Political Revenge or Election Pledge?

With widespread frustration about perceived excesses in political perks, especially in a time of economic strain a main topic pledged in the current Government’s manifesto ‘A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life’ is to abolish special privileges given to retired presidents and their families. In Hindsight, 6.8 million people voted for it and obviously the Government had to walk the talk.

In came the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill, which was gazetted at the end of July. The bill was challenged by filing a fundamental rights petition. The determination of the 3 judge bench was announced by Speaker in parliament on September 10, that “no provision in the bill was inconsistent with the Constitution and that it can be passed with a simple parliamentary majority”.  The bill was debated and passed and the Speaker certified and endorsed into law on September 11, at lightning speed.

Critics and the opposition say the Government is taking political revenge when they are only fulfilling an election pledge made to the people on the campaign trail. Appropriate perks and dignified pensions are easier to justify when politicians demonstrate integrity, competence and genuine service. The poor governance and enormous corruption made by the previous Governments a small Island nation like ours cannot afford no matter how objectively fair they can be.

Vinodini Jayawardena