Sudath Gunasekara. President Senior Citizens Movement MahanuwaraƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  12.3.2010

Why does a political cartoonist call the MP Magodistuma. Is it the best word that describes the character of a present day politician in this country?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The idea of representative democracy had its origin in early Greece and Rome. They evolved it as the numbers involved in governing increased and became un-manoeureble. So they selected few suitable men to govern the others. Developed over a period of time the political party system emerged in medieval Europe as an instrument of giving effect to a choice of governments periodically when one in power is not doing its duty by the people, who elected them. This clearly shows that both the institution called the state and the government were invented by the people for the benefit of the people and they were only instruments of achieving their objectives of good governance. After all, democracy precisely means the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rule by the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ which I presume to be all the people, achieved through their representatives periodically elected.

Has this high principle of governance been realized in our country today? In my opinion what we have in our country is not democracy but ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”politico crazy, that is the rule by the politicians. Therefore today representative democracy is a far cry in our country by any standard.

Under the prevailing system of elections in this country, elections are only a mechanism of convenience resorted to by politicians periodically to legitimize their plundering the nation. Every thing what they do, is done with the singular objective of consolidating their position and power. With regard to the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s problems they just grope in the dark, holding on to the political stick looking for the beginning and the end the circle just like the seven blind men in the famous Indian legend ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-AndavenupamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ going round and round eternally without finding it. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Of cause there may be one or two good men. But we know one swallow does not make a summer.

Just to mention few critical national issues, look at the 13^th Amendment, the never ending emergency, the so-called language problem, devolution of power, minority problem, the problem of communal political parties, educational mess (Eg International schools and the National Schools), the festering Health mess (Private practice where some Govt. Doctors make over RS 100,000 a day while they openly neglect their duty in the hospitals although they draw fat salaries from the tax payers money as well), never ending University conflicts, the confusing legal system with three or even more systems operating within this tiny Island, the Indian Estate labour problem, unemployment, the plight of the Kandyan people, the North East problem, place of Buddhism in this country, the problem of University admissions, daily degenerating cultural values, absence of law and order even on the road, non compliance with the law of the country, non compliance with the law regarding posters and cut-outs, ineffective police service, flouting the need for declaration of assets by politicians, taking the law in to their hands by politicians, TNA who still openly declare their struggle for self-determination and EELAM, nakedly flouting the Constitution after swearing allegiance to the 6^th Amendment and getting out scot-free with impudence, the utterly ineffective Parliamentary Committees on appointments to Higher posts in Public Service thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  does only ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a post mortem, months and some times years after the appointments are made,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the cultural and moral degeneration arising from sending domestic servants to the middle east, extravagance by the government, politicization of the Public Service, appointing defeated politicians, sycophants and political lackeys to lucrative public positions and making such institutions heavens for political rejects and destitutes and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who lavishly doled out black money for their election campaigns. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Though not complete, this short list will show you how all political parties have miserably failed to address the core issues of the nation, beating their own trumpets for personal power and glory, while beating about the bush.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Which government has done what, to arrest these things? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The only thing I see any government has done over the past 30 years is the physical defeat of the LTTE in the North.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But even there, many more things have yet to be done, both at home and abroad, before we take a deep breath, thinking we have done it. According to a statement given to Express News Service on 19^th March 2010 the present President is also said to have rejected Federalism and the 13^th Amendment. I admire that if that is true.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Party system, which operate as the mechanism of electing representatives was introduced to this country in 1947. Before that representative were elected on an individual basis on the merit of each person. Each member contesting was given a colour to distinguish him from the others. For example, in the State Council elections, Freeman in Anuradhapura, was given a Green box while his opponent was given a yellow box. Contesting elections on party basis began formally in 1947. But the real tussle began only in1956. Members were elected on a party basis and the electorate formed the territory of representation. A candidates election activities were confined to the electorate and the people elected their representative to represent them in Parliament. So each electorate had its own representative. This was the hall mark of representative democracy until the present constitution introduced the disastrous and notorious Proportional Representation (PR) system in 1978 which has reduced the elections to a real baluporaya or a Pora ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Kukul poraya, of cause with due apologies to both dogs and cocks as even they sometimes have better qualities than most of our politicians..

