A Concerned Citizen

THE ETHOS AND CULTURE OF THE COUNTRY

I propose that we absolutely devote ourselves to the ideal of fairness, justice and of being one people, one nation, with one destiny. We are in this together. Any suffering by one affects us all. I would advocate we follow the principles, honourable practices and aspirations of our Independence movement who fought long and hard and implemented the right plans and policies which were later twisted and destroyed by opportunists later. That we follow the compassionate way of our ancestors, by treating all of us equally – both preserving the ancient traditions of our forefathers, yes the Buddhist philosophy which is part of this island, whilst also enforcing the fact that we are all humans, all equals, and everyone is under one law. That we all put the principle that we treat others as we wish to be treated, and that no one is superior to anyone else. That the country is who we swear our allegiance to, not to parties. And that we base our journey forth into the future on factual truth, no politicised history, or paradoxical slogans such as “non alignment” (more on that later). That we use common sense, the principle of sound investment and constantly strive to keep up to date with the world. That the world doesn’t owe us a living, and we do our part to preserve the Earth as much as it gives us.

To ensure this:

IN MATTERS OF THE CONSTITUTION

The principle is to have Clean, lean honest government that governs in the interest of the country, and not for the sake of winning an election only. We either have a Presidential system whereby we have a Parliament with 125 members, and the President, elected by the people for no more than 3 terms (or can no longer contest beyond the age of 70), has to appoint a Cabinet from outside the Legislature (thus each branch is independent) like in the US, or else the Soulsbury style Prime Ministerial system which is my preferred option below.

1. Adopt a constitution very very similar to the Soulsbury Constitution – indeed you can just readopt the old one with minor amendments. In this the arms of government, the civil service, the judiciary and media etc are all independent of one another, bound by the principles of fair play, the truth and decency. In place of being a Dominion (which was not a particular issue since Australia, Canada, Jamaica etc are still independent countries despite being Dominions), if we so choose (and is already the case) declare the country a unitary Republic.
2. The name of the country shall be “THE REPUBLIC OF CEYLON” (not Democratic Socialist garble at the start), referred to as Ceylon for short in English. Or else Sinhaledeepa/Sinhale in the mother tongues (the country that the British took over, the last kingdom that was left standing and who the Kandyan Convention was signed with).
3. Every citizen shall be EQUAL and referred to as Ceylonese. One’s ethnicity shall only be noted for census purposes and for housing data. No one shall be discriminated against on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, social class, wealth, place of birth, region of abode etc. Any form of discrimination shall be met with no less than 5 strokes of the rattan cane and potential imprisonment.
4. There shall be no provinces etc. We are one island and that’s it. Districts will only be used for purposes of a local civil service branch for certain key services that a citizen may have to visit for a face to face authentication. No provincial councils (all of this is scrapped) etc. All the various bureaucracy would be gone. We will only have one National Parliament, local village councils, or town councils. And mayors for towns/cities with a certain population level.
5. Citizens will have the ability to recall their MP by petition as in the original old constitution we have on charges of neglecting their duties DURING the term of Parliament. No MP will be permitted to cross over without a by election.
6. Parliament shall consist of 125 MPs, preferably located at the Old Parliament on the Galle Face, elected by First Past the Post. The Prime Minister shall be the person who commands the support of the majority of Parliament. Parliament shall sit for no more than 5 and a half years. THE CABINET MAY ONLY BE COMPRISED OF 15 PEOPLE, BE IT ONE PARTY, OR A COALITION.

In order to ensure a more reflective electoral result, the following rules shall apply regarding each electoral district.

1. No person may contest an election representing any party, or organisation that espouses one region of the country, one ethnicity, one religion, or promotes any illegal activity (such as stating they will deliver electoral goodies that can only be financed by printing money). No one with a criminal record may contest elections. Under this system, ALL ETHNIC BASED PARTIES WILL BE BANNED.
2. A person must be 18 years of age to vote. A person may contest for elections after the age of 24, having either completed National Service of no less than 18 months in the case of males (army, navy, air force, police, civic defence), or 12 months Civic Service (health services and civic defence) in the case of females AND ONLY if they have either – worked for at least 1 year in a small business, family business, public listed company OR hold a degree pertaining to economics, sciences or engineering to a certain standard from a recognised institution internationally, or a top tier university at home. A permanent resident (meaning a foreign born person who has right to remain) may contest elections following the same rules. However if becoming a Cabinet Minister, they must renounce any foreign citizenship to hold office.
3. No citizen can contest any election beyond the age of 75. (Meaning office bearers will serve out their term and that’s it as an MP, local town, or village councillor)
4. EVERY DISTRICT in the country will be regulated to house the national demographics as in Singapore. Meaning Ceylon will fund a Housing scheme to disperse its population such that electoral districts accurately reflect the ethnic demographics of the entire country. No mono-ethnic areas of the country will be permitted. This will also encourage development of the whole country as the population is dispersed outward and not only focussed in the South West. We will focus on making Trincomalee a top tier city in the island and population centre.
5. The official languages of the country will be as follows (instead of the messy situation we have now):

