Features
How about a Shadow Cabinet?
I have an idea! Why don’t we the people vote in and form our own shadow cabinet? We are all agreed that the present system and the people it regurgitates into parliament are totally useless. Why don’t learned scholars of political science and others work on the list of ministries I have given below, from the current ministries in New Zealand, adapt it to suit a “dream cabinet” in Sri Lanka, call for nominations from the general public, ask those nominated if they wish to express their opinion on matters pertaining to their subjects when issues arise in the country and see if their solutions are better than what is being done by the Government in power?
Of course, there will be qualifying criteria for nominations. We will have a minimum age and a maximum age, there will be minimum educational qualifications, and things like if they have done this job before or have been involved in politics, they may be disqualified. A criminal record is an automatic disqualifier.
Portfolios other responsibilities
(1) Prime Minister
Minister for National Security and Intelligence
(2) Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Finance
Minister for Infrastructure Minister for Racing
Minister for Sport and Recreation
Minister for Child Poverty Reduction
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services
Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
(3) Minister for Maori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
Minister for Children Minister of Corrections
Associate Minister of Education (Māori Education)
Associate Minister of Finance
(4) Minister of Housing
Minister of Energy and Resources
Minister of Research, Science and Innovation
(5) Minister for COVID-19 Response Minister of Education
Minister for the Public Service
Leader of the House
(6) Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister for ACC
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister for Disability Issues
(7) Minister of Health
Minister Responsible for the GCSB
Minister Responsible for the NZSIS Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
(8) Attorney-General
Minister for the Environment Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Minister of Revenue
Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry
Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques
Associate Minister of Finance
Associate Minister for Māori Development
Minister of local Government
(9) Minister of Foreign Affairs
(10) Minister of Agriculture
Minister for Biosecurity
Minister for Land Information Minister for Rural Communities Minister for Trade and Export Growth
Associate Minister for Children
Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)
(11) Minister for Economic and Regional Development
Minister of Forestry Minister for Small Business Minister of Tourism
(12) Minister of Justice
Minister for Broadcasting and Media Minister of Immigration
(13) Minister of Defence
Associate Minister of Health (Māori Health)
Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing)
Associate Minister of Tourism
(14) Minister for Māori Development
(15) Minister for Women
Associate Minister for ACC Associate Minister of Justice
Associate Minister of Education
Deputy Leader of the House
Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Associate Minister for the Environment
Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister of Research, Science and Innovation
(16) Minister of Internal Affairs
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
(17)Minister of Transport
(18) Minister for Emergency Management
(19) Minister of Conservation
(20) Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications
Minister for State Owned Enterprises Minister of Statistics
MINISTERS OUTSIDE CABINET
Portfolios Other responsibilities
(21)Minister for Courts Minister for Pacific Peoples
Minister of Customs Minister for Veterans
(22)Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth
(23)Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities
Minister for Youth
Associate Minister of Education (Pacific Peoples)
Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs
Associate Minister of Health (Pacific Peoples)
Associate Minister of Justice
Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare)
Associate Minister of Statistics
Associate Minister for the Environment Associate Minister of Immigration
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
You will note there are a total of 20 cabinet ministers and three ministers outside the cabinet. Ministers hold multiple ministries in some instances and sometimes deputise for other ministers.
I suppose the usual argument that New Zealand has only five million people and therefore can be governed by a small cabinet will come to the fore. Let me tell you that Australia has roughly the same population as the Pearl also has only 20 cabinet ministers.
Let’s stop whinging and moaning about those incompetents in parliament and shadow them with people from civil society who are willing to come forward and have answers to the burning issues of today. Send me an email with your ideas and let’s see if we can take this further.
I call upon a newspaper or a civil interest lobby to take this idea further, spread it among the Sinhala and Tamil speaking populace, and give the “fat cats” of Diyawannawa, a run for their money!