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The PR system made the District the basis of electing a representative to Parliament instead of the former Electorate. The MPP were also called District MPP and not Mp for Kandy or Minipe as it was called earlier. This distanced the MP from the electorate as well as the people. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But the former electorate also remained as a Parliamentary seat for the purpose of organizing party work and the person assigned to that seat by each political party was called the organizer. This arrangement again consolidated the top-down political approach of centralizing the power and ignored the very principle of bottom up representative democracy. This set in motion the process of taking representative democracy directly to the grave yard.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Under this system electors had to caste their vote first to the party and then the preferences to the candidates of their choice. Each elector was entitled for one vote and three preferences at Parliamentary elections; vote for the party and the three preferences had to be cast to three candidates.

However obtaining a majority from a given seat did not qualify a candidate to get elected ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to Parliament, as it happened previously. This was the first step in killing representative democracy in this country. Elected candidates were selected on a District basis where the election is decided on the total number of preferences each candidate polls from the entire district. This divorced the MP from the electorate as well as the people. It is no longer people centered now; instead it has become totally party centered there by the political party in this country has killed both he essence and the spirit of representative democracy. This was the second step that killed representative democracy in this country.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Besides making elections extremely complicated, cumbersome and expensive, for the Election Department, the candidates and political parties and the electors as well, this system also brought about some serious problems in representative democracy. It also made elections quarrelsome, unethical, brutal and some times even uncivilized and sadistic.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ First, it gave a heavy weight to electorates with a higher number of votes and therefore they could decisively decide the results of the whole district. This also made the electorates with a less number of votes insignificant and were eclipsed from the process of representative democracy

Second, it created seats without any representative in the Parliament. Third, it alienated the MP from the people. Fourth, the electors of a given electorate lost their democratic right to select their candidate, elect their Member of Parliament and reject him when they want to do so for his misconduct or failure to do his duty by the electors, as the next parson who has scored the highest in the district list, irrespective of from where he comes automatically gets elected to fill the vacancy.

Fifth, the voters were left on the political highway, high and dry loosing their basic right of sending their own representative to Parliament. So they were left without a representative in Parliament to whom the electors could air their grievances and who could represent them in parliament. Sixth it made the losers win and the winners lose. Seventh it empowered a set of MPs with political power without accountability and responsibility to the voters. Finally even the people of the district were represented by MPP who had been technically rejected by them at the election. So the question arises as to who represent whom?

This is exactly what happened in all elections since 1978. As I had pointed out in an analysis of the 2004 General Election results in the Kandy District on 8.3.2007 (Lanka Web and The Island under the caption PR the Death Knell of Representative Democracy in Sri Lanka ) this system left eight seats in Kandy at that election without a representative in the Parliament. The affected seats were Udadumbara. Medadumbara, Kundasale, Galagedara, Yatinuwara, Hewaheta, Kandy and Senkadagala. For example Sarath Ekanayaka (UPFA Udadumbara), Mahinda Wijesiri (UNP Teldeniya), Sriyani Daniel (UNP Hevaheta), Sunil Amaratunga (UPFA Kundasale) and Nihal Gunasekara ( UNP Yatinuwara) all won their seats with comfortable majorities. But while they who won their seats stayed at home those who got defeated in their electorates got elected to Parliament on the strength of the preferences collected from the District and ended up as powerful Ministers. Harispattuwa being the one with the highest number of votes decided the fortunes of eleven candidates in Parliament. Examples are Sarath Amunugama (UPFA), Dimutu Abekoon and Y.M.Navaratna Banda (both of JVP contested on the UPFA) and Faizar Musthafa (CWE) Luxman Kiriella, Keheliya Rambukwella, Abdul Kadar, Alut gamage, Tissa Atanayaka and Abdul Hleem. Most of these candidates had won their respective electorates. At this election, out of those now in Parliament, only Aluthgamage (UPFA Nawalpitiya), Abdul Haleem (UNP Harispattuwa) and Luxman Kiriella (UNP Gampola), Keheliya Rambkwella UNP had won their electorates). Even the General Secretary of UNP Tissa Attanayaka had not won a single seat including his own Udadumbara, where he had been MP and Minister for a long time, although in the baluporaya he had received few votes over the next candidate in Kandy and Senkadagala electorates.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In other words some candidates who lost went to Parliament and some who won stayed at home. So a process of losers ruling the winners emerged as a result. So you see how those who were rejected at the polls were legitimized as elected by this messy election system at the end. Therefore the PR system has killed the basic principle of representative democracy in this country; it has also killed the spirit and the substance of representative democracy. Only moneyed people who could throw money could get preferences under this system. Another feature that emerged from this system was the unhealthy polarization of ethnic groups around their candidates. This was how Faiza Musthafa and Abdul Kader got elected in 2004. This makes the one nation concept also a distant reality.