• Sinhala will be the National Language of the country (in the same way Malay is in Singapore) and the language the anthem is sung in one voice
• Sinhala, Tamil and English will be the three Official Languages of the country (as Chinese, Tamil, Malay and English are official in Singapore)
• The working language of administration, government and business shall be English (as in Singapore and Ceylon before 1956)
• Every citizen will have the right to have a translator at places of public administration to fill out forms, or for assistance in their mother tongue, or at police stations etc

1. Every child shall have the right to be taught in the English medium from kindergarten all the way through their education AND to learn their mother tongue. Every child shall sit in the SAME classroom for all lessons.
2. There shall be ZERO PERKS, pensions or expense accounts for politicians. MPs including the Prime Minister shall be paid a fixed salary that is 25% higher than the average CEO salary collated by the census department. All citizens of the country will pay the same tax.
3. The Republic of Ceylon shall elect a ceremonial President who shall only be referred to as Mr. or Mrs. President (no Excellency). This person may be of any age, but may not contest after the age of 75, nor contest for more than 3 terms in office. The President shall be the nominal head of the armed forces etc, and have the ceremonial power to award national awards to citizens. The President will essentially be like the Queen with a ceremonial role. Elections will be held every 5 years and 8 months, with a 4 month “transition” period like in the United States and a set inauguration date. Presidential elections will be fixed in points of time, and not held early.
4. Parliament may be dissolved by its expiration, or by a Prime Minister requesting its dissolution earlier than the date, or else by the President if no party has a majority in Parliament.
5. The Presidency shall follow the same ethnic rotational policies as in Singapore – if an ethnic group (Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor, Burgher, Malay or Other) has not held the Presidency in the last 12 years, then the next election will be reserved for candidates from those ethnic groups only. The President must also comply with the same qualification procedures for MPs. However the President will be DIRECTLY elected by popular vote by the people.
6. It shall be mandatory that Ceylon abrogates with immediate effect the Indo-Lanka Accord restricting its independence and development.
7. It shall be mandatory that any referendums in the country be held nationwide. Citizens may petition for referendums with 500,000 signatures of fellow citizens.
8. Voting shall be compulsory in the country with a “None of the Above” option available on every ballot paper.
9. The Republic will ensure that all offices of state makes appointments on MERIT only and any independent committee/council in charge of appointments is APOLITICAL and not a single MP is part of such a committee.
10. Judges will be required to complete any court case within 1 year and no more.
11. There shall be mandatory caning for the most severe of crimes, and judges may also at their discretion issue life imprisonment, or the death penalty. Every citizen will be guaranteed a fair trial.
12. In matters of marriage, property inheritance and laws, every citizen from every part of the country will be subject to ONE National law.

MATTERS OF FINANCE

Sound investment. Sound management. Sound development

1. The Central Bank of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka shall be completely abolished and replaced with the Sinhaledeepa/Ceylon Monetary Authority (SMA)
2. The Monetary Authority like its counterparts around the world, will be independent of Parliament and the Cabinet and print money on the basis of a basket of foreign reserves and gold held on account.
3. This will end electioneering, budget deficits continuously financed by money printing, and the continual destruction of the currency.
4. The currency band will be gradually raised (as we earn foreign currency or purchase gold reserves) to somewhere more around the £1=50 Ceylon Rupees mark. With an aspiration to increase this in due course back to the Rs 5 level. This will hinge on the economy developing. However it will prevent further depreciation from 230 owing to money printing.
5. The SMA will hold a basket of foreign G10 currencies and gold to preserve the value of the Rupee.
6. The SMA will also oversee and regulate both the Taprobane Investment Fund (TIF), the nation’s new sovereign wealth fund run by technocrats (not politicians) to manage the EPF and the nation’s surpluses that may arise. Like the GIC it will invest with the purpose of maintaining and growing the nation’s money.
7. All red tape agencies and provincial offices will be scrapped as will the BOI.
8. These will be replaced with ONE single one stop shop (not another stop). This will be called the National Development Agency (NDA). This will be the place that grants approvals to investors, be they domestic, or foreign. It will be staffed by independent civil servants, not politicians. The Minister of Finance will appoint someone to head it who can serve no more than 2 terms.
9. Taxes will be the same for all citizens, irrespective of whether one holds office, knows someone who holds office, one’s career (doctor, lawyer etc) or doesn’t want to pay tax.
10. Taxes will be kept low and competitive relative to East Asian countries, being only slightly higher to fund our free healthcare system. Corporation tax will be attractive to complement our lean business environment with the BONFIRE of red tape and provincial councils etc.
11. Car permits will be for everyone importing fossil fuel vehicles.
12. No diesel cars imported into the country after 2024, and none will be road legal after 2030.
13. All cars on the road must be fully electric after the year 2040.
14. All public transportation must be fully electric by 2030.
15. The government shall provide no free handouts, instead only supporting those in need
16. Money shall be provided for a State Pension to all citizens, Disability allowance, and to anyone unemployed, a benefit will be paid until they find a job, but in this for no more than 12 months.

