Health & Politics at Crossroads!

We need a strong government to ensure the forward path of growth and  development of this badly debt-ridden and economically down-in-the dumps  country as is evident in the recent enormous amount of loans slated to  arrive at our national coffers

The initial euphoria that brought us victory over the first wave seem to  be on the brink and evaporating. A serious commitment to wade off the  spread of the virus seems to be a great concern and priority of the  moment

There seems to be at the moment a heated controversy about health and politics as to which issues have to be looked at as more urgent and therefore priority of attention to be given, in order the best interests of not politicians but the common good of the people could be achieved as quickly as possible. Many learned commentators in recent media articles, press conferences and other social media have made prolific presentations in defense of their choice of priority. 

There are of course many political, socio-cultural and even religious overtones enveloping these two hotly debated issues in the country. On the one hand, we need a strong government to ensure the forward path of growth and development of this badly debt-ridden and economically down-in-the dumps country as is evident in the recent enormous amount of loans slated to arrive at our national coffers. On the other hand, citizens and patriots of this country wish to see a clear stabilization of the fundamental pillars of democracy, namely people’s sovereign rights and freedoms that follow from these, so that in no way would the democratic life that led this nation for the last 70 years would be in jeopardy. All these post-independence decades, despite its ups and downs, a democratic way of life has been the political culture of the Sri Lankans. No doubt, there were serious lapses for which we had to pay dearly in the youth insurrections, ethnic tensions, increasing debts and in particular the scourge of the 30-year internecine war that plagued the country with its frightening consequences affecting national security, national unity, social cohesion and the economy. We are now at cross-roads again with two issues weighing heavily on the country. There is a second wave of the fast-spreading covid-19 virus that has entered 21 districts with infections going over the 3000th mark at the moment. Health authorities are afraid judging from the rate of spread, about the sufficiency of beds for the treatment of those infected. How this second wave broke off from the Brandix complex still remains indeed a mystery to be unraveled. Despite all assurances that strive to mitigate fear, uncertainty and anxiety in the people, every morning newspaper and news channels have bad news for the people. The almost ad-nauseam insistence on the directive to strictly observe health measures such as the obligation to wear masks and keeping of the social distance and further observe the curfew hours, gives the impression of the serious health hazard gripping us and the duty of all to take all measures to stay safe and avoid getting infected. The initial euphoria that brought us victory over the first wave seem to be on the brink and evaporating. A serious commitment to wade off the spread of the virus seems to be a great concern and priority of the moment. 

All those occupied with the prevention of the decease, the caring for those infected as well as the rehabilitation of those cured and those in charge of the quarantine centers continue to deserve our praise and laurels for the excellent and most praiseworthy tasks they are performing at their own risk to ensure the health of the people. There isn’t the least doubt that the government is doing its best possible and available to serve the needs of the people. Covid-19 has become a national liability and a great danger if not arrested immediately at all costs and thus surges as a clear priority vis-à-vis the debate that wrangles about the 20A amendment to the national constitution. This is a political issue still appearing to be highly explosive and controversial. That the mysterious and merciless onslaught of the virus spells disaster if not attended to carefully and that all energies, opportunities and resources at hand to arrest the menace of the virus be used, being a categorical imperative, cannot be debated. The country is again facing a health hazard and is in a serious crisis. Hence an effective response without delay is of utmost importance..  

Many right-thinking politicians, political analysts and specialists are of the view that in the history of world-politics, power concentrated in the hands of a single individual has spelled disaster. Some such individual rulers have either miserably failed at the end, created chaotic national situations and were even either rejected by the people violently or tried in international courts for their misdeeds and convicted for crimes against humanity. Veritably, the whole story had been a travesty of democracy. 

The temptation to misuse and abuse, the eventually shift into dictatorial way of governance and a clear dictatorship that impinges upon all decent and legitimate phases of democracy is inevitable, with people’s voice muted and the power of the parliament disdained. One raises the common sense question as to whether the people who gave the winning political alliance a two-thirds majority in parliament were really aware of the so-called plans it had in mind.

Were they to use it for the welfare of the people viz national security and economic recovery, the twin issues on which the presidential election was won or apparently were there vested interests they were contemplating in the greed for consolidating power under the pretext of the pledge for a strong government? The millions who voted, trusted their promises and pledges to be genuine. Yet, begging for a two-thirds majority to change the constitution was not a clear proposition: it was unclear, opaque and highly questionable, in the opinion of many a critique. On the other hand, the parliament with its two thirds majority is trusted to vote and pass in favor all bills and legislation that will accrue to the good of the country in the long run and can be believed to avoid coming up with any bill or legislation that will threaten democracy, territorial integrity, the honor and freedom of a sovereign country, the like of which we certainly enjoy today in post-independent Sri Lanka.   

We want rulers to be clear and distinct about their plans so that they are credible and wholesome even as good governance and the demands of the dasa-raja dharma are impeccably observed and obeyed for a righteous rule by those in authority. There is no need for a single man, an executive with absolute power, to decide on important national issues when an impartial parliamentary vote is capable of deciding on what is good and what is not. Surely, such favourable bills will win the favour and the positive vote even of the opposition, This is the excellence and beauty of the parliamentary path of democratic rule. An excessive quantum of power vested in the executive office within a presidential system will mute the voice of the parliament and turn legitimately elected parliament as representatives of the people into a caricature and a puppet. 

It will become in the hands of the executive only a consultative and incapacitated body which would then be a travesty of democracy and a contradiction in terms. One would be highly sceptical whether 20A would infallibly prove to be a way of strengthening government. Instead it will create a host of problems and clashes in the political life of the nation. 

There are many more important issues to be looked into than debating on constitutional reforms at the moment. People’s needs seem to be different: the arrest of the killer virus, the lot of the farmer, the unemployment of youth, supply of essential food-stuffs, foreign investment and improving the efficiency of the local bodies, the improvement of the health services, lowering the living index and refurbishing of foreign relations are some of the decisive issues at stake at the moment, For none of these, is 20A required: parliamentary procedures are sufficient means to pursue these goals.  

One must in terms of prudence, justice and good governance heed at this time to the plethora of voices that express vivid concerns about the amendment 20A to the national constitution and the aching questions and doubts that have clustered around and crept up ever since this issue was raised. The basic question is: is 20A absolutely needed for good and stable government? Is it justifiable in the light of the burning problems of the people at present, to give this particular consideration undue importance and think it to be such a priority at the cost of other serious problems that beset our dear country? Further, learning from history will be a source of great enlightenment when making and evaluating political issues pertaining to us in particular. Browsing through the era of the executive presidency of J. R. Jayawardane, through that of Ranasinghe Premadasa and D.B.Wijetunge, that of Chandrika Kumaratunge, Mahinda Rajapaksa and that of Maithripala Sirisena, there are aching and troubling questions that people of this country have to raise as to the benefits accrued as well as the misfortunes and tragedies that came over this pearl of the Indies during these regimes. 

It is the opinion of the wise sage, that all those in whom people have placed their public trust in this country so loyal to democracy and social freedom, that their delegated power be used with responsibility and compassionately in the interest of the common good of this country cleanly devoid of vested interests bordering on greed for power. This great island in Asia and its patriotic people deserve nothing short of the best from its rulers who would not breach thire trust while handling their destiny, interpreting rightly the huge mandate given to them.