Who Should be the PM?
Posted on April 16th, 2010
Prof. Hudson McLean
Many cooks are trying to boil the pot to appoint the PM in the newest Sri Lankan political firmament.
Actually, it is the President Mahinda Rajapaksa who will decide on this appointment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The PM is not elected. He is appointed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is usually a faithful, loyal, trusted Party member, not necessarily the man with the highest number of votes at the Parliamentary Elections.
What many readers of Lankaweb as well as foreign “advisers” have not grasped, is the fact, that they are trying teach His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa to “suck eggs”. Not just trying to suggest,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but trying to impose their will.
Good ole President has achieved the impossible of crushing terrorism, not by chance or a miracle but with careful intelligent planning, and plan implementation.
I think MR has the “touch” to appoint the “right Administrator” to perform the daily functions of running the country.
However, I must add that, this is no negative statement against Basil Rajapaksa. BR is a valuable right hand man, a great asset, to support any President, in any country. It so happens that BR is the brother of MR. There are parallels in history, such as JFK appointed his trusted brother Robert Kennedy, as the Attorney General.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
So far HE has conducted his brief extremely well, in a professional and a competent manner.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We may assume that HE has, over and above his natural intelligence, a group of like minded Back Office Advisors.
One might assume that this Inner Circle has now decided the formation of the next Cabinet.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hopefully it is a Lean & Mean functional, professional Cabinet.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ HE can now afford to be tough in his decisions and Put the Country Before the Hangers-On and the Parasites.
One might also make an intelligent guess that neither Gothabhaya nor Basil would suffer from any inferiority complex if HE gave neither a Cabinet Post.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, both GR and BR deserve highly responsible High Profile posts to support the President.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It so happens that they are family. Its a family with brains! So what!
The HE’s track record shows that HEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ selected a professional team to normalise Sri Lanka by eradicating terrorism. However, human greed pushed Sarath Fonseka into a cess pit.
The next stage is to move the country forward by inviting inward foreign investment and cooperating with the friendly powers like Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Libya, without boot-licking the EU and USA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This demands the personalities such as Rohitha Bogollagama, although he lost in the polls.
The major powers in the West will realize sooner or later that the Strategic Value of Sri Lanka is worth more than 100 times the ground volume of the Island.
Hambantota harbour, once is operational, which can accommodate some Very Large Container Vessels, will be an eye-opener thanks to the Sino-Lankan friendship. Sri Lanka may accommodate the over-spill from Singapore.
The sevices industry once its running in full steam, will generate revenues and create employment without any recourse to GSP.
All these are positive elements which HE can ride on for the next five years, and bring the biggest trophies home, IF HE can eradicate Bribery & Corruption.
This is where MR needs the trusted, professional hands of BR. A heavy handed gate-crashing approach with No Holds Barred!
There should be legislation to punish those who rob the country by accepting Bribery and promote Corruption. Such people are terrorists of a different kind.
Another area is the supply of Bunker Fuel to ships. This is a highly lucrative side business to a chosen few, who rake-in millions of dollars a month.
All supplies to Military and other government owned industries such as airline, food, staples should be closely monitored.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “Squealing” on perpetrators should be encouraged and rewarded, supported by High Profile trials.
And the country has given its mandate to MR and by the looks of it, HE will deliver. And the selection and the appointment of the next PM would be the prerogative of HE.
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April 16th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Well written article. Well done Prof!!
April 16th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Professor Hudson ! You have stated very emphatically, that those who are trying to teach His Excellency how to ‘suck eggs’ is positively trying to impose their innate sinister will. They certainly have an underlying agenda, and have the audacity to announce the results, before a decision has not yet been arrived at. An age old ‘ modus operandi ‘ was put into operation, to praise His Excellency, and each member of his family to High Heaven. His Excellency is too smart to fall for that.
I suggested to his Excellency, after the War was over, to appoint a 1st Vice President, to look after Rehabilitation and Reconciliation of all Sri Lankans in every part of the Country, East to West, and North to East. It will be an ongoing, and an arduous task. I did suggest the name of Basil Rajapakshe, as he had tacit human relations par excellence.
Then I suggested to appoint a 2nd Vice President, to overlook the overall Security of Sri Lanka, from East to West, and North to South, and the maritime boundaries. I suggested the name of Dr. Gotabaya, as he has the expertise, and capacity par excellence.
Next, I suggested that a 3rd Vice President be appoined to look after the Agricultural, Fisheries, and the Industrial Sector. I was at a loss to name an individual for this position.
