“What Do We Think About?”

11 January 2024 12:00 am Views - 484

• Once corruption is banished AT THE TOP, the country will follow suit. But with a few exceptions like our President, along with a tiny number of educated parliamentarians, we only see devastatingly venal men who have access to the country’s finances which they spend without shame or conscience
• Politicians are fooling themselves if they imagine that the masses have forgotten. Attempts to turn this original Aragalaya’s heartfelt cry for honourable leaders into something sinister is simply to discount reality. Our government, at the moment, is a splintered chess board. Its players will face an eventual checkmate. But do they realise this?
• What the population thinks about all this mismanagement should curdle the blood of those thoughtless idiots at the top. The blue collar workers will not put up with it when they are reduced to beggary… ...a situation fast coming.  The dark cloud building up on the horizon will be overwhelming and will roll inexorably over a government that seems deaf and blind to the daily desperate howls of anguish  

Our President has adroitly seen us through an appalling period but now we are starting to worry. Where is the system change we are gasping for? On the local news we too often see our (mainly) uneducated Parliamentarians quibbling over minor problems 

‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast’ is axiomatic, but these days the spring is getting very weak indeed. The trumpet blasting schemes being advocated at the moment seem to be regarded by optimistic Parliamentarians as if Angel Gabriel himself was blowing his horn. We are on the brink of electing a new government (we hope) and this is hardly the time for new committees, new appointments, new education schemes, new ANYTHING to be proposed and begun. We PRAY daily for good governance but despite the input of a few worthwhile men, this is not happening.
Our President has adroitly seen us through an appalling period but now we are starting to worry. Where is the system change we are gasping for? On the local news we too often see our (mainly) uneducated Parliamentarians quibbling over minor problems. We are seeing a man who was hounded from public office presiding over a huge party conference as if he was not the target of a popular uprising  Do these politicians expect smiling acquiescence from the populace as they go on their foolish way shamelessly enjoying their undeserved privileged existence? Public emotions are blending into one bleak environment of distaste and fury right now.

Electricity

The recent power blackout shook us up mightily. Was it sabotage? Was it an accident? Was it a genuine fault?
Whatever criticisms there may be, I still feel that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera is a hard working and sincere young man who has dealt with the Electricity Board Mafia as best as he could. Can the government assure us that the top heavy Electricity Board moguls will stop cheating us?
Take the problems of citizens, like us, who optimistically installed Solar power a few years ago. All went well at first but not so well of late. Bills are high again. When we complain to the Electricity Board the bill fixers tell us that the solar panels are not working properly! The bills fluctuate madly, from Rs. 7,000 in one month to Rs. 30,000 three months later. The owner of a residence near mine got a bill of Rs. 19,000 in one month with NO ONE LIVING IN THE HOUSE.
These solar panels have been checked and rechecked by harassed solar panelists who assure us that there is nothing wrong with the panels. Of course we believe THEM and not the rascally bill senders of the Electricity Board. The Minister tries his best to rectify matters but who can loosen the strangle hold of those government engineers?
Once corruption is banished AT THE TOP, the country will follow suit. But with a few exceptions like our President, along with a tiny number of educated parliamentarians, we only see devastatingly venal men who have access to the country’s finances which they spend without shame or conscience. When corrupt beings are named, they claim it was their private incomes they were playing around with. Resounding condemnation must follow a Minister whose antics and venality has resulted in numerous medical disasters. Indirectly he is a clear murderer.
As one wit said “The only part of our economy that seems to be looking up is our living costs.” 

Weddings and Parties

It is a common criticism that those who indulge in luxury entertainment are somehow being unpatriotic at this time of national insolvency. I do not agree. My view is that money gets circulated by these grandiose spenders. Hotels are kept afloat; waiters keep their jobs; food sellers are profiting and a circulation of money is helping the economy. After all, I see no possible objection to people spending what they can obviously afford. There are benefits all round. Of course their insensitivity to the sorrows everywhere is another matter!

Diplomatic Appointments

Recently a few deplorable and ludicrous appointments were made in our diplomatic service causing palpable tension among the existing personnel. Our Foreign Service should take a lesson from India which reputedly has the highest standard of diplomats in the world. ALL of them speak perfect English, ALL of them have passed one of the most rigid diplomatic academic exams ever to be given, ALL of them have excellent Indian University Degrees and NONE of them have anything obnoxious about their past behavior. Of course most of them are career diplomats anyway.
A recent Sri Lankan DPL appointment to an important western country horrified us and we strongly question the sanity of our government. What possible benefit could accrue to Sri Lanka with such a person (and his family) replacing a most efficient and charming lady diplomat who was our former High Commissioner in that land?
Several years ago, I had the occasion to deal with the Deputy High Commissioner in Delhi. He could hardly speak good English and he was a career DPL. Our Foreign Service has many intelligent and personable Sri Lankans but it should remain an independent body free of all political meddling. Non-diplomatic appointments for ambassadorial posts are sometimes so ill-deserved they cause outright derision as this latest outrageous choice has done.