MATTERS OF EDUCATION

The children are our future
An end to selfish politicians of the past

1. The Republic shall fund English medium schools for every child around the country. In these schools, all children from every ethnicity will sit in the SAME classroom, play on the same playground etc. They will learn in English.
2. Each child will then attend their respective mother tongue (Sinhala and Tamil) language class which shall be compulsory up until the age of 16.
3. The government may provide Sinhala medium schools also, but where funding is lacking and only one school can be built in an area, English medium will be funded.
4. Every child will learn the National Oath, learn the National Anthem (sung in Sinhala) and learn History, Civics and have to achieve a certain level in their Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Science and English before passing out of school.
5. All schools will be free, though people may choose to go to private schools if they wish. No school may discriminate and teach students of only one ethnicity. Schools of one gender, must teach their students to respect others, and all schools must teach the basics of the major religions and customs of everyone in the country.
6. UNIVERSITIES in the country will NOT be free, but be free at the point of use.
7. Instead a student loan system shall apply, with the loan for undergraduate and graduate degrees payable upon receiving a certain level of salary. The loan shall be at a low interest rate and provided for by the taxpayer. This must be paid back by the student and will be the only “Death duty” tax there is (No inheritance tax).
8. The policy of Standardisation shall be SCRAPPED and replaced with the principle of MERITOCRACY only. All places shall be awarded on merit.
9. ALL UNIVERSITIES shall teach in the English medium (the London A-level scrapped by Mrs. B shall be returned back to our country).
10. The University of Colombo, University of Peradeniya, University of Moratuwa, Kotewala Defence University and Open University shall remain independent. All other universities on the island shall be merged into one university called the University of Ceylon, with campuses dispersed throughout the island.
11. The University of Ceylon may build new campuses as funding permits. All funds for this separate university will be pooled into one pot and allocated to campuses whereby different faculties are located only at certain campuses to create economies of scale. E.g. Build three world class medical faculties in Trinco, Jaffna and Kandy, build two world class law colleges at Galle and Colombo, three engineering divisions at Kurenagala, Batticloa, and Hambantota.
12. All universities will appoint faculty members on merit only – no political appointments. A National Standards Body will ensure all universities uphold a certain standard, issue similar high standard exams and conform to standards of the top 25 universities in the world (NOT JUST South Asia) to try and be the best.
13. There will be no mono-ethnic universities, since students from all over the island will apply to the 6 universities of the island and be allocated a place at the campus where the faculty is located.
14. The government will no longer have desk jobs for the boys as this has been scrapped along with provincial councils and bureaucracy – thus if you choose to go to university, you are choosing to take on debt and pursue a proper career.
15. In addition the Republic will fund Technical and Vocational Training Institutes around the country, or encourage private donations for schools for apprenticeship schemes, building, electricians, plumbers, art and design, fashion etc.

TRANSPORT WITHIN THE ISLAND

One country, one people, one destiny

As a matter of national priority, the government of the Republic shall commit to borrowing, or spending the reserves we have only on 21st century transport. As such,

1. Existing (though woeful) old trains will be maintained until a better technology train can replace it.
2. Former ministers who were responsible for increasing debt and buying rubbish buses and trains will be caned after a public hearing.

Now to business,

1. The Republic shall finance three main high speed train lines, seeking investment from Japan, China, France, Korea for electrified bullet train lines on the following routes:

• Colombo to Trincomalee via Kurengala and Kandy
• Colombo to Jaffna
• Hambantota to Jaffna

1. These trains will be just like in Japan, or China, fast, fully air conditioned and taking around 90 minutes to 2 hours to cross the island in comfort. These will be paid for over time with the economic benefits the line will deliver.
2. All NEW trains must be built on elevated dual tracks and preferably elevated stations also and mandatorily electric.
3. Further lines at small intermediary stations will be electrified in time and old carriages replaced all with air conditioned coaches for ALL classes of passenger to travel in dignity.
4. A subway system for Colombo will be built by seeking investment from Japan, China, and the Hong Kong MTR company to build and operate it.
5. One electronic card can be used on all public transport in Ceylon.
6. The bus system will be nationalised and then restructured. It will permit private operators to bid at tenders for routes, with allocated time slots that must be complied with. Fines will be issued to those flouting the rules and not providing the stated service. All buses must drive safely. The CTB will regulate, and in some cases provide a service as a competitor. There will be a minimum of 3 services on each route on a set timetable with fines issued if buses do not arrive on time, or leave too early from stops, with all buses carrying electronic transponders, monitored by a Central Bus Command.
7. All buses must be ELECTRIC by the year 2030.
8. Upon achieving first world transportation, the Republic shall fund a statue in Colombo with a lorry bus at the centre, with the words “Never ever again” emblazoned below.
9. All three wheelers will be banned from the year 2025. Any non-car vehicle must be of certain standard such as an electric rickshaw and only be used as a tourist vehicle, with a specific licence issued.
10. All cars as stated above must be electric by a certain date.
11. The Republic shall attempt to encourage investment into a public tram network in places like Kandy, Trincomalee, Galle and Hambantota. Or else fund a metro LRT network over time (in particular Hambantota).
12. All major tourist sites will have designated electrified train stations servicing them nearby.
13. The Airports (see below) shall have a maglev, or metro service connecting them to the city, and perhaps one train line running into the interior of the country also.
14. TRAIN SERVICES may be provided by private operators with ZERO regional monopolies – meaning at least 3 providers on each route line.

