President needs proper support to serve the people

There is much talk about the President’s remark that his verbal orders should  be construed as a written circular as he was elected by the people. I have no doubt it was said not in a spirit of arrogance, but  largely to drive a point home that things must move to help the people. He is a man in a hurry as he inherited a wreck largely due to the expediency of past rulers.

I have watched with much interest the ongoing arguments for and against the 20th Amendment. The one thing that struck me forcefully was the huge trust deficit that prevails and the usual blame game. I must emphatically say that the deficit I referred to is applicable to politicians of all hues.

The party system is a joke, as all would admit, since what mattered was personal gain. In the halcyon days, despite this shortcoming, anyone who won from a recognised political party could not pole- vault to the winning side for personal advancement. However, thanks to a Chief Justice, whose contribution to uphold the law needs no repetition as his performance is widely known, who created history by permitting pole-vaulting.

In the current debate on the 19th Amendment much has been said that it adversely impacted smooth governance by a learned man who accepted the provisions when they first came out with the 17th Amendment. Thereafter, many whose credentials are questionable, continue to follow him  and mislead the public, not with knowledge but for continuity in office.

The Constitutional Council(CCC) that  (introduced by the 17 th Amendment ) established by the  19th Amendment certainly envisaged the appointment of independent distinguished professionals as its members. However, that was thwarted by the current leaders of government who insisted on Members of Parliament also to be on that council. After much haggling only three persons of repute from civil society got appointed.

If the politicians, then in the opposition now in government, had not wanted the majority of CCC members from amongst politicians, more distinguished citizens  would have got appointed and the envisaged results would have been even better. We have many men / women who  can contribute much to good-governance based on justice, equity, fairplay and meritocracy.

It is relevant to mention that many attempts to elevate an Appeal Court Judge to the Supreme Court, who was rewarded in a matter of weeks with a promotion from the High Court after a judgment that the Executive  wanted, was halted because of the existence of the CC. It was widely known that this appointment was irregular and over the heads of many seniors more deserving, which made the Constitutional Council to reject not once  but twice. To the best of my knowledge the person is now in blissful retirement.

Back to the subject of Truth Deficit is the cancellation of the LRT, a critical need to save on fuel, standards of health of the citizens, environment and also on administrative costs. It’s common knowledge in all countries that such trains are available for commuters to get to work from the periphery with less hassle.

Japan has a soft corner for Sri Lanka due to a historic post war performance of a leader now no more. The grateful Japanese did not forget his birthday and placed flowers at the giant statue erected in his memory.

I learnt that 80 % of the project cost was on a soft loan payable in 40 years at 0.01% . The first instalment was to commence in 12 years. I learnt that this was a government to government transaction through JAICA and  free of any kickbacks; many experts in different disciplines have opined that this was a generous gesture, quite unlike the many vanity projects that came up on loans obtained at commercial rates far in excess of libor.

The only piece that did not fit into the jigsaw puzzle was that this facility was obtained by the previous government and also by a man of learning who acted swiftly to meet a critical need of the public. The cancellation unquestionably hit the poorer segment of commuters from the periphery to the city who now come jam packed in public transport.

I am confident our President will not be misguided by self-centred people to act on short-sighted policies, since his elevation was largely due to the failure of past leaders who failed to act with vision and placing their interests before the nation.We have to act soon as a United country where all races must work together to pull the country out of this man- made disaster, to give a better deal to the poor. The President must get the support of all to achieve results.

I wish the President well in his endeavours.

SENIOR CITIZEN