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It was shocking to read of a senior politician, who should know better, calling a young man a piglet for daring to challenge their fallen idol, who seems unable to accept rejection and defeat.   A cat may look at a King is a well-known adage. It was this kind of inflated arrogance that led to the fall.
 

"Prime Minister  Ranil  WIckremesinghe threw his weight and that of his party, solidly behind the campaign, using his powers of negotiation, vast experience, planning and vision.Thus it is good that at long last, the UNP’s call for dissolution, promised to the people after 100 days, has been heeded, although long overdue"

This remark coming on the heels of other drivel uttered by politicians of the Opposition, including a senior politician who cast a vulgar, coarse remark at the Prime Minister recently, in that most august assembly of Parliament, makes one wonder just where our standards and ethics have gone. It makes matters considerably worse, when unparliamentary remarks are made in the presence of schoolchildren. If at a meeting of a company, an executive makes a similar remark against the CEO just what would his punishment be? Or, in a school, if a student insults a teacher or the Principal, wouldn’t he or she be suspended?
Parliamentarians are the representatives of the people who have sent them there, not to indulge in slanderous name calling, but to be of service to the people. Even some sons of lions act like  pet pups, yapping at their master’s voice and commands. All hangers on are shouting their heads-off without thinking first, in attempts to confuse the people.
 

"Those who have missed the mark after two terms of being at the top, earning tremendous benefits for themselves and their kith and kin, must learn to accept their fate. It is the norm in all democracies that there are only two terms for the Head of State"

Life is full of new beginnings and the January election was one which brought in its wake; freedom, hope,and joy to our people. It took away the  fear psychosis, that had  haunted us day and night and been our fate for so long. The long-awaited change reminded me of when the late Anthony Eden who was appointed successor after the late Winston Churchill’s resignation, called a general election. His pledge to Britain was ‘Peace Comes First’, which struck a nation, weary from the sacrifice and loss that war inevitably brings with it. People here too,  who were weary of violence, thuggery, intimidation, disappearances and murders, looked on President Maithirpala Sirisena as their saviour with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe by his side. They knew they were in safe and steady hands and heralded this dawning age of a new freedom and the return to democracy with uncontrolled delight.

Constructive criticism is welcome, based on facts, not on fiction, or inane drivel unworthy of their positions as parliamentarians. Children watching and hearing their language can grow up to think that this kind of behaviour is the way upwards to perks and privilege. They keep harping on foreign citizens being given plum posts. Their own record is hard to beat and is the saddest one to date on this and other things. None other than the Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was the citizen of another country as was the former Foreign Secretary, Palitha Kohonna, who was also brought back by them.

They must realise that when they point one finger at someone else, they are pointing three back at themselves. The rampant corruption, abuse of power and nepotism of their era, is common knowledge, not only here but all over the world. Social media has made it possible to spread the word worldwide. Now, all other countries have confidence in us and in the way this government is going. This government has the blessings of the West, India and China too, as I learned firsthand recently.

The government has kept most of its promises; the work done and achievements of the 100 days are innumerable. The Prime Minister and most Ministers work round the clock to achieve the targets promised, to bring relief to the people. Salaries and pensions have been increased, the cost of living reduced, relief in nutritional aids given to mothers, programmes against child abuse, another hitherto unapprehended monster in our midst, organised on a regular basis by the Ministry of Children’s Affairs, Land returned to the people in the North by the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Resettlement. The police has been made a more people-friendly force. The Foreign Minister has travelled far and wide, in attempts to mend all the broken fences created by sheer arrogance, and lack of any attempt at conflict resolution. We are part of an universe, which is bound by unseen threads. We cannot live or exist on our own steam. Moral and intellectual conviction, are required for good governance, together with the rule of law, which was for so long absent here.  Freedom of speech, and an Independent Judiciary are thankfully, a reality once again.

 The vibrant role played by the UNP, in President Sirisena’s victory must never be forgotten. All those who slandered him in the worst possible language, are trying their best to hang on to his sarong now. Almost every poster pasted was done by the UNP. Prime Minister  Ranil  WIckremesinghe threw his weight and that of his party, solidly behind the campaign, using his powers of negotiation, vast experience, planning and vision.

Thus it is good that at long last, the UNP’s call for dissolution, promised to the people after 100days, has been heeded, although long overdue.

It is the people, the masses, the backbone of our country, who toil hard from day through night to build a future for their children who must benefit, not just one family and their relatives brought from here, there and everywhere, mostly unqualified, to feather their nests, build empires and create dynasties.

In my childhood, religion and politics were not considered subjects for polite conversation. Today, the antics and corruption, of the previous regime and social media, has changed all that. Politics is the favourite subject at any event.There is a Greek word ’hamartia’ which when translated means ‘to miss the mark’. Those who have missed the mark after two terms of being at the top, earning tremendous benefits for themselves and their kith and kin, must learn to accept their fate. It is the norm in all democracies that there are only two terms for the Head of State. Those who contested while in office, and were rejected must exit the scene gracefully. It is only then that they will earn the respect of both supporters and opponents.