Several issues have sprouted up in the political arena in recent times – as our friends at the Island newspaper reported. The latest move is analyzed by our newspaper as being one designed to throw the scent off more lucrative investigations like the bondgate scam, the central expressway scam in the making and other national procurement matters where the big bucks can be made at the expense of the long and ever suffering general public.
The New York Times story appears to have appeared in a similar form way back in July 2015 and is said to have come from an old Police ‘B’ Report which was not followed through on either because it lacked sufficient evidence to stand up to scrutiny in Court or because some sort of transaction took place between however the interested parties are.
Very clearly the cards are on the horizon: there is just about 20 months left before a Presidential Poll must be announced and the principal collectors of funds for party and self alike must be working overtime. Obviously that leaves precious little time for appointed Ministers and elected members to deliver any real work for and on behalf of the people – those people who clearly elected these political rascals in the first instance.
The people have unfortunately been hoodwinked big time by the man who has constantly and almost brazenly presented and preened himself as the paragon of virtue and democracy. We of course refer to the one man who has dominated our pages ever since he was appointed as Prime Minister.
Ranil Wickremesinghe is popularly blamed for the bondgate matter simply because he refused and did not in any case take real action against his mate Arjuna Mahendran for not snuffing out the clear conflict of interest position that existed when Mahendran was Governor and his son in law was a dominant shareholder of a primary dealership – the license issuing authority being the Central Bank.
Try as they may at the beginning to lay at the doorstep of Ajith Nivard Cabraal blame for the debacle on the basis that the license was issued under his watch, that moved did not gain ground because the foot soldiers at the Central Bank stood firm and stood as patriotic servants of the land all with titanium made spines. They objected, they made notes and finally gave damning evidence before the Presidential Commission to inquire into the issuance of Bonds.
Each time Cabraal makes his own pronouncement on the economy in the print media does the FCID and the Ministry of Law and Order growl into action although in recent weeks even that seems to have waned. Perhaps because the FCID Chief, Ravi Waidyalankara has finally cottoned on that he has been used as a pawn in the political machinations of both Ranil and Maithripala. The IGP has not helped either – making a blitzkrieg style attack on Waidyalankara in an attempt to make his retirement as difficult as possible. One wonders of the IGP realizes that what goes round comes round and that the next incoming government will also look at his own actions.
In fact the hallmark of this government of claimed good governance has been one of shameless corruption, political patronage, conflicts of interest, departure from due process and a hearty appetite for political revenge.
The NYT copy and its aftermath highlights how the Rajapaksas have yet to get their own act together when it comes to management of their public relations. Instead their behavior has become a catalyst for criticism that the Rajapaksas are yet to get it right when it comes to handling the media and journalists in particular.
Meanwhile with all these diversionary tactics in place the Prime Minister and his merry boys are probably cozy in the knowledge that the peoples’ focus will be away from resolving matters like the bondgate scam.
However the people of Sri Lanka realized a long time ago that democracy is not easy and finding real committed democrats are hardto come by. Their search to boot this Prime Minister out is well into its journey. As for the President he appears to be rather a lost soul lounging in the Rub al Khali.
However the opportunity has arisen for a leader with integrity and who will inspire the people to come out of the malaise they are collectively in, to emerge from the ashes, phoenix like.
John F Kennedy helped Sri Lanka understand the situation several years ago. In Berlin he not only inspired the crowds with his ‘ich bien ein Berliner’ but he inspired the world with his absolutely perfect observation that, “Life in Freedom is not easy and Democracy is not perfect”.