CONNECTING US TO THE WORLD – A HUB IN REALITY, NOT JUST IN NAME

Today we see the end of ineptitude. The end of incompetence. This proud airport which we declare open today will see the beginning of a new era for our country. Today, Ceylon declares in one voice, that we are open for business. And we are back.

The country will as a matter of priority fix the appalling state it is in with regards to aviation. No more ridiculous policies of building airfields and tiny shacks as airports and talking about airport as public transport within the country. We will build a country that connects to the world with a “wow” factor, ambition and take on debt for a reason just as Dubai did – to invest and put us on the map properly.

1. COLOMBO – We will build on reclaimed land near the Port City (and Colombo Port which is convenient) a brand new international airport that will be completed in no less than 7 years. This will be handled by a private company – leased to Hong Kong or a company capable of running an airport and designed to look futuristic and not an ugly concrete building. It will be named COLOMBO LOTUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (notice it is not named after anyone).
2. This airport will have a capacity of 60-80 million passengers and future proofed to an extent. Upon completion, Katunayake will be privatised, or else shut down and converted fully back into an air base. The airport will be designed to look futuristic and as clean as Hong Kong, or Changi. This airport will be linked by road to the Motorway, and by train/metro to the city. ONLY declared open when these links are complete.
3. This airport shall be staffed only to numbers required with no jobs for the boys. The Colombo Airport Group managing it will have an open skies policy. There will be 3 runways. This airport can be built since no money is being wasted on stupid hippopotamuses, or on stupid projects, and will be financed by private investment, or leases. We lose nothing by doing this, since better to own part of something profitable, than everything of something useless.
4. At the same time, the country will focus on building within 8-9 years via private investment from China/Japan to build a massive TRANSIT HUB airport at TRINCOMALEE again on reclaimed land named TRINCOMALEE TAPROBANE INTERNATIONAL, or TRINCOMALEE BAY INTERNATIONAL.
5. This second airport shall be built to have a capacity of 100 million passengers to try to match the hubs of Changi, Hong Kong etc which are building for 125-130 by the year 2030.
6. This second airport shall be designed to be sleek, futuristic, clean and have 4 runways to be future proof to an extent.
7. Having an open skies policy, it shall focus on being the transit hub for the region and to stand out. It shall also serve the new technology city (see later) and have a maglev to connect to the heart of Trincomalee city (all privately funded with zero state ownership because such things are symbolic and meaningless in reality).
8. Mattala Airport shall be shut down and converted into a National Wildlife Centre, or hotel near the National Park.
9. HAMBANTOTA International Airport shall be built by leasing out reclaimed land RIGHT NEXT to the PORT to a Chinese company. It will build for 30 million passengers with 3 runways (to accommodate freight with the port). This shall be named HAMBANTOTA THAMBAPANNI INTERNATIONAL (after one of the first kingdoms of the island).

No gimmicks, no inefficient bureaucracy. Focus on automation, passenger experience and clendliness.

CITIES OF DREAMS, VILLAGES OF TRANQUILITY

One paradise island. So majestic, so wild, so Ceylon.

1. Every district will be subject to National Integration policy. Any new housing built publicly, or privately will have to comply with this regulation. Such that the ethnic quota for estates, tower blocks, apartments, and a district ensures a mix of the population such that the national demographics are maintained. Follow Singapore on doing this to ensure ethnic harmony and co-existence, no ethic ghettos.
2. Reinitiate the Gal Oya projects to disperse and settle EVERY type of citizen in the North of the country and ensure development economically throughout the country.
3. Build new reservoirs (“tanks”) and dredge rivers etc to collect water for irrigation, drinking etc.
4. Build public housing, focusing on cleaning up Colombo, settling at least 4-5 million people in the sparsely populated under-utilised North in garden towns, and also focus on building housing to have a new city in Trincomalee, expanding the existing one.
5. Focus on building a financial Colombo hub, and focus on building a technology city at Trincomalee.
6. To that end, invite the expansion (by private investment as is the case now) of the PORT CITY by 20 times the current size. Designate the new land a Free Trade area and watch this take off with investment.
7. To that end, designate Trincomalee city a Free Trade City like Hong Kong and permit investment to flow in. Utilise the beautiful harbour (more on that later) using the Surbana Jurong Plan that is already complete. Cane anyone who wants to waste any more time on more feasibility studies.
8. Build (through investment) 5G infrastructure island wide and promote the internet and entrepreneurs throughout the country with no red tape, and purely necessary regulation only.
9. Ensure every village has access to the National Water network for clean water and no shortages (via the expansion of tanks).
10. Restrict the building of houses that upsets the drainage of water – e.g. on the hillsides.
11. BUILD SOLAR PANELS on every new house roof, and SOLAR PARKS across the entirety of the vast North which is sunny nearly all year round. Feed this into a Battery storage network such as those designed by Tesla in Australia.
12. Build two LNG plants only, focus on hydroelectric and solar power as much as possible.
13. SHUT DOWN COAL PLANTS and cane the ministers responsible in the past for their installation.
14. Every local road must be maintained by the local council. If not, regulators and judges may issue caning as punishment and fines to village/town councillors. Local council budgets will be allocated from the National Treasury taxes and also from the local council tax paid by citizens depending on one’s wealth.
15. CLEAN STREETS – All money WASTED on the former provincial councils can now be utilised to fund GARBAGE COLLECTION at every household at least once a week (both recycled and regular refuse).
16. In addition, cities like Colombo, Galle and Kandy, Trincomalee, Jaffna etc with higher populations will have garbage collection twice a week, and daily street cleaners funded by local taxation by their Mayor.
17. Any citizen found to be littering, spitting, urinating, or not keeping their front porch clean is liable to be fined a massive fine, and possible sentenced to caning.
18. WILDLIFE WILL BE RESPECTED and protected. Anyone found to be harming an elephant for instance, in a manner which is not in self defence, will be sentenced to life imprisonment.
19. Refuse will be taken to designated sites WITHIN the district of where it is collected. Alternatively it may be sent to land reclamation projects if required.
20. No person shall be able to use loudspeakers beyond the hours of 9PM till 10AM the next day without express permission from the Local Council and the Police. This will ensure low noise pollution and not disturbing one’s neighbours. This includes places of worship.
21. The entire Hambantota town/city will be declared a Free Trade City and aspire to develop from fishing village to a logistical hub and entrepreneurial place like Shenzhen mapped out over a 20 year period.