In short the PR system in elections in this country has administered a PR to every elector as it is done in the hospital. This is exactly what has happened after every election in this country since 1978 and it will continue to be so unless we take suitable measures immediately to arrest it.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore it is a crying need to do away with this corrupt system if we want to restore representative democracy in this country. Instead of rectifying this gross anomaly and restoring representative democracy the government has made the situation even worst by ignoring the former electorate this time. I think this has now completed the process of alienating the voters completely from the MPP and reduced the representative democracy and Parliamentary system in this country to a big mockery and a mere joke.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Meanwhile there is also a growing trend of sending parachutes from other areas to contest elections in distant electorates. This has further weaken representative democracy and made it a mere pipe dream. With the emergence of this new trend one need not be an elector or a resident within a given electorate to represent the people or to contest. In countries like USA residence within the electorate for a specific period is compulsory to get the nomination. This new trend also accelerates and cements the process of alienation. Once the elections are over the victorious will go to their home towns and the electors will have to either go in hunting for them or forget about their democratic rights for another five or six years and watch helplessly gazing at the high heavens as to how their votes have made few people rich and powerful and made themselves poorer and helpless. In this regard one can argue that even before there were instances where the MPP got settled down in Kandy or Colombo after elections and they never returned to their local electorates. But at least they were electors of the respective electorates until they died. Now the million dollar question is who represents whom and what, under this system?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is derivative political power without answerability and accountability to the people. The MPP under his system kick the ladder that helped them to climb to power and the Parliament. Also it is neither representative nor participatory or democratic in their real sense. I remember a former MP in Kandy who got only ten thousand from his seat got elected as the first MP of the district on preferences and later became even the Prime Minister of this country. When some people of the electorate to which he belonged had gone to meet him to get something done he had said he was not voted in by them and as such he is not under obligation to attend to their matters. In a way almost all MP today in reality, I think, represent only their party leader; even though it is a pretension, as in reality ultimately every one represents his personal interests only.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Could any one call this representative democracy any more? If you donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t call it a big Joke then what you call it? Is it remote democracy, alienated democracy or no democracy at all? Could any one elaborate on this please, for the benefit of the students of political science and the future generation.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Are there any meaning at all and any justification either, in this kind of elections held at the expense of the public coffer that drains out billions at every election making the whole country poorer and destitute, day by day, is my question. Imagine 8 Provincial Council Elections, one Presidential Election and a Parliamentary election within a span of one year, directly costing at least 15 billion if not more. Those who decide to hold such elections are concerned more about consolidating their own power than broader national implications. I have no doubt it illustrates their concept on priorities. The Local Government Elections are yet to come.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What about the indirect, unaccounted and unaccountable expenditure like posters, banners, transport, property destructions, damage to public property, effect on national production due to involvement in elections for at least three to four months in respect of every election before and after, loss of man hours due to rallies and demonstrations and loss to media time and office work etc? Have you ever heard or seen any politician talking on these issues. At least I have not. Look at the language they use. Yako, araka, meka, haraka and mu are some of the standard words they use daily. Their only concern is power. Power for what? Power, to rob, plunder and amaze wealth, for their families and few crumbs for their supporters falling from the table. As I see it, if we carry on like this for another one or two years like this, before long we will end up as the poorest of the poor on earth and will get reduced to a garbage dump where the politicians responsible will be leaving the country while those who elected them will be picking the left outs.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For whose benefits are these elections held; the Politicians or the people? It is certainly the politicians. Why should the people go to the polling station and take the trouble to caste their valuable vote to perpetuate a meaningless and disastrous system like this? This is the most critical issue, I think; every intelligent voter in this country has to ask themselves, at least now.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is a well known maxim that politics is a dirty game. In this country it is the dirtiest game. The government has got reduced to a mere system of government by the politicians, for the politicians and of the politicians. It was only the other day a friend of mine went a little further and said that I was wrong and he corrected me saying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Today in this country you see ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Politics is government by the Crooks, for the Crooks and of the CrooksƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ I think his definition was much better than mine, although he did not have a Doctorate in political science. I think Abraham Lincoln will turn in his grave in shame if he happens to visit Sri Lanka by chance even in his dream world.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In this backdrop, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it high time to call for a complete reversal of this system and make it once again a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”government by the people, for the people and of the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ as Lincoln said? To do this you need to install patriotic people of character, integrity, intelligence, wisdom and vision in the seats of power who are committed and dedicated to serve the people and not themselves as they do now. That is the kind of MPP we need in Parliament.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I can understand why big business men give fat donations to, practically all political parties. Because we all know, today no one can make money without politics. Politics after all is nothing but money and power and today it does not mean anything else particularly in this country, besides of cause chronic corruption and abuse of power and authority and suppression of their opponents.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now just look at some of the benefits an MP receives. A monthly salary of Rs 54,285 +30,000 petrol allowance pm, 10,000, Telephone allowance, 1,000 Entertainment allowance, 2000 hand Phone allowance and 500 per day for appearing (not for participating) in Parliament, Then also look at their other benefits like a duty free vehicle permit in every five years (to serve the people) value ranging from 65,000 to 300,000 and five star hotel food in the House at subsidized rates (almost free compared with outside prices). Then you add to this things like hose rent say 100,000 pm even if you live in your own house. To this one has to add other expenses like security, staff, office equipments like computers and traveling. You also add what are called Fringe benefits of becoming a politician. In certain cases this is the most lucrative benefit an MP or a Minister gets. Think of things like liquor permits, contracts, santhosam for state appointments, commissions and collections from foreign employment and foreign trips etc. On the top of all these at the end of five years they also get a fat pension of 54,285 per month, (I think the last salary they drew) which will pass on to his wife as well, after he dies. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Remember all these benefits are taken to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”serve the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is the other job under the sun where you can get a windfall like this the moment one becomes an MP? Mps pension scheme is contrary to the provisions of the pension minute and is also a violation of fundamental rights of all public servants in this country. Look at the pittance a public servant gets after 35 years of service (which is compulsory) as his pension who toils his entire life to serve the people. The other thing is once you enter the Parliament you are settled for generations under the PR system. If an MP does not have a legal wife or a legitimate issue then he might in future nominate the cat or the dog at home to succeed, if the present trend continues. Because when all MPP in Parliament vote for it that is the end to it. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Take few minutes in the name of the future generation and try to calculate the hypothetical value of an average politician at the end of five years. I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think any one can even guess that.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now you see why these candidates spend so much to get in to the Parliament.

