Aims of the London Mission
The ‘16 squad’ is extremely busy, in fact three of them flew to London in the wake of latest developments, to convince the boss on the importance of patching up with former strong man, the most popular politician of the day; did they carry a message from the former boss? 
In today’s context there is just one thing that interests our politicians; that is their own survival. The mission of the three beleaguered parliamentarians, Dilan Perera, Chandima Weerakkody and Lakshman Perera representing the group of sixteen who voted in favour of the failed no confidence motion against the PM is kept a top secret - though some speculates this as an attempt to weaken the Pohottuwa led by Basil faction of the Joint Opposition by infiltrating it with another dozen of Maithri loyalists SLFP men from government.
Will they succeed in converting Sirisena who has already appointed a committee, headed by Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama, prior to leaving for London, tasked with drafting a new agreement to continue the unity government. But deals and dramas take precedents over official pacts. The promoters of SLFP-Pohottuwa Alliance strategists believe they could isolate the SLFP/UPFA Secretarial faction who are in secret powwow with agents of Ranil, as well as, the Basil loyalists in the JO by uniting the two leaders; was it a master plan to field Sirisena as the Common Presidential Candidate to compete with UNP led Common Candidate at the end 2019 polls. The UNP thinks they can prioritise the development plans for the final two years, by signing a new deal and set out the strategy under which they would work jointly, without having to come across problems. For the past two and a half months everything in the country has come to a standstill.
‘BUSY’ politicos who pay no respect to public
“Sorry I was rude to you the other day”, someone said. “ I’ve just been so busy”.
A week ago, in the afternoon travelling from Bambalapitiya to Maradana, I had to spend nearly 50 to 60 minutes of valuable time stranded in heavy traffic. Schools being closed for holidays, usually, the maximum it would take is 10-15 minutes to cover the 3km stretch on the now widened road. But, on this instant it was quite unusual, avoiding Lipton’s circus and Ward place, which are now dedicated, consecrated, and hallowed grounds for the daily demonstrators from Higher Education and Health, I turned to Buller’s Road to be confronted by a fleet of back-up black Defenders. The security men waving white gloved hands from every pot hole on the sides of the moving vehicles - followed by a ‘flotilla’ of limousines and other luxury sedans driven by chauffeurs, carrying the crooks, robbers and others who aid and abet the former in the midst of deafening noise of sirens. They were coming from Reid Avenue and turning to Buller’s road. The other road uses compelled stall and remain stationery for 15 to 20 minutes allowing them a smooth drive. They continue to travel at high speed with their security convoys inconveniencing other road users.
We could proceed only a few metres. A second convoy of Defenders leaving Paget road and going towards Galle road forcing the road users to park their vehicles for another 10 minutes within half- an-hour to allow the ‘busiest men in the world’ to have their way. I made a frantic but a vain effort to catch a glimpse of the two new Rs. 300 million bullet-proof luxury cars they imported a month ago with poor indirect tax-payers money.
"Some flew to London to convince Boss about ‘patching up’"
Then I realized that our ‘very busy legislators’ who have shamefully neglected their duties or obligations by the people who elected them to fulfil the pledges, do purely focus on personal agendas. Since ‘February 10’, the panicked government politicos have clustered into formal and informal groups, that frequently shuttle between Paget Road [re-named Mahagama Sekara Mw] the President’s official residence, Temple Trees and Presidential Secretariat. This continuous to and fro movement was to meet the bosses, not to discuss the burning issues of the countrymen, but to plan, how best can they stick to their positions, survive, settle securely, firmly and comfortably in different levels of positions enjoying generous privileges and perquisites courtesy the agonized taxpayer, and plunder the public assets under the worst ever instability experienced in the post independent Sri Lanka.
Why the government does not carry a few more advertisements in the media, as they do with Health and Education to encourage more and more tax-payers to contribute by thanking them for all the luxuries these ‘blood-suckers’ enjoy at their expense?
Road clearance should be strictly restricted to vehicles engaged in emergency operations by Fire brigade, Ambulances, Police and armed forces during an emergency.
Samuel Richardson once said, “Those who have least to do are generally the most busy people in the world”. Can they push the other road users to the edge of the road ? What is the traffic law governing ordinary citizens right to use the roads without being harassed by authorities? Isn’t it amount to violation of fundamental rights of all the rest of the road users?
Reshuffle
President Sirisena has an opportunity to win the hearts and minds of people, if he decides to trim down the Jumbo cabinet and its ancillary parts called ‘State and Deputies’. The UNP rebellious group numbering around 26 would certainly have voted in favour of the NCM if Sirisena had not flawed the Joint Opposition’s move to drive out the PM, at the final moment.
We have a president from SLFP, elected on the back of UNP and minority votes - the result of a skilful strategy by former President Kumaratunga, Rajitha Senaratne, Patali Champika with the blessings of the late Ven. Maduluwave Sobitha-led National Movement for a Just Society (NMJS) and other Civil Society groups.
The much talked-about cabinet reshuffle, probably more in the nature of a re-arrangement of hitherto highly unscientifically allocated subjects under ministries, promised to be completed soon after the NCM against the PM would become reality before the new sessions of Parliament scheduled to commence on May 8. Unscientific 46 ministries for three long years as admitted; 16 more than the constitutionally specified requirement and each costing the tax-payer Rs. 8.5 million a month should be pruned down to 30 avoiding unrealistic job allocations like ‘Highways and Higher Education’; ‘Finance and Media’; ‘Foreign and Lotteries’; Public Enterprises and part of Colombo-Kandy Highway’ [comic performers, to quote a few examples]. At the proposed reshuffle, if the yahapalanaya circus has an iota of hope of a victory at the next election they must get rid of tricksters, buffoons, court jesters and some of the veterans who are now in ‘clown costumes’ who are dragging the country from the present chaotic state to an anarchy.
"46 ministries; 16 in excess; 3 years; each cost Rs. 8.5 Mn a month to taxpayer!"
Democracy is the best out of all bad forms of government for a participative polity. Our post independent history of 70 years is generally assumed as a democracy. What are the essential characteristics of a genuine democracy in the modern community?
Democracy is as described by Abraham Lincoln is a ‘government of the people by the people for the people’. It requires more than that each person has one vote; free and fair elections; when a majority government is elected, the rights and privileges of the minorities has to be respected. As per Universal Declaration of Human Rights, democracy implies that all citizens enjoy their, right to the freedom of opinion and expression, right to life, the right to assemble peacefully, and the right to education. Especially, if fundamental human rights of the minorities are not appreciated what succeeds would be not a genuine democracy but an autocracy of the majority.