ENTREPRENEURS, SELF RESPECT AND FORWARD THINKING

1. The country will give pride of place to people of merit, to artists, scholars, engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, sports heroes, genuine honourable people. Not to thugs and former politicians.
2. All name boards in the future will be as they were in the past – short, sweet, and not emblazoned with a list of a hundred people, which makes the board larger than the project itself.
3. The country will provide low interest loans to startups and home grown businesses and try to encourage investment from top tier businesses around the world in our talent.
4. We will be an open economy encouraging high skilled workers to come and work here and interact with our people.
5. No more shall the country “put India’s interests first.” THE INDO LANKA ACCORD will be scrapped, declared null and void, and taught to every child in the land such that people see the current policymakers for what they are – traitors and liars who claim we are non-aligned, when we are not.
6. With this the restrictions on the use of our ports (especially Trincomalee) will be lifted. We will deal with all countries and companies on the basis of merit and our interests and progress.
7. We will encourage investment through our pro business policies for big brands to set up their headquarters here and become a financial, technology and corporate hub for business in this region. E.g. Toyota, Ford, Google, Alibaba, Tencent, Amazon, etc etc.
8. We will work to ensure our engagement with the two primary economic powers in the world – namely the United States and China. And aspire that our trade with them increases substantially.
9. We will be open to investment from ALL countries. No country, or company will have to seek India’s approval to invest here, and nor will we have to think about what India will think. We will also encourage Indian companies to invest here by having a better rule of law and efficiency than on the subcontinent.
10. One day when we have started to get somewhere economically, then we will aspire to join ASEAN (which we should have done when invited if not for our stupid leftists and pro-India leaders) and become more open and part of our South East Asian family as before.
11. We will encourage South Asian countries to form a new organisation purely focused on rules based trade, attempting the impossible to get the countries in this region to work to have better trade, WITHOUT any country attempting hegemony and claiming this to be “their” backyard.
12. The Republic’s territorial waters are our backyard, not India’s. So any fisherman or intruders here will be arrested, and have their boats seized.
13. Intruding boats will be destroyed in front of the media at a ceremony every month. Fines will be issued to fisherman who are apprehended.
14. Illegal fishermen entering our waters and plundering will TRIED and subject to the following punishments before being returned back to India, or elsewhere:

• 10 strokes of the Rattan cane for illegally entering our waters
• 10 further strokes for illegally fishing here
• 10 further strokes for engaging in bottom trawling
• 10 additional strokes if this is a repeat offence
• The Death Penalty for drug smuggling

Somehow I do not foresee them continually coming in any more after this.

THE RULE OF LAW

One nation with one law for all

1. The principle shall be meritocracy
2. The second principle shall be a totally independent and EFFICIENT judiciary with court cases to be heard within 1 year.
3. The third principle is that all citizens have the right to trial, and all citizens are subject to the law – no MP, or even the President is above the law
4. The Police will be independent as before 1972
5. The Judiciary will be independent
6. A new agency called the National Investigative Agency (NIA) will act as a third agency that citizens may go to for redress, and act as a “Major Crimes Unit” to assist police and local law enforcement. This agency will have adequate SWAT teams, helicopters, resources etc, and have teeth to prosecute anyone, including politicians for CORRUPTION, investigate the police, investigate serious crimes, fraud, ransoms etc.
7. The Police TID will be an independent unit agency set up to counter terrorism and renamed CTU.
8. The external intelligence agencies will be consolidated into a Sinhale Secret Service.
9. An internal security bureau/department will be set up to handle security, monitor illegal immigration etc.
10. All these agencies will operate irrespective of who is in charge.
11. A sitting Prime Minister, the rest of the 15 member cabinet, the Leader of the Opposition and the sitting President will be the only members normally granted security details and convoys.
12. Security will be provided to all former Prime Ministers and Presidents and their immediate first family until death.
13. Security may be provided to any other citizen if the security services assess and deem it warranted.
14. Official vehicles will be provided to the Prime Minister, the rest of the 15 member Cabinet and the Opposition Leader and the President and Speaker ONLY for official purposes. This will be allocated to the Ministry and must be handed over to the next Minister when one leaves office.
15. No air travel, or public transport expenses will be provided for Ministers, or public servants. Nor will pensions, or privileges that are not bestowed to ordinary citizens.
16. A special court to redress every citizen for the loss of land owing to seizures, or nationalisation by former governments will be set up, attempting to pay compensation.
17. All public bodies that are not privatised, or listed on the stock exchange, will have to be regulated by an Independent Appointments Committee as was performed by the Soulsbury Constitution.
18. Business laws will be modelled on London and Singapore.
19. No district may be merged in the country without a nationwide referendum.
20. The Constitution of the country cannot be amended in ANY WAY without both a two thirds majority in Parliament AND a national referendum.