Then look at the number of political institutions, the Parliament, Provincial Councils, Pradesiya Sabhas, MCC, UCC and the number of politician, 225 in Parliament and some 700 odd in Provincial Councils including 8 Governors when the same job could be done more efficiently with about 300 politicians at both these levels. Also look at the colossal amounts of money wasted on them and their up-keep and security etc.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Find the money so spent and weigh it with the social benefit the country gets in return. Whose money are they spending so generously and lavishly like this?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If it is representative democracy then these MPP must represent the people who elect them and their interests. Does that happen today? People elect MPP and form Governments to get what they want and definitely not for the politicians to do what they want. But in Sri Lanka this is exactly what happens. So why do you vote these people, for them to do what they want?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now look at some of the election promises they have put out in their manifestoes. Since any one can see them in their manifestoes published, I do not want to repeat them here for brevity. I went through all of them. You would have noticed that they make nice and tempting election promises to deceive the electors. But as I see them, all are general statements tailored to get out very easily. None of them are specific, may be deliberately manipulated for ease of evading. For example one can say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We stream light University EducationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ which means nothing. Instead why canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t they say we will admit 75,000 or 100,000 students annually to the Universities which is more specific? Are they really serious in solving peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s problems? As for me I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think so. They are serious only in solving their own problems. Why they come out with this type of manifestos, could be attribute to either their ignorance of the real problems or their carelessness or cunningness on the other hand.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Please go through their promises and see whether any one of them contain any one of the following general issues that should be addressed immediately if any one wants to take this country out of the mess these politicians have created over the past few decades since Independence.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 1 Reduction of the jumbo cabinet to about 15 (MR has said this time he is going to have 35 in the cabinet; why 35 when it could e with 15), reduction of the size of the Parliament to about 125, cutting down of the enormous financial and other benefits and privileges of politicians like huge pay packets and allowances and other fringe benefits like the five year windfall of duty free vehicles and finally a fat pension after five years, so that only people with some means who are bent to serve the people will stay in politics.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 2 Establishment of a Senate of 30 (Second Chamber) so that the country can get the service of distinguished senior citizens who are experts in different fields like Administration, Law, Engineering, Medicine, Commerce, Finance Education Industry Agriculture, Culture, Foreign AffairsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  etc for good governance.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 3 Abolition of the Provincial Councils that have only created nearly 700 new political posts and thousands of political and administrative institutions that benefit only the politicians and their families and waste more than Rs 5000 million a year to maintain them

