Unfulfilled dreams and government’s forgotten promises - EDITORIAL

Why do politicians make grandiose promises they cannot possibly keep? After all making and keeping promises should be a matter of self-esteem. So why do our politicians -whether they be self-styled socialists or outright crony capitalists- promise the long-suffering electorate the sun, moon and stars?

Our newly elected rulers promised us ‘A thriving nation, a beautiful life’. Last month we spoke of some of the positive moves of the government since it was elected to office. Unfortunately in a majority of cases, the government’s promises have not been matched with action. 

A platform promise of the present regime, both prior and after coming to power, was to help deprived sections of the community out of what can be likened to that of starvation. The government is well aware that around 25% of our population cannot afford three meals a day. Many parents have been forced to limit their food intake to a meal a day.

Yet the government has not been able to bring down prices of essential goods. Rather, it has proposed to increase the charity grant from between Rs 10,000 - to Rs. 15,000/- per month to worst-affected sections. 

But with remittances edging down in November 2024 compared to the same month the previous year, could the government be able to implement the scheme continuously? Or is it just another sop to quell rising public resentment, only to be cynically dropped at a future date?

Another pre-election promise was enhancing structures of care for senior citizens. Sadly, the proposed escalation of a withholding tax on fixed deposits (FDs) will be akin to a blow in the solar plexus of senior citizens. Many retirees have invested their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings in banks and/or finance companies.

In reality, the effect of the withholding tax is akin to taxing one section of the vulnerable community, to enhance providing giveaways, to another section of the same badly affected community. Unlike the ultra-rich who are able to claim loss on some of their investments and claim tax exemptions on more profitable ventures, ordinary citizens depend on returns from their single investment in FDs to keep the wolf from the door.

If the measure is implemented, the government is actually cutting incomes of the elderly population which it promised to protect in its election manifesto. Overseas employment -especially for women workers is an avenue which helped women support their families. Today a shortage of passports is blocking this path to a large number of our citizens. 

The JVP-led regime has not been able to tackle what appears to be a simple issue. A desperate people do not want to hear excuses. They want results. This is why the new government received a two-thirds majority from the people.  

While avenues of employment remain blocked, the poverty situation in the country is so dire, that this paper (Daily Mirror) reported around 40,000 women have been forced into online prostitution to keep the wolf from the door. 

Again, prior to both the Presidential and general elections, our present rulers spoke of being hell bent on eradicating corruption. However, hungry persons are often thrown into jail for petty thievery, or those do not have the means to pay a simple fine remain incarcerated in jail.Yet, sons of elite politicians suspected of major crimes are released after a few hours of police questioning!

Just a few days ago, an unfortunate ‘criminal’, who was unable to pay a simple fine and subsequently imprisoned, was killed when a branch of a tree fell on the prison ward in which he was held. 

Do we care for this loss of life? The news report did not mention whether the individual had a dependent family or not. He remains a statistic to be soon forgotten.

While most of the problems in the country were inherited by the present regime, they have at different times been closely involved in governments which robbed the country blind. During those times they actively defended wrong doers.  While our countrymen and women knew of their past association with corrupt governments, they did not hold them responsible as they (JVP) were numerically weak and at times, did in fact criticise corrupt practices.

Today having given the present regime the majority in parliament it sought, the man in the street seeks change. They do not want excuses for a continuation of the same.