THE NATIONAL AIRLINE, TOURISM AND PASTIME

You’re our world

1. Sri Lankan Airlines will be declared bankrupt and shut down. It’s debt will be sold off as a toxic debt company for any takers, or else defaulted on.
2. A new national carrier will be opened using existing assets, with a set amount of borrowed money, a mission objective AND a private independent board of directors, from the airline industry – e.g. ex Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Etihad personnel.
3. This airline will be branded as “CEYLON AIRLINES” and listed on the stock exchange
4. The aim of the carrier will be to become a world number 5 within 10 years, and world number 1-3 within the next 5 years.
5. It shall utilise the ACTUAL hubs built at Colombo, and Trincomalee (preferably the latter) for capacity
6. Old staff may reapply, but numbers will be reduced to reduce the staff:plane ratio and will be entirely up to the new board, not politicians.
7. The following rules will apply:

• Other than pilots and lead stewards/stewardesses, Cabin crew must be between the ages of 21 to 32, any older and you are in a managerial, or training role only.
• An adequate, and not excessive amount of ground staff will be hired
• All crews will receive and participate in mandatory training every year
• Administrative staff will be limited and contained
• The airline will only pay bonuses if it makes a profit
• The airline will SHUT DOWN if it does not make a consistent profit
• Ownership by the taxpayer will be 30% direct shareholding, the rest listed on the stock market
• The government will not interfere with the board
• The government has a voting veto on any takeover of the airline if it is profitable and deems it to be against the national interest, but sufficient reasons must be provided

1. The new airline will focus on refitting existing planes to create the best economy legroom, versus what we have now
2. The new airline will maintain and improve the warmth of our people and showcase that to the world
3. The new airline will also focus on acquiring new planes and having a YOUNG FLEET as per Singapore Airlines planes
4. The new airline will focus on long haul transit flights and being a hub to the Subcontinent, South East Asia and Australia, from places like China and Europe.
5. TOURISM – The country will ensure adequate FIRST WORLD bathroom/sanitation faculties at all heritage and tourist sites
6. All tourist sites will be cleaned and maintained properly
7. The nation will aspire for 40-50 million tourists a year, by building proper aviation points of entry described above AND
8. Promotion of the country will be carried out as per the recent “So Sri Lanka” campaign to showcase our wildlife
9. Competent locals and foreigners will be hired to market the country, not cronies
10. New attractions such as theme parks etc can be built on the reclaimed Port City extension, and Trincomalee etc
11. SPORT – The country will immediately declare null and void the existing politicised committees governing the sports and prosecute the corrupt.
12. The relevant bodies will hold elections for new sportspeople to manage cricket, athletics, football etc, with the previous members being disbarred from running
13. Government will not interfere with sport and vice versa
14. The Republic will fund, or seek private investment (like in the UK with Football stadiums) to build Cricket stadiums which are also Academies that will drip feed talent from all over the country into the national team. Perhaps a domestic premier league, funded by major sponsors like Coca Cola, banks etc can also be created, though this is not necessarily going to require government involvement.

CHARITY

We will promote our culture of being hospitable, caring and giving. At the same time,

1. The Lottery will be run by an independent charity like in the UK where it is run by Camelot.
2. The Lottery will hold draws/events where the winners will receive tax free prizes.
3. Money accumulated will not be robbed, or spent on administration, but like in the UK, it shall be dispersed via the Charity to various fields:

• funding our Olympics team
• funding healthcare charities for children, the elderly, cancer care etc
• funding for the homeless
• funding for wildlife protection and veterinary care for those who cannot afford it
• funding for assisting victims of crime

THE NATIONAL CULTURE BEING GENUINE

Aspire to promote the ACTUAL culture of the country based on centuries of harmony, friendly warmth, coexistence, common sense and helping others.

Any attempt by political aspirants to twist the national culture into dress codes which are not our culture (e.g. telling women to cover up and all this nonsense), justifying crime, or assault, or to prevent foreign direct investment, or to promote a fake ideology such as extreme socialism tied to our ancient history, will be prosecuted in the courts

No person shall be made to feel inferior for speaking their mother tongue OR for speaking in English either

No person shall be made to worship politicians, or former politicians as gods. Politicians will be once again SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE

National Awards will be allocated by an Independent Awards committee to be given by the ceremonial President to members of society contributing to the betterment of others, or for merit, just like the Queen’s Honours List in the UK.

