WHAT ARE WE THINKING ABOUT…

We live in Pandora’s box. Flitting out of this morass (At the bottom of all else) is HOPE. So, what does the General Public (Encompassing MOST of us) think about?   

First of all, we think that our Government at the moment seeks to present us with a sequined façade of an inefficient and divided rule.   

Why does the  Govt. do this?   

Why is the intelligence of the humblest voter consistently undermined? Sincerity is always recognized. So is bullshitting. (Excuse the word but I can think of no better.) Our Representatives would do well to remember this. Its insincerity reveals itself all too clearly in every self-serving decision politicians are making at this very moment.  

We think that politicians do not grasp the realities of the situation, nor do they have a feel for the new trends and fresh ideas of a new generation.

Do they REALLY believe that the first ARAGALAYA movement was backed by some mysterious power?   

Do they not recognize that the original Galle Face protests were a genuine and heartfelt expression of distrust against the ineptitude of the politicians?   

Why are younger politicians still listening to sycophantic counsellors?   

Some time ago I heard Namal Rajapaksa make the comment that the SLPP power base was still there. Does he really believe this to be true or is he just displaying the savvy Rajapaksa technique which has so far yielded results? 

We think he has not learned any lessons from the ouster of his father and uncle and this error may prove to have a tragic outcome for him.  

These days we listen to politicians’ announcements in sardonic amusement and their claims of “doing good’ cause waves of hilarity as well as groans of despair.   

Yet, we listen daily to the News HOPING that something credible is actually being done that we can believe and trust.  

Naturally, the role of our President springs to mind. We have gradually come to accept (Is there any alternative?) that he is here to stay.   

There is no point our repeating and re-repeating that he failed to get into Parliament on his own. But the Gotabhaya Government failed so appallingly that were Ranil to face a vote today he might actually win a seat despite his unpopularity.   

At this point, many knowledgeable and politically educated people feel positively HOPELESS in the realization that the voting population is not immune to bribery and voting MAY not reflect the actual thoughts of many.  
I have just listened to a frightening statistic that most of us know nothing about.   

India has one Government Servant for every 177 people. Pakistan and Bangladesh have one Government Servant for every 117 people. Sri Lanka has one such servant for just SIXTEEN people.   
Visualise the waste, the inefficiency, and the sheer stupidity of our systems!  

The speaker I listened to said we are about the MOST INEFFICIENT Government In Asia if not the world.   

Surely we must have the laziest Government Servants in the world also.  

Ranil is regarded by some as a sort of Archangel Gabriel trumpeting new schemes which many of us do not exactly object to, but sometimes strenuously dislike some of them.   

The Anti-terrorism Bill for example kills HOPE of a working Democracy. We hope for a total blockage of such an idea. However, we were all proud of him and his wife at the Coronation. 

They made a fine impression that no one else among our politicians could have made. His highly educated and articulate wife spoke at a forum in the UK having paid for her own airfare! Surely this is a lesson to all politicians who travel first class with taxpayers’ money.  

Getting back to that Anti-Terrorism Bill. Is the President. alone in promoting it or does he have the prodding of those who know they cannot face an election? 

Indeed is it even his idea or is he merely an actor in an uncompromising script? WHO is behind WHAT these days?   

Our thinking is all guesswork and speculation....... an interesting pastime indeed. Also, a frustratingly unproductive pastime.  Another highly irritating scenario is watching the goings on in Parliament. Speakers yell at the top of their voices conveying more force than facts.   

The Speaker has no control over this unruly flock. What a difference to the dignified and usually tranquil British Parliament which I watch when I can (And compare sadly) to our own verbal free-for-all.   
Walking into the kitchen one day I found my cook displaying an unusual belligerency.   

‘Aiyo Madam,” she fumed.   

“These yakkas only spend our money and are shout for nothing.”  

Behind the behind the loud-mouthed orators in the House other politicians are having private chats, talking on their mobiles and indulging in private jokes. They show us, all too clearly, that they do not deserve their salaries. But when it is their turn to speak they project a false paternalistic attitude to their voters who, I HOPE, are not being fooled.  

Corruption is often discussed. How come NOTHING is done about bringing people to book when there seems to be plenty of evidence to get started on several glaring cases?   

Any President KNOWS that questions will always be asked and fingers will be unerringly pointed at several politicians making a gradual comeback on the political scene. 

Investigations simply show us that crime pays and history moves on in the SAME spiritless way it has been doing for the last 70 years in Sri Lanka. Corruption will never be weeded out till genuine investigations make an example of those who have allegedly stolen billions.   

Our President remains benignly noncommittal despite direct accusations made daily in Press and Media against many in his Cabinet.  

Sri Lankans are very intelligent people but seem to have a filtered intelligence at times. We treat real problems with contented complacency. I refer here to EDUCATION. It is no longer free and it is no longer available to all.  
I am told we have a Ten-Member Commission in place to revamp  our systems.   

We need only THREE who are well-known experts. One is Dr Tara de Mel, the other is Nirmali Wickremasinghe and the third is Dr Rajiva Wijesinha.   

Given the chance and a free hand, they will produce one of the best-laid plans EVER compiled for Sri Lanka within a few weeks.   

(Naturally, I have not asked these three experts if they would even consider doing it!!) Of course, their recommendations may not be popular…….too many pundits and chauvinists around. But come on Mr. President. Give them a try.  

Has anyone been following a new Party on the horizon titled The United Centenary Front? The speaker and President of the Party is Prashan de Vissier and what he said made a great deal of sense. Certainly, the ideas and aims of this Party are invigorating and free of those (mostly) uneducated voices we hear droning on in our Parliament.  

And one last appeal………..Can our politicians PLEASE inject some optimism into the future of our beloved country? 

Critics, like me, love our Island home. Why else would we bother to write? During World War 11 Churchill constantly gave the British people tremendous boosts and a firm hope for a final victory.   

Can we look forward to a final victory over this present bankruptcy and downward slide? Not until the present system changes.