Shenali D Waduge

With the Parliamentary Elections to be announced it is now time that the People of Sri Lanka demanded from all political parties to adopt a formula whereby 75% of their nominations are given to new people. The people are now disgusted and have had enough of the same people jumping like kangaroos from one party to the other for purely personal gains and nothing else. This type of ridiculous behaviour must stop and it is upto the party leaders to make a call.

Introducing new faces must take place at every electoral level – municipality / local government, provincial & parliamentary. If we start from the bottom the high performers can be considered to be nominated for parliamentary nominations as well.

However, before nominating it is important that we nurture a set of people fit to draw legislation who love the country, do not wish to divide it, promotes peaceful coexistence while ensuring the history & heritage of the country is not diluted or transferred.

We are now tired of having to vote for people with these traits. Whatever the party these MPs have become a curse to the nation. The people need to feel safe in their country, they need to know that the national security is kept in tact and that foreign incursions of whatever nature is kept in check and that foreign agendas are not at work. All that the majority of people want is to leave in a stable environment, sustainable development, educate their children, nurture them with values, build employable youth and thereafter watch them provide a service to the nation. Action plans of any government must be sensitive to these common needs therefore the leaders must be of a mind to understand what the people want and how their needs can be catered to within the national policy framework. This is why we need leaders who can think, act and deliver.

We do not wish to have politicians with these traits!

• Highly inefficient
• Knowledgeable in corruption
• Lobbies for family favors and ensures family’s political future
• Excellent at networking among mafia and criminal circles
• Knowledgeable in financial irregularities and how to incorporate them when & how
• Excellent oratorical skills to defend every wrong doing and wrong doer!
• Excellent at tapping loopholes and inadequacies in the system and the weaknesses of those around them.
• Best actors/actresses during times of crisis – and can outdo the professionals any day
• Sincere commitment to dishonesty & lies
• Adept at avoiding honest, sincere company
• Adept at seizing opportunities
• Endowed with special skills to befriend foes of any type
• Places family first, family wealth, position/power and last of all comes the nation
• Astute use of verbal offence and even physical prowess to make a point
• Excellent ability to cover up
• Exemplary skills at improving secret banks accounts

Instead we hope that by encouraging a formula of 75% new faces with the below criteria we would build quality people capable and able to command our respect and be of service to the nation.

• Be knowledgeable of the history (pre-colonial / colonial )
• Know how the Kings of Sri Lanka defended the nation & it is this compassionate governance that needs to be continued not governance that is foreign to us (tactics & strategies used)
• Knowledge of world history
• Give priority to indigenous/local at every decision making level
• Policies should always remember that nations have no permanent friends but permanent interests!  
• Be well read (whatever language)
• Have knowledge of civics and economics
• Given that even the educated in Parliament have at one time or other behaved worse than the uneducated it is best that we stick to a minimum educational qualification of Advanced Level as pre-requisite to enter politics
• No court record of guilt for monetary or criminal offences. No one found guilty of monetary / criminal offence is eligible to contest elections at any level. People too should know not to vote for them.
• All politicians contesting from a constituency must be living in that constituency throughout.

The academia are advised to formulate a program that will inculcate historical and contemporary leading styles into a practical and workable model where divided into varying political levels these politicians can spend time learning the art of governance. After becoming MPs or Ministers they must continuously be given refresher courses on global politics so they are not clueless of what is happening around the world and even in Sri Lanka. An indigenous course run through a national university with local lecturers and guest foreign speakers is what our politicians are in need of.

It is only when one has a good background knowledge one is able to demand relevant reports/statistics and thereafter make a judgement after having sought consultations from various advisors. Politicians should not allow advisors to decide.

Shenali D Waduge