1. COMMEMORATION statues to people like Captain Pieris, who were falsely executed pre independence will be maintained and honoured.
2. COMMEMORATION statues to genuine leaders of our independence movement such as DS Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake, Sir John Kotewala, Sir Oliver Goonitileke, Sir Ponnabalam Ramanathan and honest Presidents like William Goppowala, will be built at a National Square, with existing ones maintained better. In addition, such statues will be built in North, East, West and South so that people recognise national heroes and not traitorous self proclaimed modern day politicos who haven’t served the country.
3. A COMMEMORATION to those who fell during the war against terrorism shall be built and a ceremony will be held to mark the end of the war every year.
4. A COMMEMORATION statue will be built to All victims of various terrorist attacks this country has faced over its history and a ceremony held every year to honour those lost to suicide attacks etc.
5. The country will totally enforce a total ban on any political party, student organisation, private entity that promotes only one region, religion, ethnicity, or creed from operating, contesting or raising funds in this island. ANY student found to be venerating such organisations, or building memorials to terrorist groups, will be expelled and prevented from any tertiary studies ever.

DEFENCE OF THE ISLAND REALM

This country is its own backyard, and not a neighbouring country. As has been suggested by another poster here, the country needs to plan for the future.

1. A catastrophic act of treachery was by Bandaranaike in 1957 when he kicked the British out and abrogated the Defence Treaty. There was some talk that this was not officially abrogated. If possible re-enter it. It would have protected us from India and let us develop and manage our own affairs peacefully (a whole another story). He then never compensated for this by building up our forces, which were then British jets and a ceremonial force with equipment designed to maintain internal security and hold out until British assistance arrived.

The day we get rid of the Englishmen completely, is the day we fall under India – Sir John

Why didn’t you show me your speech? – Nehru
Why should I? Do you show me your speeches? – Sir John, a true patriot

AT A SOUTH ASIAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS

You know your Prime Minister should have cleared his speech with us first – Indian Foreign Minister
What on Earth do you mean? – Ceylonese Foreign Minister

Later upon the Ceylonese foreign minister informing the then Prime Minister Sir John about what he had been told, the Prime Minister told him, “It’s a good thing I wasn’t there. I would have given that chap a thundering slap there and then where he stood.”

1. As has been stated, the Indo Lanka Accord at this point has been scrapped. Preferably, sign a brand new defence agreement with the now world powers – either the United States, or China. Like the Anglo-Ceylon Accord, this will ensure our protection from any neighbour who gets any ideas, and permit us to focus on developing the economy, which will fund future military purchases. Under this arrangement, the allied power will come to our aid if attacked. This acts as a deterrent and allows for training as we had before the mess of 1957. No Indo-Lanka Accord means GENUINE independent foreign policy:

In the 1950s, when we had the Anglo-Ceylon Agreement, Ceylon had training and defence guaranteed by the British (particularly the Navy and Air Force), and at the same time engaged diplomatically and economically with communist China (Rubber Rice Pact). This negates any FOOLISH argument by the left wing Indian lackeys who claim that we are non aligned now, and weren’t better placed then.

1. In the mean time, National Service will permit a large reserve disciplined force
2. Focus on a core group of 100,000 professional army personnel, around 60,000 Naval, and maybe 30,000 Air Force with an additional complement of rapid action Marines of around 10,000 and Special Forces of around 5,000.
3. Focus on equipping them with the latest equipment – Singapore had tanks before Malaysia – such as Chinese tanks, drones, gunboats etc
4. The Special Forces should be increased and bolstered. This should be the priority. Excellent work has been done on this already.
5. The Navy should focus on building/acquiring larger vessels to patrol our EEA and acquire helicopter carriers. Aircraft carrier can be considered if money permits, but down the line.
6. The Air Force should be heavily reorganised and bolstered. Shocking that there is only 1 fighter jet (and that too an old one) when we had a large air force at independence:

• If our treaty is with the US, acquire F-18s with a view to getting the F-35 as soon as possible when its issues are ironed out
• If our treaty is with China, acquire J-20’s and a J-31’s to leave India in the dust and not daring to try and intimidate us into submission of trying to develop ever again.
• Suggestion would be squadrons amounting to around 50 planes, the majority being interceptors.
• Ideal if you can purchase 5th generation to be ahead of the game – again at independence Singapore had tanks BEFORE Malaysia. So doing this ahead of India would be ideal.

1. Encourage local defence contractors and entrepreneurs to develop drones and other technology and work with our forces. List on the stock exchange.

HEALTHCARE

One people. Compassion.

1. A new national medical regulator will be established comprised of healthcare professionals and lawyers.
2. All healthcare will remain free.
3. Money wasted all this time on needless bureaucracy will be diverted to maintaining and cleaning existing hospitals, installing new equipment (MRI scanners etc) at more local hospitals, and on hiring medical staff
4. Aspire to build several large hub hospitals around the country with world class facilities to treat our people for serious illnesses
5. Ensure that local surgeries have adequate logistics to filter patients to the appropriate area for treatment
6. Issue a complete BAN on doctors practising both privately and on the national healthcare system. NO one may practise privately unless they have 10 years experience in a healthcare system from around the world, or at home. And no one may practise on both systems.
7. This will ensure that doctors treat people on the National Health Service.
8. Ensure a code of conduct, managed by an honest doctor as Healthcare Minister to promote genuine compassion to the system.
9. Ensure doctors and nurses are given adequate pay, BUT just like everyone else, no tax allowances and permits.

