The abundant promise of sovereign privilege – Rise of the Yaha Yugaya :
Posted on December 25th, 2015

By Lucian Rajakarunanayake Courtesy Island

MPs to have a new goal in politics – Rs. 20,000 for each day in Parliament – News item.

“Looks like the New Year will bring buckshees of cheer for MPs”, said Yahavadana.

“Did you ever think of Sri Lanka being a breeding ground for millionaires… or even billionaires, by the pack?” asked Yahakeliya. “Hope you are not trying to get back to recent history…haven’t we heard enough of those people with so much political bounty, whose files are too thick to move at the various commissions of inquiry?” said Yaharatne.

article_image

“This is nothing to do with tales of fraud, corruption and nepotism, which was the stuff of the year that is just coming to an end…it, is the rapid spread of democracy,” said Yahavadana.

“How does democracy produce millionaires or billionaires by the pack…I’ve never heard of such a thing… surely we are in not a land of oligarchs such as Russia or Ukraine….look, even the United States that must be having the largest number of millionaires, don’t produce them by the pack.; so how come we can do so. And India, with all its millionaires, has not yet thought on those lines,” said Yahadenuma. “We have our own traditions, why should we follow others? Now don’t get me wrong… it is all part of Maithreeya…of abundance for the chosen few…that is the essence of Yahapaalanaya or Good Governance. It is what the people voted for one year ago. Do you remember that campaign as it was coming to its highest pitch in late December,” asked Yahakeliya.

“I do remember the campaign. But I don’t recall anything being said about producing packs of millionaires or billionaires,” said Yahavadana.

“Look at it this way. The Budget was passed with a two-thirds majority. So we obviously have the money. Don’t you think that getting such a huge majority is a call for generous thanksgiving…thanksgiving of the five-sixth type,” said Yahadenuma.

“May be, but the votes came from Members of Parliament, the representatives of the people….what has that got to do with any pack of million or billionaires?” asked Yaharatne.

“You must understand the new trend in politico-economic thinking. We have moved away from the time when the people’s representatives were given huge bribes of political office to keep the Family Tree in power, with every branch weighed down with loads of corruption,” said Yahapavula.

“You mean we will soon re-open the political doors to corruption?” asked Yahakeliya.

“I think you should get your vision tested, if you think we have closed any doors to corruption. It is certainly thriving and making inroads into so-called good governance with great ease. What is now lined up is not giving political bribes to MPs. That is old hat. What is planned is on the maithree pipeline is to recognize the full worth of the representatives of the people who sit in the supreme legislature. It is the best acceptance of the sovereignty of the people,” said Yahavadana.

 

“You are talking in riddles. What has the sovereignty of the people have to do with breeding millionaires or billionaires?” asked Yahakeliya. “Just think of this great new plan to pay a member of parliament Rs. 20,000 for being present at each sitting of the House. It is a 400 percent increase in what they get now as the sittings allowance…in addition to their salary. Don’t you think it is a yahamalla of great value?” asked Yahavadana.

“Do you think the people will let this happen?” asked many.

“How do you think the people can stop it, if Parliament passes it? Anyway, what can the people do to stop Parliament from passing this? It is already widely discussed in the corridors of the House. They see it as a new recognition of the people’s sovereignty,” said Yahadenuma.

“Do you think the Joint Opposition, or whatever it is called, will also vote for it?” was the query by Yahapavula.

“C’mon, they are MPs – voted by the people…they are all members of the House – the August Assembly. This bumper bonus per sitting of the House will be considered part of Parliamentary Privilege. Who will oppose such privilege,” asked Yahakeliya.

“Whether a privilege or not, it is certainly not what they told the people when asking for their votes. No one said a word about raising the sitting fee. They were only trying to creep in there for the power, profit and privileges already available,” said Yahakeliya.

“You don’t have any idea of the working of democracy in Sri Lanka. What is practiced is not what is promised. What is promised is not what is intended to be practiced….this a ball game of sovereign profit, won through the sovereignty of the people,” that was Yahadenuma.

“Where do you think the money will come from?” asked a yaha-chorus.

“You can be sure it will be from the people,” was Yahadenuma’s reply.

“I see a big catch in this,” said Yahabuddhi.

“What is the catch?”

“It looks like the best way of keeping MPs from going to their electorates and working with the people…They will want to be present at every sitting…” said Yahadenuma

“Yes, but there will be no conditions on how they behave in Parliament to earn the extra millions. They will just be as they are…some shouting, some jeering, some rough and even dirty language, even a fisticuff or two…but all that’s part of the sovereignty of the people. What more can you expect from these torch bearers for democracy,” said Yahabuddhi.

“I think there will be more to follow…such as free chopper rides for those who do bother to go to their electorates…transferable duty free import permits on all personal goods for self and family… that is the rise of people’s sovereignty,” said Yahadenuma.

“Looks like it will be Hail, Maithri all the while, with a new and costly page of history being written…describing the Yaha Yugaya in this Dhammadeepa.

“Hail, Hail” they all said, raising glasses that had no cheer in them, in keeping with the rising spirit of maithreeya.

One Response to “The abundant promise of sovereign privilege – Rise of the Yaha Yugaya :”

  1. Sarath W Says:

    Is’nt it the duty of the MP’s to attend the parliament? Instead of bribing them to attend the parliament and vote for this government’s dud policies, why not fine them for not attending? These clowns and thugs ( some illiterate) already get huge salaries, including defender vehicles and body guards, more than what they deserves.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

 

 


Copyright © 2024 LankaWeb.com. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Wordpress