Do you see the ‘middlemen’ in this haze? - EDITORIAL

These are days where Sri Lankans are sinking into the possibility that LG Polls would not be held after all. This government- unelected by the citizens of the country –doesn’t have to please the people. But if you analyse who comprises the government some shocks could be revealed. 

According to Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe who writes for the Sinhala weekend newspaper ‘Anidda’ the three categories of people ‘forming’ the true government are the politicians, government servants and individuals who undertake contract work for the regime via the businesses they run. These are the people who earn massive incomes and poor tax payers have to maintain them and their questionable earning methods. They also can be labeled as the ‘middlemen’. This middleman or privileged class is represented by both the elite and some sections of the worker classes like worker unions. This concept is not difficult to understand when one observes the politicians who run their very own hotels, busses and wine and spirits stores and even some of the grocery stores which have earned the preferred name food city. When the government jacks up the prices of goods businessmen operating the above mentioned enterprises see a rise in income. 

The worst hit are the entrepreneurs and the majority of the members of the worker class. So technically the JVP and its politicians in parliament cannot say that they don’t make some representation in this ‘middleman class’. They enjoy parliamentary privileges. We must observe this privileged class in this society. Most worker unions that are very active have a system that fattens their coffers and sees to the welfare of its elected members. 

So the painful truth is that the next leader of the country or president will have to come from this privileged class or the group that represents the ‘middleman’. May be that a new leader emerging from this old set-up can change the system and instill some discipline

It’s hard for anyone not in this privileged class to break into the political scene and get closer to the ‘throne’ or the hot seat of being a minister or Member of Parliament (MP). The Aragalaya that faded away is a good example. So the painful truth is that the next leader of the country or president will have to come from this privileged class or the group that represents the ‘middleman’. May be that a new leader emerging from this old set-up can change the system and instill some discipline into how this privileged class will spend state funds; also not forgetting the fact that earnings of governments workers must be monitored with strict vigil.  There is still no system in place to check the total income generated by a Sri Lankan politician who does so by serving in the cabinet or attending parliament and the wealth and assets he amasses by putting in several years as a lawmaker. 

Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe writes in his column that till the system is changed and there are proper checks and balances regarding state expenses-or for that matter the country begins to mould lawmakers who are ruthless when it comes to being responsible citizens of this country-it could be wise to allow a veteran lawmaker like Ranil Wickremesinghe to continue to be the first citizen of the country. Critics might not agree with what’s suggested above, but the majority of citizens with voting rights might agree to the fact that Wickremesinghe is a safer bet than the unknown prince ‘deyasen’ who a good number of people in this country still pray and hope will arrive and save everyone!

We all love democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of expression; all of which the government elected without the franchise of the voting public dread at the moment. The present government is also worried that a sinking economy can go down crashing if these never-ending strikes and protests are not stopped and  the recovery process is not given chance to run its course.
There are some signs of the government taking this economy at least somewhere close to stability, but then this regime must be given a chance to perform.