(If they implement 1&3 above that alone will save over 65% of th3 national expenditure.)

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 4 Laying down some basic qualifications and ethical and moral standards for politicians.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  (Note that even to be a scavenging labourer you need to have some basic qualifications)

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 5 Setting up of a Political and Administrative system that suits this country that could bring together all communities as one nation and minimize government expenditure and make it a politically stable and economically and socially vibrant and prosperous nation. (The Tun Rata system that can work effectively with less than 300 politicians both for the Parliament and the Tun Rata))

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 6 Scrap the pension system to all politicians. Few days ago I herd Daya Fasqual former MP for Agalawatta saying that gets a monthly pension of Rs 30,000 today where as he got only a salary of Rs 600 pm when he was an Mp long time ago. Imagine a public servant who has passed all the exams for recruitment and promotions etc and worked for 35 years getting a pittance after 55 years while a politician with five years getting about Rs 60,000 per month after 5 years in Parliament. This is a violation of the pension minute as well as basic human rights of all public servants.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 7 Scrap useless Departments and Corporations that do not contribute any thing to the economy but only drain out the little money we have.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 8 Prohibition of appointment of defeated politicians to public positions like heads of Corporations and Ambassadors etc

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 9 Stop forth with the issue of duty free vehicle permits every five years to politicians (As a matter of fact none of them use these permits to buy vehicle. They all sell it in the black market)