I also suggested that each Vice President, will deal with the Ministries, and Departments under his purview.
It was my point of view that these three Vice Presidents, will take part of the stress and strain off His Excellency The President, and leave more thinking time to planning, and travelling to friendly countries, to create better rapport, and cameraderie among nations.
It was very essential that His Excellency places his most trusted individuals to these positions. Brothers ofcourse.
This is only a suggestion, and my point of view.
April 16th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
//There should be legislation to punish those who rob the country by accepting Bribery and promote Corruption. Such people are terrorists of a different kind.//
This is to be done at any cost. Our country is ruined by corrupt people in HIGH places. Biribery is now a NATIONAL problem.
April 17th, 2010 at 4:04 am
Honoured Professor
Keep giving good advise to the President and the Government just as you have done so in the past
April 17th, 2010 at 4:15 am
Susantha there is no provision in the Constitution to appoint Vice Presidents. When did you talk to him (MR) anyway? How can you access to the President like that? You should have asked him to appoint you as the 3rd Vice President., as you seem to be knowledgable! you can come on the National List – it is so easy these days. Our friend Priyantha Abeywickrame should be the 4th Vice Presidenet (with MS Mudali being his drinks boy). Then Karuna Amman the 5th and Ferial Ashraf (from National List) 6th. If Karu Jayasuriya wants to make another frog jump, then he will be the 7th Vice Presidenet. 3 reserved for Hakeem, Mano Ganeshan and finally Ranil.
Anyway who’s going to be the Prime Minister – I want Rathnasiri.
Foreign Minister – I believe GL Peiris may be good, but to be honest with you, Bogolla was not too bad. I don’t mind if he comes back from the National List. Nimal Siripala will be a disaster, Mahinda Samarasinghe is not up to the task, but Lalith Weeratunge may be good, if comes on National List.
The best asset that the Government got is Gota! Man can do any job so well.
April 17th, 2010 at 5:37 am
Thanks Sita for considering me for a position in MR regime. I hope you are not sleep typing your comment. Probably I know Rajapaksas long before any of you began to mention their names. If necessary, I can try to lick their boots as there are many options available to me and wonder whether he was calling me to come home during unstable times of my mind. Some of the prominent people helping them were known to me when they were ordinary people like us a long time ago. Unfortunately I say NEVER EVER. They have to send special forces to carry me in chains even to make me attend any of their public meetings. BUT, there was a time we thought that they were one of us until …. and English got in the middle to develop the country and forced down our throats to gain knowledge.
I love to see the Irish professor back, one of the attractions that made me to visit Lankaweb. Sita, Those of you who believe in MR need to do your best to help his regime as failure could be a disaster for his family. I hope SF, JVP or the like would never come to power. But who knows as the floating votes of migrants could decide the outcome if the Sinhala majority abandons him. I hope you know that Sinhala people stand for their values not for who they are. I wish you never come to know what my people have done until recently for Rajapaksas. In eighties, under JRJ’s brutal oppression, when nobody offered them a place in our region to hold a political meeting chaired by their party leader, my inherited land was the only option left for them. But we got nothing to do with them now. If those championing English values fail in their deeds and lose their powers, we will unleash our dogs when anyone with a history of promoting English makes a visit to our caves. By the way, we never had the shame of supporting people like RW or the Commies.
April 17th, 2010 at 6:41 am
Priyantha thank you for coming out and opening up yourself. This is great. I note you value your prnciples which is good, as our politocos have 0 principles. Priyantha if you honour the Sinhala Buddhist Culture, then I salute you Sir, and consider you as one of my best friends.
April 17th, 2010 at 7:39 am
I like to hear what the good Professor says.
Correct, one must be mindful of the public opinion in appointing people to high offices, one must not be seen to be
-seving one’s own family while possessing the strength of purpose not to be waylaid by cheap taunts,
-favouring those who are running business rackets or those with a reputation for expense accounts of stratopheric proportioins
We need a person of highest clibre, integrity, experience, and
– capable of working on all cylinders all through the coming period,
– who can deliver us the best deal in the interest of the country in the tough negotiations ahead in trade, commerce, exports. rights of overseas workers
– keeping not only the immediate five years but the generations to come in mind
– acceptable, amenable and fitting with all hues of the national geographical and human diversity in Sri Lanka.
It is a tough challenge, in such a star studded field as our current list of winners, not forgetting the ones in waiting in the national list.
HE has a demonstrated a track record of choosing correctly and we mere mortal can only marvel at the winning he will come up with once again.