Back to SIRIKOTHA or LEADERSHIP Struggle…?

Don’s Take-Home Pay and BASL 

The three SJB golden brains, Dr. Harsha De Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, and Kabir Hashim are speculated to back the President: “Party politics not important at this point of time” stated Dr. de Silva. But contradicting their position by reiterating ‘a fresh mandate’ is straight out of the opposition’s playbook; back to politics?

Meanwhile, Rajitha Senaratne has let the cat out of the bag.  “We will support the President as a group if the party fails to make a decision. The President has put the country to a better position is a reality.  SJBers went separately not because there were policy differences but because they were not happy about Ranil’s decision making style,” he added. Ironically, they are not happy with decision making style of Sajith as well; he added, ‘decisions made at meetings are later changed by the trio’: Referring to alleged undue interference from Sajith’s wife Jalani [of Aryawa fame] and sister Dulanjali [5th Lane on May 9].’  

Forbes have named Sri Lanka, among 23 best places to travel in 2023. Juliana Broste, a Heartland Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker and host, showcasing adventures and fun things to do states, “This land will keep you guessing… implementation of the reforms would lead to economic regaining and successful completion of the IMF program. The IMF Board-approved program has unlocked US$7 billion in funding from them and other funding agencies and allowed the country to recover its development potential and discuss and understand its economic susceptibilities.

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) annual flagship economic publication, the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2023, forecasts Sri Lanka’s economy to contract by 3%, compared to 7.8% in 2022, before it begins a gradual recovery in 2024; while similar predictions aired by WB in its latest bulletin. Two tragic health reports from Anuradhapura says, 7% of children in Anuradhapura are suffering from chronic malnutrition, and are in need of urgent healthcare, while another says, the pediatric ward of the Teaching Hospital had been closed following the migration of all four pediatricians. Ten billion allocated for seeking ‘mandates’ could be used to feed the suffering children. People are fed up with polls, politics and politicians, what they assert is unity among progressive forces until stability is established.  Elections at this stage will result in a hung parliament creating further chaos and anarchy.

 Ten billion allocated for seeking ‘mandates’ could be used to feed the suffering children. People are fed up with polls, politics and politicians, what they assert is unity among progressive forces until stability is established.  Elections at this stage will result in a hung parliament creating further chaos and anarchy.

President is enduring a challenging task, and need the help of the above three worthy brains in the SJB: sans the corrupt former Pohottu ministers and the corrupt SJBers eying lucrative portfolios.  The government leadership is backed at the moment by a few young and honest SLPP ministers plus a whole heap of dishonest and cunning SLPP MPs.  The President and the PM have no option but depend on them for the working majority in Parliament; do join them; help them in eradicating corruption within government ranks and public officials: the weak leadership in the opposition will not carry them anywhere. 

The attempt by CPC and trade unions to cripple the distribution of fuel through a continuous strike and many other combined TU actions over tax issues failed mainly due to the total lack of public support. The TU leaders of SJB and SLFP were compelled to seek the sympathy of ruling party bosses.

The SOEs are inundated with political stooges of all colours and shades, largely exceeding the required numbers.  Having no work, they engage in corrupt practices. The government should pay more attention to public awareness programs, rather than imposing crackdowns on TU leaders and introducing Draconian legislation to replace PTA.  
However, the authorities should pay sympathetic attention towards University Dons, the country’s scholarly and sophisticated sector from the embarrassment of going home empty-handed on payday, by granting some immediate tax concessions.  They in contrast to lawyers and Doctors, do not pocket undeclared fees and evade taxes. It was Bernard Shaw who famously said, “All professions are conspiracies against the laity”— but teaching at tertiary level is a noble profession; and they are in need of counseling/lecturing on personal budgeting, like how to calculate their net income; how to track spending; regular reviewing options to prevent them from abusing debt facilities. 

In the private sector where this writer worked for four decades, under the shop and office act, the employer must ensure that the employee receives a compulsory take-home-pay of 40% of the gross salary. The UGC should consider introducing similar precautions for the benefit of academics who ignorantly exposed their minus-balanced salary slips in public.

Vacancy in CC, BASL’s Dilemma 

Being unable to reach a consensus on filling the vacant Constitutional Council’s opposition slot, they have derelict responsibility by the people. Can they claim an alternative to ruling party?

BASL has advised the government to ensure the protection of its former head Saliya Pieris PC. They fear the organized protests held against their former boss who appeared for the top-most murder suspect and underworld criminal Chinthaka Wickratamaratne alias Harak Kata, who led country’s narcotic drug trade from Dubai.  There is no disagreement that the lawyer’s assistance is essential for the proper administration of justice in a civilized society. The right to demonstrate is also a basic human right enshrined in the local as well as international charters that the BASL has been clamorously made noises for, especially during Mr. Peiris’ tenure as President. In the early 1980s, the then head of State JR Jayewardene advocated this right in support of a group of state sponsored unruly hooligans who threw stones and demonstrators in front of the residences of three Supreme Court Judges, taking umbrage for the “crime” of delivering a verdict against his government. BASL president, Harry W. Jayewardene, PC was his official legal advisor.  In the recent past BASL membership organized and led several demonstrations in the city, which even prompted a few of their disorderly members to repeat the act inside a courtroom without a mumble of concern being raised by the esteemed body. BASL members with the blessing of their hierarchy even volunteered to appear for some boisterous ‘antarey’ demonstrators who defied court orders.

In the meantime, JSASL [Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka], the sole body representing the District Judges and Magistrates, has appealed to the government raising a pertinent issue in its attempt to summon SC Judges to Parliament. All those who value the independence of the judiciary should unreservedly rise against this undemocratic ex curia move by some members of the government. They can always seek amends through a fuller bench.

Any ad hoc attempt to block legal representation is against the fundamental principle of equality before the law. In December 2012, BASL adopted resolutions concerning the impeachment of the CJ.  Sec 41 (1) of the Judicature Act gives an Attorney-at-Law an unimpaired and unhindered right to appear before any court— taking away this statutory right, the BASL resolved not only to reject a new CJ appointed by the Executive, but stop their lawyers from appearing before him; ad hominem: there was politics in the past and there’s politics in present, ‘O tempora, O mores!’

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