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 10Abolish the Proportional Representation system and go for the old electoral system and enable the people to select, elect, and reject their representative the way they want without sending parachutes from all over the Island to fish for preferences and vanish after the catch is over.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 11 Free the public Service from politics and stop making it a refugee camp for political appointees who not only do not make any contribution to national development but also ruin such institutions and the whole country. Government Departments and Corporations should not be used as employment factories packed with those who support the respective political parties at elections making them economically unproductive ventures. Already we have one public servant for every 16 people; I think the highest recorded for any country in the world. All public institutions should have definite carders in proportion to their work load. The responsibility of the government should be to create additional avenues of productive employments in the development sector rather than over-packing the public institutions with political supporters that ruin them. Three good examples are the CTB, the petroleum Corporation and the Water Board.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 12 A National system of education and abolition of International Schools that ruin the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s educational system

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 13 Re-establishing legislative, executive, judicial, financial and Administrative independence so that each will act as check and balance system against the other to ensure good governance

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 14 Removal of financial allocations to Politicians and allocating them to Ministries and departments etc on a functional basis under the Annual Estimates and hold public officials accountable and responsible for their dismemberment and expenditure.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 15 Make University and higher education available to all who qualify to enter Universities and make educated people a major source of foreign exchange earning so that both the country and the people will benefit.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 16 Depoliticize Public Service and once again make it a true professional Public Service and not a service of the party in power any more.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 17 Compel all politicians to work free for five years for nation building and open the doors of politics to all those who wish to serve the people without making it either a hereditary or a feudal succession system as it is been done today.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The answer is no. But in spite of all these lapses what I really do not understand is as to why the ordinary men and women die for the present day politicians, running after them lighting crackers, putting up cut outs, pasting posters by day and night at very high risk, and even killing others and finally dying themselves. I also do not see any difference between them and those who died for Pirapaharan; may be they all die today for tomorrows eternal martyrdom. Or is it for the hands of the thousand virgins waiting for them in the heaven, after death? I do not know.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Voting at this election is different from the Presidential election. The President was one man whom the people knew well. He deserves our vote for many reasons. He was the one who spear headed the war against the LTTE. He was also the man who successfully withstood western threats and kept India in its place and consolidated our stand as an independent nation. In any case he is better than all other leaders after Premadasa. So I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think any prudent man or women should regret for voting him.

But the same thing cannot be said of most ministers whose faces you may not have seen for the past five years. Champika Ranawaka says some Ministers who get Rs 38 lacks a month have already spent Rs 300 million, only on cut-outs by now. From where do they get this money as Champika has very correctly pointed out? ArenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t they going to earn that money with interest after the election? These are some of the pertinent questions people should ask before they blindly cast their vote to such questionable candidates.

Look for men like Luxman Kadiragama, Lalith Atulathmudali, and Gamani Jayasuriya, to name few. If you have, you vote them. If you donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you think that you are betraying the country and the entire future generation by casting your valuable vote to these parasitic wolves that will not only devourer you but the whole country and the nation at the end. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So before you decide to walk to the poling station on the 8^th of April, why donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you ask these all smiling politicians, whether they are prepared to agree to implement the above conditions if they want your vote.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Demand them and force them to include this kind of people friendly issues in their manifestoes, if they are genuine in serving the people and if they also want your vote.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If you carefully analyze the modus operandi in our political system you will understand why politicians avoid inclusion of this type of issues in heir manifestoes. It could be attributed to a number of reasons. Firstly they donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t know the actual problems of the ordinary people because after getting elected they have been away from the people. Secondly they have been living in the lap of luxury getting most of their things free or at subsidized prices; they never use the public transport as they are provided with luxury vehicles even over and above the maximum requirements, just to keep them in the party. Thirdly they are really not concerned about the people because under the present system of elections they get elected whether they work or not. Even if they donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t get the preference from one electorate the cumulative effect of the total number of electorates in the district send them to parliament. They know that people like donkeys line up and vote them and kick others out.

