National Government – Sealing the Motor-Mouths?
Posted on March 24th, 2015
Prof. Hudson McLean
The introduction of the National Government is a classic move orchestrated by RW and blindly followed by My3, to Silence the Critics.
The first move to Upgrade General Sarath Fonseka cleared two obstacles.
First: By giving more medals to General to make him Field Marshall for no valid reason, keeps him out as a potential future political threat.
Second: By this elevation, My3 “buys” the personal loyalty of Field Marshall Fonseka.
Actually, from the photos published, the Field Marshall looks Ready-to-Fly!
But knowing how Fonseka “bit-the-hand-that-fed” by opposing Mahinda Rajapaksa at the earlier Presidential battle, there is no guarantee that a “chest-full-of-medals” and a Baton will keep ambition-hungry Fonseka, in-the-ring.
Wait for his next move!
For a country, with severe economic constrains, the appointment of more Ministers, can only be described as a “farce”.
The UK coalition government formed of the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrat Party, composed of the Prime Minister and some 21 Cabinet ministers.
I suspect that the reason behind offering the “Milk & Honey” pot is to control both the UNP-SLFP MPs in “one fell swoop”. Will also keep RW in power as the Prime Minister, to control the Executive President.
Allowing ex President Mahinda Rajapaksa to contest the Prime Ministerial candidature as a UPFA member, is bound to create waves within the UNP-SLFP marriage.
If MR wins, where will RW sit?
Will RW return to Opposition? Or sit in a coalition under MR?
Interesting times ahead!
Express Your Opinion – Read What Others Say!
The Independent Interactive Voice of Sri Lanka on the Internet.
Please visit -: http://www.lankaweb.com/
March 24th, 2015 at 7:07 am
Dear Prof: Where were you and what were your views when Ex President had a Cabinet of 100? I ask this question, because you now seem to be critical of 77 in the present “National Government”. You should be happy and pray this to stop at 77. As for me both these scenarios are utter “farce”. But for you 100 is better than 77. For your information that 100 and their “Goons”,”GOBBLE” us of our National Resources nearly to extinction. Re. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. He should have been given that title immediately after the end of war in 2009 May 09th, because he spear headed a war and triumphed over the worlds deadliest and ruthless “Terrorist Outfit” called LTTE. Don’t you think so. But in that case too, you don’t agree for the simple reason that Mr. Sarath Fonseka went against Mr. MR. and that was for you a betrayal. What type of reasoning on the part of a “Professor”? Don’t you think that all these “Political Jill Mart” who ever puts into stage must be condemned as such activities do not help a country with severe economic constrains. Am I wrong in looking at our present day problems in this manner? I seek your advice. Thank you.
March 24th, 2015 at 9:02 am
Re. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. He should have been given that title immediately after the end of war in 2009 May 09th, because he spear headed a war and triumphed over the worlds deadliest and ruthless “Terrorist Outfit” called LTTE.- Douglas
Thank you Douglas. Your statement of the truth is very commendable.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
March 24th, 2015 at 9:57 am
I think its a double wammy by yahplana modayas to prepare our dada idi amin to send to unhcr & haugue to face war crimes as the govt has finaly accepted officilay tiger war was won by one man war machine the greatest war vetran SF not by peons like MR & Gota who have only been running erands for SF’s commands in eliminating terrorism. Beautiful strategy !
March 24th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
SF should NEVER have been given the field marshall title because he was not OVERALL responsible for war victory.
My3 gave SF the FM title to FRAME HIM in war crimes as the HIGHEST responsible officer.
My3 knows very well SF is NOT satisfied with this. He wants more in POLITICS. Wait till August. My3 makes sure NOT to give SF his parliamentary seat!!
In school we used to write on a piece of paper something like “mama modaya” and paste it on someone’s back. He doesn’t know and others laugh at him. Same thing for Gonzeka.
March 24th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Douglas,
77 is certainly better than 100 but the election platform of MS/RW/CBK was to cut waste and limit the ministers. I understand that the circumstances have forced them to bring in more crooks to get the numbers in their favor. My issue is that they have already gone back on one of the primary promises they made to the (gullible)voter. True, MR did the same thing but no promises were made by him(or his crooks) on good governance and anti corruption.
Once the election is over in April(or whenever) and the MS/RW/CBK team realizes they are short of a simple majority, then they will want to bring in a “rehabilitated” Duminda or a “reformed” Mervyn or an “exonerated” Sarana into their ranks to bolster the numbers so as to hold on to the power. Bottom line is, this is all about remaining in power. So, to hell with the promises made and the people that voted for them based on those promises.
