General daily pinpricks

A retired Indian Ambassador (never posted to Sri Lanka) sent me these two quotations by Nehru. “My greatest challenge has been how to make a modern nation of a people steeped in religiosity” and at the tail end of his career he was asked, ‘What has been your greatest success?” He answered, “to have taught a nation 0f 400 million people how to govern themselves.”

 India now has a population of over a billion people and they govern themselves well enough to have become a wealthy and powerful nation. What can we say of ourselves? We are bankrupt. We are a disunited population. We cannot compete globally. We cannot govern ourselves. This is a truly pathetic scenario for clever a people to find themselves in.

Like most of us Sri Lankan citizens, I have ongoing grouses. Talking to friends, I have realised that many of us share common complaints to which we would like to give voice. Here they are although not necessarily in order of importance.

I am aware that having elections in March is a popular view but as time passes a few of us are beginning to wonder whether it is really going to change anything except to tell the government what it already knows. This government knows it is probably the most disliked and contemptible government we have ever had since the sorry downslide of our 75 years of Independence. It is assailed daily. Its leaders are ridiculed on Facebook and all sorts of lampoons are being sent privately around on emails and mobile phones. But as elections will not remove this weirdly selected president or the parliamentarians immediately, are we wise in making the demand for elections to be held at this time of such penury?

When we had power cuts, we would like to know why a few areas never had any power cuts at all? I do not think it was based on the importance of any one person. My weekly masseuse never had a power cut and she does not live near anyone of importance either. So WHY the favoritism?

Also, can’t the team in charge of cutting the electricity stick to being accurate regarding timing? These cuts are always between 15 to 30 minutes late which completely messes up our routines. They are equally tardy in turning the power on. We see no reason for this lack of punctuality. Especially because our young Minister, Kanchana Wijesekera is seen as being hardworking and dependable. Of course, these cuts will have to be resumed sooner or later. Are we gullible enough to assume better times are already here?

We have a large Police force but has anyone ever noticed (as I daily observe when watching the police Officers using force on protesters) that they are getting quite tubby? I really do think our forces should keep their tummies from expanding. They are supposed to look fit surely? Especially so when they are wielding batons against hungry people.

Then there is the noise factor. Loud speakers blare away without hindrance. There is a public area a mile or so from my home. Every Sunday there is either a school Sports Meet, a political function, a carnival, a cricket match or even a religious function. I can hear the announcements and the proceedings as if they were right next to me. Complaints to the Police do no good and yet I hear there is some sort of rule in place that does not allow noise harassment. The electricity consumption of all these tamashas must be fantastically high. Who authorizes them anyway?

Public figures can be downright criminal in some of their actions. Why are they not brought to book? Believe me, public frustration is beginning to simmer. Mine has passed boiling level long ago.

Education is in an appalling state and we are bankrupt. Why are we trying to usher in all sorts of new methods that put a strain on the economy without any real improvement in our teacher training? Also what about English? Do we STILL imagine we will get anywhere, globally. unless we begin speaking and studying in a world language and not in one spoken by a few million people? WHY is chauvinism allowed to dominate sensible thinking as it has for 75 years?

I recently watched a Danish political movie titled, ‘Borgen’. It is about a woman Prime Minister of Denmark and was one of the most popular TV series made a few years ago. It should be made compulsory watching for every parliamentarian. EVERY action of the Danish PM is made public. She can never try a cover up because of absolute national transparency. For instance, my questions today would have to be answered to my satisfaction. In Sri Lanka this will never be.

I am furious that our useless parliamentarians (most of them not all of them) have so many privileges that they do not deserve. Can someone please tell us why all the expenditure on them is not reduced (preferably totally canceled) now that we are bankrupt? I recently saw this headline in the Press, “Ministers, MPs have made HUGE sacrifices by paying PAYE taxes”, I could hardly believe my eyes. Our Ministers and parliamentarians are a HUGE DRAIN on our finances. Why do we pay them at all? Their privileges are immense. Their pensions likewise. Exactly WHAT sacrifices have they made?

Once started I can go on forever but I realize the futility of asking or expecting honest and acceptable answers from anyone. However, there is some compensation. At least I am allowed to air my grouses.

Goolbai Gunasekara