Country needs incorruptible Statesmen, not marketing brands

• If the defeat of the LTTE is a reunification of the country, it was only territorially, not a reunification of the hearts and minds of all the people 
• It is crystal clear, even to a schoolboy,  robbing even a few rupees for personal gain is theft
• It is this kind of politics, politicians and political parties and their crony supporters, who selfishly expect perks, position, and power

I refer to the article in the Daily Mirror of 13th September titled “In Game of Thrones, Game Changes”, by Dr. Dayan Jayatielleke (Dr.DJ). I am a free thinker not in bondage to political parties of whatever variety. I have nothing but contempt for politics, politicians, and political parties. These three demons have been the downfall of our nation. The day political parties are buried, this country will progress and prosper; more on this, at a later date.   

With the introduction of the vernacular as the Official Language in 1956, that breed of politicians and public servants were a vanishing species by 1970’s

Yes, it is true. I endorse Dr. DJ’s statement that we had distinguished Prime Ministers and public servants of impeccable integrity, ability, honesty and intellect. It was an era when political parties were just one or two. Further, it was an age when the Official Language and medium of education was English. Political leaders and their followers and the public servants were more refined and cultured, then. With the introduction of the vernacular as the Official Language in 1956 by the Oxford educated, liberal minded Prime Minister, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, that breed of politicians and public servants were a vanishing species by 1970’s. The quality and calibre of politicians and public servants diminished. Today, political parties have mushroomed like IPL teams, where politicians like the IPL players, are bought and sold in auction for money. 

I have nothing but contempt for politics, politicians, and political parties. These three demons have been the downfall of our nation

Some of the statements made by Dr. DJ do not stand to reason   

1.Dr. DJ states that Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita are “imprisoned and heavily fined for a victimless crime”.This reasoning is utterly absurd. Firstly, this is not a crime between two or more identifiable persons, under Civil or Criminal law of the country. This is misappropriation of State Funds. Dr. DJ is blind to the stark reality that the victims are the 20 million people of this country, whose money has been robbed to meet the private, personal purpose of an individual, to win an election. Further, Dr.DJ says that “the sum of Rs. 600 million is relatively insignificant compared to the Bond scam”. The logic is, therefore, it is excusable. He further states “it is a careless compliance or impropriety”, when it is crystal clear, even to a schoolboy, that it was a calculated collusion between the “doers” and the “beneficiary”. There are no degrees or shades in robbing. Robbing even a few rupees for personal gain is theft.   

2.Dr.DJ states that the “Project of Constitutional Change, a project that in any self-respecting country is the most sovereign process”. Again he refuses to see the democratic, sovereign process is action. Public representations have been solicited, both in writing and in person, Committees have discussed and debated the issues involved and finally it will be again subject to deliberations by all the peoples’ representatives in the duly formed Constitutional Assembly and enacted with a 2/3 majority votes, with the possibility of a Referendum by the people. Isn’t this democratic and expression of peoples’ sovereignty?   

3.Dr. DJ seems to be an avowed worshipper of the Holy Trinity of the SLFP when he says that “even if Mahinda is out of the way, there is Gota, if Gota is out of the way, there is Chammal, if Chammal is out of the way ,there is Dinesh “(conspicuously Basil is dethroned from the Pantheon of demi - Gods). Dr. DJ’s superlative adoration of the Rajapaksas, suggest that he believes that the country has no superior and higher persons than these deities of the SLFP.   

4.Dr. DJ is of the opinion that “ MR is the biggest brand the SLFP has”. What the country needs is talented, able, incorruptible and meritocratic leaders not marketing brands. If MR is the biggest brand, he should have won the last election.   

5.The irony of ironies is that Dr.DJ states that “MR reunited the State, resurrected the economy and transformed the face of the country”. If the defeat of the LTTE is a reunification of the country, it was only territorially, not a reunification of the hearts and minds of all the people, but aggravated the cleavage between the North and South. It was not a resurrection of the economy, but inflicted a death-blow to the economy. Infrastructure development at inflated cost and kickbacks, white elephant projects with no return on capital, emasculating debt burden bequeathed to posterity, which outstripped the National Revenue and superficial beautification of the city with greenery, which is the only “transformation of the face of the country”. 

No, the capital city only, with so-called Urban Development projects, that enriched the pockets of those involved.   

It is this kind of politics, politicians and political parties and their crony supporters, who selfishly expect perks, position, power in the future and hence believe and want a “change of throne” to happen.