The Art of making promises and failing to fulfil them

There is a sense of fuzziness in the present stance of the government regarding the accomplishments of its promises(file photo)

It has been observed that the gamut of pledges disseminated to the people during election campaigns and then ignored after governmental power is secured seems to be common political behaviour followed by almost all political parties in the process of exercising Parliamentary democracy in this country. Let us see up to what extent the newly formed JVP/NPP Government has deviated from irresponsible behaviour referred to above.

The pledges include: Catching of thieves who robbed this country, bringing them to book, punishing them, recovery of money they have plundered, adjust terms and conditions imposed by IMF in order to reduce the cost of living and tax burden on the people, elimination of corruption and bribery etc. restore the Rule of Law, find out master brain behind Easter Sunday massacre, suppression of racism and to make Sri Lanka a prosperous and beautiful country have played a very prominent role at the election campaigns held by AKD in the process of capturing governmental power.

The present stance of the government in respect of the accomplishment of pledges referred to above, seems ambiguous. With regard to the pledges on catching thieves, recovery of money they have plundered, elimination of corruption, bribery, etc., the government has already launched a massive effort to conduct, expedite and finalise investigations against alleged suspects and to bring them before the Court of Law. 

However, it has been observed that the government is badly prejudiced in the process of implementing those pledges. The remarks made by AKD at the election campaigns that almost all politicians attached to Rajapaksa/Wickremasinghe Governments are thieves seemed to be an exaggeration plotting out to change the mindset of the general public to the effect that those who represent JVP/NPP are uncorrupted group of politicians with clean hands, hence it is worthwhile to vote for them instead of voting for a gang of thieves. In that context, it appears that AKD has launched its election campaign based on hate politics. It may be noted that hate politics is a dangerous mechanism which obstructs people from using their franchise judiciously. Instead, it provokes emotional impulses of the general public and makes them drift to misuse their votes for the party that promotes hate politics.

It may be noted that allegations should be proved beyond a reasonable doubt (in case of criminal issues) through the Court of Law to establish that the alleged suspect is the real offender. Article 05 in Chapter 03 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka states, “every person shall be presumed innocent until he is proved guilty” before the Court of Law. This legal principle has been grossly violated in the process of conducting investigations due to undue criticisms and malicious opinions released to the general public through pro-government mass media over the allegations levelled against some persons. In this manner, the modus operandi of the investigation procedure has been converted into political propaganda with respect to some selected suspects.

The prolonged delays to commence the investigations (in some cases more than fifteen to twenty years), repeating of investigations, procrastination, twisting of facts, tendency to fall in line with the political agenda of the ruling party, violation of legal principles to be followed in case of bail out in some cases etc. considered as some deficiencies appeared in the process of conducting some investigations. It is presumed that those deficiencies cannot emerge in the process of conducting investigations without undue interference of the political authority, directly or indirectly.

It seems most of the ruling political parties were in the habit of using the Police and CID as tools in order to achieve their political targets on the pretext of investigations.

With regard to the pledges on adjustment of terms and conditions imposed by the IMF in order to reduce the cost of living burden, tax burden, reduction of fuel, gas, electricity and water rates etc., the Government has disclosed that there is no alternative but to comply with the terms and conditions of the IMF in addition to them already insisting the goverment to increase electricity rates. 

Accomplishment of other pledges, namely finding out the mastermind behind Easter Sunday Massacre, eradication of racism, restoration of Rule of Law, etc., have been converted to ineffectual public statements due to the fact that no tangible output has come out so far by activating those pledges. The Government doesn’t have any specific national programme for the implementation of those pledges other than mere talk. The Catholic church has already disclosed its dissatisfaction over the progress of the investigation so far achieved in finding out the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday massacre.

Equality before the law is considered one of the cardinal principles of the Rule of Law. This principle seems to be inapplicable for parliamentarians and the Executive President, whose acts are protected under the Parliamentary Privileges Act and presidential immunity under the Constitution of Sri Lanka, respectively, although such acts are otherwise challengeable under the common law of the country. These discriminations could be eradicated only by repealing of Parliamentary Privileges Act and amending the relevant provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. 

The escalation of criminal activities day by day has rapidly given us a clue that the restoration of the Rule of Law as pledged by AKD within the country seems to be ineffective to a considerable extent as of present. Narcotic mafia and dire poverty are considered major contributory factors for the escalation of violations of the Rule of Law. Although the Government has launched a massive programme for combating the narcotic mafia and poverty, a necessity has emerged to trickle down the impact of those programs to foster Rule of Law principles. The Government should have a precise strategic plan covering all such requirements for the restoration of the Rule of Law in the long run.

Eradicating racism seems to be another hollow pledge disclosed to the general public for canvassing the franchise holders of minor communities in favour of JVP/NPP at the election campaigns. The Government should first define what racism is and the exact mechanism for how to eradicate it, instead of using that concept to gain political mileage over and above its political rivals. In fact, what should be eradicated is nothing but the misuse of that concept by politicians for their political gains. 

It may be noted that pledges given at the election campaigns are considered nothing but hollow statements for rousing emotional impulse among the general public to secure their votes in favour of a particular political party aiming to capture Governmental power. Once the election is won and governmental power is secured, the accomplishment of pledges so given would become a secondary effort for the politicians. There is a tendency in that context to enjoy hanging on to power at any cost as much as they can by procrastination the accomplishment of pledges given to the general public. 

The newly established JVP/NPP Government seems to be following the same tactic with regard to the pledges disseminated among the general public during the election campaigns. On the other hand, accomplishment of most of the pledges is not possible due to the fact that most of them are confined to hollow promises, being unrealistic and unachievable.

As far as pledges are ignored or remain unaccomplished, there is a tendency that the masses who elected the Government would be frustrated, and the trustworthiness of the Government would deteriorate. In that context, it is absolutely necessary to conduct a self-evaluation of the actual performance of the Government, find out deficiencies, if any, and to impose remedial measures for deficiencies so identified forthwith would be the best solution for this complicated problem in the long run.

The writer is an HRM Consultant on the Fiscal Reform Programme of the ADB (covering Sri Lanka Customs, Excise Department and Inland Revenue Department 2005), and holds an MBA from SJU.