Politicians are hired representives of the people
I am spurred by Mr.D .Weeratunga’s letter focusing on the mandate given to politicians by the people. He has quite forthrightly highlighted several home truths about our existing Political Administration system. It implies that politicians are no more an ‘Honorary’ class by itself but a coterie of hired representatives or employees of the sovereign voter. It is no secret that they are amply rewarded for discharging the mandate given to them. People have now taken it for granted that one should enter politics to make money. Gone are the days where honourable politicians dumped their own money and property to do politics and emerged as paupers!
Given this scenario, the voter or the tax payer should enjoy the prerogative of laying down the eligibility criteria for the candidates they wish to hire as their representatives, as in the case of any other employer. The contesting political parties shall act as ‘Manpower’ agencies who should prepare ‘District-wise merit lists of political professionals’ for nomination at elections. Such lists approved by the Elections Dept. on the nomination date will be available for their principals, who will make a general assessment of the quality of the teams in addition to the Party election manifesto when they vote for the Party of their choice.
Towards meeting this objective, we call upon the Elections Commission to deliver peoples’ expectations by laying down stringent eligibility criteria and selection procedure for the candidates applying for the posts of Peoples’ Representatives.
The political parties would then be compelled to comply with the rule of law.
No doubt, all the legal impediments have to be removed by the concerned authorities to meet this long outstanding expectation of the voters. Looking for examples in other countries which operate in different political environments is a futile exercise.
We are confident that all civil organisations including ‘Paffrel’ and ‘Caffe’ will work towards achieving this much needed requirement for a mature democracy in Sri Lanka.
Bernard Fernando
Moratuwa
A REQUEST TO OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES
We see the opposition parties criticising the Yahapalanaya Government. This is very good, as obviously there are lapses in the Government, which they themselves admit. It is the duty of the opposition parties to point out mistakes, and any corruption in the Government. It is also their duty to support and appreciate the good policies and good work of the Government. These are important functions in a democracy.
When the government increases salaries, perks, allowances, duty free car permits, pensions, the opposition gives its full support. We have to think about this.
Now, the opposition is planning to defeat the Government and form a new government, which is also good. We want to see a group coming forward to make this country a developed one. What is necessary is a good leadership like that of Lee Kuan Yew or Mahathir Mohamed.
We are prepared to support the main political parties, but we want them to prepare a book indicating the improvements they plan to make and how they propose to do it. The book should indicate their plans for the next five years, with all details, comprising at least 100 pages. It can be a four or five year plan with target dates. They must tell us how they propose to settle the loans we have taken; develop our industries,the agriculture, reduce unemployment, control drug abuse and drug trafficking. They must indicate the new development projects and how they would find funds for them; also how they would improve the Railway Department, the bus service; and their plans for the education and higher education sector. Do they plan to change the Constitution, and the changes they propose. All this should be clearly indicated in detail.
While thanking the Government and the opposition for any good work they are performing, we request the opposition to put forward their plans in the form of a book of about 100 pages.We want to know their proposed improvements with target dates.
D. Weeratunga
Re-cycle Tax for plastic menace!
Many national companies and Sri Lankan entrepreneurs use plastic bottles for their convenience and to earn higher profits. The environmental damage caused by the use of plastics one time, has reached exploding levels. Half these bottles end up at sea. The latest is that Indian plastics too have reached our shores.
Sri Lanka has some of the best beaches in the world. They are our main tourist attraction. Until last year we enjoyed walking on the beach and a dip in the sea.Today, we cannot enjoy such things. People throw the used plastic bottles and bags into the canals which end up in the sea and ultimately are washed ashore. Some remain in the sea and are eaten by fish, which kills them. With the introduction of degradable bags, we see less bags but more bottles. It is sad to see the entire coastline full of garbage. Is the Paradise already lost by our own doing?
Marine pollution is the latest disaster for mankind. When the sea gets polluted with plastic, the fish eat them and consuming such fish would be cancerous for humans. In time to come, it could eliminate the entire fishing community income and eating seafood will then be a thing of the past. More than a billion people make a living from this asset, which is a vital protein for mankind. According to calculations, it takes an average of 450 years to decompose a plastic bottle.
The collection of plastics and re-cycling cost money. If the Government pays a subsidy to the collectors and re-cycle centres, entrepreneurs could be motivated to open more re-cycling factories. Like in some western countries, our Government must introduce a TAX for all one time use of plastics. This has helped in many countries to reduce the usage of plastic and also create a new group of people to earn a steady income by collecting them and handing them over to re-cycle centers.
R J Dasa
Colombo