As I see the whole system is craftily invented and maneuvered for the benefit of politicians and their families only, for which all of them have to be grateful to the Grand Old Fox, J.R. None of the components benefits the people or the country. They only torment and oppress the people, collectively and individually, and ruin the country. If that is so, then why do you vote them in to power? Are you not putting the serpent under the sarong yourself and crying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Kanavo! Kanavo!! Is it not that you are asking for self destruction?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I am not asking you not to vote. But I am only asking you to get a concrete commitment from the Parties as well as the candidates before you become a prey to these vultures.

Look at their broad smiles of the walls, on the trees, on the vehicles, on the roads, on the banners and giant cut-outs, on the dust bins and garbage cubicles, in the papers and on the television screens. Imagine the enormous amounts of money criminally wasted on these nefarious activities. Why do they spend so much and die for power. Is it because they love the people and they want to serve the people or make more money for themselves.

The days are ripe enough my dear friends, I think; to say Good by to this type of corrupt and foul smelling dirty Machiavellian politics in this country, where they do every thing to come to power, consolidate their power so gained and try to remain in power as long as they can, perpetuating it down the family tree. Why not at least now realize this folly and tragedy and resolve to take governance in this country once again to the traditional

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Bahu Jana Sukhaya Bahujana Hitaya Model of domestic politics as enunciated by Lord Buddha that had ensured good governance in this Island Nation for 2500 years or more.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Please remember that only during an election time, that too only for few minutes until you put your cross in the box, you have your sovereignty in your hands. What you sow you reap. So use your head and take the correct decision without getting carried away by emotions and false promises of Machiavellian politicians any more.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If you, at least, could select and vote only for those who donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t pollute the environment with their posters on walls, garbage bins and trees, accident prone cut-outs by the roadside, painting on the roads, giant blind folding banners, advertisements in the press and who donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t waste our precious time on the TV with their filthy and coarse voices, I think, that alone will minimize the undesirables going to the legislature, that Sanctum of Good Governance.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Few guide lines for your convenience

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vote only the Party because in any case we need some form of government until a better one is formed

DonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t cast your preference to candidates as we donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s representatives any more under this system.

Vote for One Nation, One Country, One Language and One Law

Vote only the Party that Abolish the PR.

Vote only the Party prepared to Reduce the Cabinet to 15, Reduce the size of Parliament to 125, CUT enormously excessive privileges to MPP such as Pensions for a Five year ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ServiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, and duty free vehicle permits etc.

Vote only the Party prepared to abolish the Provincial Councils

Vote only the Party who will Depoliticize Public Service

Vote for the party that will not field thugs, nincompoops, pimps, corrupt and dishonest men and criminals.

Vote only the Party who will not appoint defeated politicians as Chairmen of Corporations and Ambassadors

Vote only the Party prepared to abolish the National list

Vote only the Party prepared to bring back Law and Order and justice to this country.

Vote for a party prepared to restore the Senate that will act as a mechanism of check and balance system against the Parliament and also make use of experience and expertise on different fields of men and women of distinction for nation building.

Vote the Party prepared to tell Sambandan and Hakeem that there are no Tamil and Muslim Countries or nations within Sri Lanka

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In case you decide to vote a candidate

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vote only the Candidates who have a clean track record and who can make some positive contribution for nation building

Vote men with Character, Wisdom, Integrity, Honesty and those who have an iota of Lajja Bhaya left with them.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Vote only the candidates who have not changed their parties for personal gain like portpolios.

Vote only the Candidates prepared to serve the Country without Salaries for Five Years

Vote only Candidates who Can and whom you think could Serve the People and the Country

Vote only candidates who donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t ask for the Manapaya and who donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t pollute the environment with posters etc

Vote only those who love the country and prepared to enact a new Constitution that suits the country, that puts an end to communal hatred and divided allegiance and make this Island nation, once again one country and one nation.

Vote persons who are prepared to put the country before self.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If you can do this at the forthcoming election you can rest in peace thinking you have done your duty by your Motherland.