Then, to pull wool over the suckers who voted for them, they will prosecute Rohitha, Sajin, Ajith Nivad and the rest of the crooks who have no Parliamentary seat to offer the coalition to bolster their numbers.
Douglas, Mario and Mohandev,
As for General SF – He got a raw deal and should never have been incarcerated. He is not the only one who deserves plaudits. It was a joint effort by the 3 forces, police and the administration at the time. They should all be credited with the victory. That said, if I have to pick one person responsible for the victory, it would have to be MR for the political leadership he gave. Don’t forget, we had some awesome Generals before SF and the only reason they couldn’t finish the job was because of a lack of political will and leadership.
March 24th, 2015 at 3:07 pm
crobe: Thank you. I agree all these crooks elected to the Legislature have let down the voter whom they call their “Master”. Yet, the voter too continue to go behind these crooks and get deceived only to cry of being fooled. The voter too deserve to be “punished” for the blatant mistakes done during election time. This time, this “game” was played to get through the Constitutional Amendments and hope it will be stopped without going into further confusion.
I too agree with you in saying that the war winning was a “Group Effort”; but when someone try to acquire its glory for himself, that should not be allowed to go unchallenged. Can you remember how someone wrote a book titled “Gota’s War”. That is the type of “writers” and “journalists” this country has produced. That is a good indication of the lowest depths we have degenerated. As for MR’s war leadership, you know he too continued with the “peaceful” and “democratic” types of negotiations carried out under guidance of the Norway “Nade”. He (MR) was “PUSHED” to make a last minute decision when that “Mavilaru” blockade was imposed on the poor village. Were it not for that “PUSH”, MR would still be negotiating. You know WHO PUSHED him to war. Please do not forget those uprisings by the poor peasantry of that locality guided by a “Religious Ultra Nationalists” (that is how our people coloured them). I too in the same way admire MR for that consequential political leadership produced.
After winning the war in a “Group Effort”, see what this self claimed political leadership did to another war hero. MR stripped off his uniforms and made him to wear jail clothes popularly called “Jumper”, denied a pension, sent him to jail to sleep on a mat spread on the cemented floor, (SF had to get medical recommendation to get a mattress) made him to eat his food served in aluminum plate (Belek Thatiya). His first meal was infested with ants, and he had to brush aside the ants and eat it. Comparatively, we saw how he released, using Presidential powers, those criminals who were convicted for murder, bribery and other crimes; but could not show compassion for this man who at one time nearly lost his life in fighting the “barbaric” outfit called LTTE. In dishing out those disgraceful punishments to SF, MR displayed his low quality and almost compared to that “blood thirsty” “barbaric” bastard Velupillai Prabaharan. MR’s philosophy was; “exterminate anyone going against and uplift anyone prepared to lick the boots”. Simple as that.That was a disgrace to our “Buddhist Culture” in treating even ones own enemy. So the bottom line, as you said, “hell with this breed of political bastards”. We had enough of them and an alternative has to be found if we are to get out of this life long suffering.
March 24th, 2015 at 3:26 pm
In 2005 MR did NOT promise to have only 30 ministers. But My3 promised to have only 30 ministers by whatever name the MFs are called.
This is the difference.
So My3 is terminating the CONTRACT he entered into with the people. Mr did NOT in 2006 by appointing a JUMBO cabinet literally.
The election game is all about SELLING BELIEVABLE LIES. IF MR-WW camp wants to WIN they better do the same. IF My3 dies (say due to a heart attack, etc.) MR camp will VERY EASILY WIN.
There are benefits of the national govt.
1. Election gets postponed. It is BAD for UNP. Pons will be unable to make use of the MOMENTUM of winning in January 2015.
2. Minority MPs are no longer KING MAKERS. Look at Hack-him’s ministry today – sewage ministry!
3. IF Tamils have an IOTA of brains left they should ATTACK now when the govt. is weak to get their demands. This is the mistake VP did. He did NOT attack when the weak RW govt. was in power. He paid the price for it!! Attack now and see how “war winning” field marshalls and other “heroes” will respond. DISASTER! Easier to get ALL Tamil demands NOW. Its now or never.
Same with Islamic demands.
MR camp should SECRETLY arouse them and PIT them against UNP clowns.
e.g. T Maheswaran was a very close friend of MR. He REFUSED to contest from Jaffna in 2004. LTTE approved it. That costed UNP seats in BOTH Jaffna AND Colombo.
e.g. Emil Kanthan
e.g. Karuna + Pillayar
HORSES FOR COURSES!
March 24th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
My3’s strategists followed my advice to the letter. IF MR wants to WIN, he should do same.
But now My3 has been TAKEN HOSTAGE by UNP losers. This is NOT what we worked for. Voters have been FOOLED.
