Barks of crooks

Thursday 12th October, 2023

The Rajapaksa loyalists seem to have taken the masses for asses. Otherwise, they would not have expected the public to fall for their cheap ruses. Having crawled out of the woodwork, they are shedding copious tears for the people troubled by economic hardships. The SLPP MPs are protesting against the high cost of living and demanding that the people be granted some relief immediately; they are behaving as if they were not part of the government and had nothing to do with the country’s bankruptcy. Some of them have gone to the extent of threatening to withdraw support for the government unless it takes immediate action to improve the people’s lot!

Former Minister and SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena has issued a veiled threat to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Following a meeting with SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa, on Tuesday, he reportedly told journalists that they (disgruntled Rajapaksa loyalists) would not support Budget 2024 unless the government took steps to ameliorate the people’s economic woes. When he speaks, one hears Basil’s voice!

Abeygunawardena is one of the SLPP’s district leaders who are disappointed that they have not been appointed Cabinet ministers. It peeves them beyond measure to be overshadowed by other government members who have secured ministerial posts. They are desperate to shore up their vote bases which have been eroding severely, and, most of all, without ministerial posts they will not be attractive to the money bags who bankroll election campaigns. Hence, they have been cranking up pressure on President Wickremesinghe to appoint them to the Cabinet, but in vain.

The worst that can happen to the country is to have the likes of the protesting Rajapaksa loyalists in the Cabinet, which is already full of misfits. Countries like Singapore were able to achieve their development goals mainly because they handpicked capable men and women for key government positions and have had zero tolerance for corruption. If they had made the mistake of suffering corrupt political dregs gladly, so to speak, they too would have gone bankrupt.

President Wickremesinghe is right in having refused to expand the Cabinet further. In fact, this country does not need more than 12 Cabinet ministers. One can only hope that the President will not give in to pressure.

There is no way the SLPP seniors who are demanding Cabinet posts could absolve themselves of the blame for bankrupting the country. They defended President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the hilt despite his colossal blunders on the economic front, indulged in corrupt practices and mismanaged their ministries. Wickremesinghe had to be brought in as Prime Minister and then made President because the SLPP government had failed and was unable to arrest the country’s slide into anarchy.

Now that there is a semblance of political stability with the economy showing signs of recovery, the SLPP bigwigs are trying to consolidate their power. They are angry that their plan to run a political puppet show by making President Wickremesinghe do their bidding has gone awry. Wickremesinghe has proved that he is made of sterner stuff, and hence their attempt to undermine him. Abeygunawardena’s veiled threats could be considered part of their strategy.

It is highly unlikely that the SLPP will go so far as to abstain from voting for Budget 2024, for that will be a political kamikaze attack. Everyone in the SLPP needs an election like a hole in the head. It is hoped that President Wickremesinghe will call Abeygunawardena’s bluff.