of Prabhakaran and his band of terrorists. It was not a one-man show. The administrative service and the other support services are incapable of such results and have no such navigators- genuinely committed secretary or three honest and efficient military commanders possessed of the clout capability and capacity.

Worse, the Government is not inclined to declare war on corruption in the fear of shooting at their own goal or administering good governance as it might require discipline nearer home. With those two untamed imposters in operation, economic situation will be unmanageable, which could cost the creation of a stable government, even if an electoral victory is obtained. A final term Presidency with a defection prone Parliament- is the formula the Opposition is seeking to regain Sri Lanka.

The Opposition under-estimates the pride of the people in winning a war that makes them proud of events of their lifetime; than having to live permanently on the glories off the pages of history. The people stand by the military more than with the government. In wielding the stick against the government on the war, the opposition is baton charging the people by indirectly lynching the military. It is the Opposition that will provide the government with the winning streak by relying on their friendly western powers supported by local NGO acolytes and the anti war campaigners.

One distinguished soldier in the pack cannot wipe the follies of two decades. After the glory will come sympathy as some may cut a pathetic figure on a platform alongside diverse characters who opposed the war. In local politics old soldiers do not fade away; they discredit themselves during their lifetime –more so when they join strange political alliances. What is heard or said of Richard Udugama, Janaka Perera, Sarath Moonesinghe, Lucky Algama or the gazette promoted Anuruddha Ratwatte?

With an opposition and western governments jointly sneering at our human rights record and practice of democracy, not realizing their jeering is making it easy for the government to raise the banners of patriotism and treachery which has the force of converting other pressing and demanding issues to mere trivialities. It is the opposition with their strange combinations and permutations that enables the government to regain the ground lost.

The Government is helping the case against it on Human Rights by having bunch of imbeciles on the job. Our Human Rights Commission is virtually sitting in a school for the deaf, dumb and blind. They bring shame to the nation by being inactive, insensitive, and immobile on human rights. Can they name one count on which they earned respect to keep them in office?

In an election where the campaign techniques will be a formidable factor, the officer concerned; unless he gains, political maturity can be a sitting duck with inconsistent loose cannons being fired from his own platform. As a loner without a party, he could be an orphan in politics. He should utilize it as rehearsal run before a parliamentary election where he could make an impact or still better await the parliamentary elections and run for Ambalangoda.A new candidate from the UNP would have fared much better but the need is for a disposable candidate to act as a night watchman so that the parliamentary elections can be fought afresh by the old guard. The Officer is a candidate with many pluses but is likely to lose all because of the company he may have to keep.