The 3 KEY avenues of attack for MR camp should be.
1. drive a wedge between SF and UNP.
2. drive a wedge between govt. and the military.
3. drive a wedge between ethnic communities.
All 3 are inter-connected. Promise to SCRAP 13 amendment early which will worsen the above 3.
March 24th, 2015 at 4:03 pm
“In 2005 MR did NOT promise to have only 30 ministers. But My3 promised to have only 30 ministers by whatever name the MFs are called.” -Lorenzo.
In 2010 MR did promise to “reduce” the cabinet. He reduced a bit initially and increased heavily afterwards. There is no difference but 77 is still less than 100. Nevertheless we don’t even need 30, 20 is sufficient. Increase the salaries (double treble if you want) but get good people who do not steal the country. At the moment most are thrives in some way.
March 24th, 2015 at 6:35 pm
Lorenzo, you say “In school we used to write on a piece of paper something like “mama modaya” and paste it on someone’s back. He doesn’t know and others laugh at him. Same thing for Gonzeka.”
This proves that you are not a Tamil as you claim, unless you are a Tamil studied in Sinhala medium.
March 24th, 2015 at 6:55 pm
Indrajith,
I studied in Singhala medium from year * onwards.
But you will be surprised to know MOST Tamils in Tamil only schools in Colombo knew Singhala very well. I learned by first Singhala from Tamils!!
March 24th, 2015 at 8:31 pm
Namaste: Indian imperialists are on track. They got the prize with Indian block vote at the last presidential election. Now everything is sealed. The next step is to stop any chance of non Indians getting a two thirds majority. It is a remote possibility but Indian imperialists will no longer leave things to chance after what happened with Mahinda when they backed him by the Indian block vote abstaining from voting. We fight among ourselves blaming each other and calling mamas. Jai Hind
March 24th, 2015 at 8:48 pm
This is the greatest betrayal of post independent Sri Lanka for the island voters. 51.2% votes are robbed in broad daylight with the MY3 carrot called 100 day program just to get into the driver seat. Now, fishing from MR votes ( 48.8% ) and forming national government to be in power further. The UNP led rainbow ( gay & pimp ) coalition wants the TNA to lead the opposition like JRJ did in seventies to show the world the importance of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. Sinhala Majority voters, be aware this government is digging your grave. Sri Lanka will be a country where the suppressed majority slaving themselves for the minorities thanks to these political goons ..
March 24th, 2015 at 11:06 pm
Promoting retired general Fonseka to Field marshal and brining him back to active duty will surely come back to haunt Sirisena and create lot of problems for the country, as if we don’t have enough already.
Pleasing Sarath Fonseka is a never ending excercise and one never should have undertaken.
He will not be interested in his MP post any longer as he now has powers equal to that of a minister for life!(what a potta chance gov.is this) and obviously he will set his sights much higher such as executive president! Since he knows that he can not get it the conventional way he is only left with the unconventional way.
Mark my words,he will defenitely give it a try! and soon there will be oppotunity too when the general elections are over with a hung parliament.
We have a lot thank for if that happens. The ven.Sobhitha double first,now wailing ven. Rathana,electrified Pacha. Dental specilist Rajitha and so no
March 25th, 2015 at 3:02 am
I think Prof McLeans point here is not whether Sarath Fonseka deserves the Field Marshall title or not. I believe, he is stating that as this title gives him a lifetime position in the Armed Forces, (equivalent to a Minister, which will keep him happy), Sarath Fonseka will be prohibited from engaging in politics. That means, he wont be a threat to Ranil or Chandrika or any other person. This is an Ace move by Ranil and he must be so relieved and having a good laugh, at Sarath Fonseka’s expense..
Also as for the rapidly multiplying ministerial positions, what the Prof could be saying is, the present bunch who came to power condemning the large number of Ministers and deputies in the last Government, is now no better but already engaged in same practices. In fact this has also placed JVP in an awkward position, as one of their primary goals was to reduce the number of Ministerial positions.
March 25th, 2015 at 3:38 am
Indrajith
Lorenzo is a Tamil he know better Tamil than average Tamils eg: He know Thirukkurral ( very high standard Tamil- google it …) very well
but I do not understand his logic He want Mother Lanka to be Bhuddist Sinhala Country even though he is not Bhuddist or Sinhala that is why I believed ( not 100% ) USA-Ananda about Lorenzo.
March 25th, 2015 at 10:12 am
I agree with Soori. RW is playing his cards so that he remains in power as Exec PM as long as is possible. Rule Britannia ! MY3 more confident since he shook the Quuen’s naked hand and this may be his downfall ?