The IMF’s Second Tranche

Recently, we read that we have got that second IMF tranche. The President must have had to use all his navigational skills to land it. I don’t understand finance, but I presume there are stringent conditions. PLEASE allow us to benefit by IMF loans. It will not happen if our discredited Parliamentarians are still heard on TV, talking as if they have a future. They are unashamed of their corruption and continue to pretend they have an apparent following.

The Aragalaya

That first Aragalaya was a genuine desire for system change. It was a heartfelt uprising that brought all the nationalities of Sri Lankans together. It brought all ages together. It united religious bodies. It united Sri Lankans from age 6 to age 106!  And yes! My husband DOES have an aunt who is a healthy 106-year-old and in full possession of her faculties.
Politicians are fooling themselves if they imagine that the masses have forgotten. Attempts to turn this original Aragalaya’s heartfelt cry for honourable leaders into something sinister is simply to discount reality. Our government, at the moment, is a splintered chess board. Its players will face an eventual checkmate. But do they realise this?
The Aragalaya display of unity was democracy at its best. The government’s attempts to cover up the sincerity of the movement is political slipperiness at its worst.

Garbage

Dengue is rising we read. Why then is garbage collection taking place just once a week in my area of Kotte? To add to our infuriated feelings, residents of other areas are throwing their garbage into our bird sanctuary under the cover of darkness. Environmental protests go the way of all complaints. Nothing is ever done.
Right on cue an inspector visits us one day and tries to fine me Rs 25,000 for having a bird bath (cleaned daily) which he claims houses dengue larvae. My loudly voiced tantrum worked for once, and he retreated muttering angrily  (to be on the safe side, however, I up-turned the bird bath). The behaviour of these local tyrants causes the many rents and tears in the fabric of our dealing with the local government. Taxes go up as the quality of life spirals down. The daily act of living in Sri Lanka is turning into a drama worthy of Sophocles.

The English Education Question

The benefit of such an education is a self-evident truth, however stubbornly and stupidly the chauvinists oppose it. Mentioning the reasons for the necessity of English AGAIN is a waste of time. On every talk show, on every ‘People’s Proflie’ programme, on every educational discussion, on every sensible TV show… in fact almost NATIONALLY, the opinion of every thinking Sri Lanka is that a return to the English medium is desperately needed. Hold a referendum if proof be needed.
The blue collar workers, estate workers, farmers, ill-paid government workers et al, will be among the first to vote for it because at the moment ENGLISH IS DENIED TO THEM thanks to absurd and out-of-date teaching methods. Running parallel to this drawback is the lack of teachers. Many teachers of English in government schools can barely speak English themselves.
For how long is this bankrupt nation going to pour good money after bad to keep this system going? Our educational methods are simply out of date. 
Here is a hint for campaigning politicians. Promise a return to the English Medium and watch the votes roll in. Of course, this promise requires a  sensible and workable plan which educationists like Dr. Tara de Mel, Dr. Savitri Goonesekera, Dr. Chandrika Wijeratne and many, many capable others would be happy to arrange for our presently clueless government.

Prices

The press tells us that people are reducing daily meals from three to two a day. Soon this will become one meal a day, while THE GOVERNMENT TAKES ALL OUR MONEY. Electricity is a necessity. Water is a necessity. WHY ARE WE BEING TAXED SO HEAVILY FOR THEM? Can we stop using water and electricity? 
The poor man’s supply of both is cut off for non-payment of the bills.  Ministers, Government officials, certain big businesses with influence, have not paid millions in taxes. Their power and water supplies are never cut off. This is just asking for an eventual tsunami of public revenge.
What the population thinks about all this mismanagement should curdle the blood of those thoughtless idiots at the top. The blue collar workers will not put up with it when they are reduced to beggary… ...a situation fast coming.  The dark cloud building up on the horizon will be overwhelming and will roll inexorably over a government that seems deaf and blind to the daily desperate howls of anguish. Let politicians who listen to their sycophantic followers beware.  LIFE IN SRI LANKA IS MURKILY UNBALANCED.

Hope

I end as I started .There is always HOPE…..faint though it may be at this moment. The miasmic cloud seems to grow in intensity. On behalf of many, I plead for party leaders to DROP the majority of those who hold seats in the House at the moment. If the mood of the country is totally misunderstood, as seems to be happening, a storm will be unleashed about our lovely island destroying the governed and governing alike. Will 2024 be a year of destruction or as is STILL possible, will it be a year heralding a Sri Lankan Renaissance?
goolbai@gmail.com