RIGHT TO STRIKE, PROTEST AND RIGHT TO PEACE

1. Everyone will have the right to protest, provided:

• They protest peacefully
• They register with the local Police/local Authority to ensure police management of the strike/walk
• They conform to designated areas to strike in
• Their leader registers with the local Authority and assumes full responsibility for the actions of protestors. Thus no one can let the pawns rush the barricades, whilst the leaders run away.

1. To ensure the right to peace, no protest will be permitted to use loudspeakers beyond a certain hour (e.g. 9PM), no protest may use a public road that is not permitted
2. Colombo shall designate a certain borough as a “Speaker’s Corner” for people to protest and strike in.
3. No essential services may strike without advance notice
4. Port workers who strike will be sacked.
5. Anyone who resorts to violence, intimidation, thuggish behaviour will be sentenced to caning and jail time.
6. Any officer who resorts to unprovoked violence against peaceful protestors will be prosecuted.
7. Any officer acting in the line of duty against unruly protestors (such as the Oil Board incident) will be respected.

ENERGY HUB

1. The Trincomalee Oil tanks, foolishly nationalised from oil majors, and foolishly and traitorously handed to an inefficient public body and a minor Indian company will be retendered, with the Indo Lanka Accord declared null and void.
2. The Oil Tanks will be contracted to be renovated and expanded by oil majors from the US, Europe, China, Malaysia etc.
3. The public sector will own around 30%, and tender out the rest to be privately managed.
4. Any refineries run at other ports such as Colombo and Hambantota will follow similar policies to Singapore, and not backward socialist policies.

THE ECONOMIC FOCUS

1. All corrupted public bodies that were foolishly nationalised such as the Tea Board etc, will be either privatised, listed on the stock market, or undertake immediate cuts to cronies/numbers of staff and have new management appointed who are relevant to the industry.
2. The country will focus on self sufficiency in food, whilst open to competition.
3. The country will focus on GENUINE COMPETITION across all fields like we once had, and as occurs in places like Hong Kong, Singapore etc. Private companies from Ceylon and abroad will compete with public bodies to provide services, etc.
4. No restrictions will be placed on foreign companies operating here, other than necessary environmental laws.
5. No restrictions will be placed to benefit one company (be that domestic, or foreign) over another, other than tax breaks in designated free trade zones.
6. The country will aim to encourage FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT from all countries and major companies the world over. Like Vietnam, we should aspire to get investment in the tens of billions, if not $100 billion dollars every year, which WILL COME if we have the rule of law and technocratic governance.
7. Recognise our location isn’t enough with the BASICS RIGHT:

• Zero tolerance for corruption
• The rule of law
• Meritocracy
• World class infrastructure
• World class lack of red tape

1. Aspire to re-gear the economy toward high end services, high end tourism, financial and technology hub, port logistical hub, aviation hub, with a small amount of high value efficient agricultural exports (tea, coconut, rubber), gemstones and high end high technology manufacturing.
2. Re-skill all unskilled workers since we have missed the boat on cheap labour which went to India, Bangladesh and Vietnam.
3. Issue a complete ban on any political party advocating people to go and work as housemaids. Regulate any private organisations that do so.

IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS COUNTRY WILL ONE DAY FINALLY DEVELOP

Ceylon can easily be another Singapore within 15 years at most. We have wasted 10 years since the war ended. We should not venerate foolish policies, leaders, ideologies, or certain countries at the expense of what is right, the truth and common sense.

Let a non-partisan, patriotic and comprehensive approach be taken to free the country of the corrupt, unleash the wheels of commerce and take this country into the 21st century and the future and beyond.

May the Force be with us. I leave you with this quote:

“throughout this period the Ministers had in view one objective only, the attainment of maximum freedom. Accusations of Sinhalese domination have been bandied about. We can afford to ignore them for it must be plain to every one that what we sought was not Sinhalese domination, but Ceylonese domination. We devised a scheme that gave heavy weight to the minorities; we deliberately protected them against discriminatory legislation. We vested important powers in the Governor-General … We decided upon an Independent Public Service Commission so as to give assurance that there should be no communalism in the Public Srvice.(sic) I do not normally speak as a Sinhalese, and I do not think that the Leader of this Council ought to think of himself as a Sinhalese representative, but for once I should like to speak as a Sinhalese and assert with all the force at my command that the interests of one community are the interests of all. We are one of another, what ever race or creed.

• DS Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Ceylon

As a famous batsmen once said if I may paraphrase – I am a Buddhist, I am a Hindu, I am a Christian, I am a Muslim. I am a Sinhalese, a Tamil, A Moor, A Burgher, a Malay. I am a lover of tea, of cricket, of relaxing, sometimes a little too much. And I am first of all, now and always, proudly, Sri Lankan.”

Thanks,
A Concerned Citizen