Ex Commander Air Force Roshan Goonetileke was recently sworn in as the Governor of the Western Province. It wasn’t a retired politician, public servant or a former acquaintance which was usually the case in the past as a gratitude for being close? The answer is simple. The country needs performers, especially at a time like this.
The role of the task force chief General Shavendra Silva has been incomparable with the backing and expertise of Sri Lanka security forces trained ‘not to say no’ and the health authorities. The writer merely visualizes this as a model for the overall development of the country breaking the shackles of the mutilated Constitution, paper driven policies, lengthy procedures (criticized by the very people who created them).
The Polity has failed. Democracy has failed. Bureaucracy has failed. Therefore, any future in the country should be proceeded with the acceptance of this fact that everything has slumped, and the country remains poor with heavy debts that the future generations have to settle, probably as slaves. The fear among societies especially among the high-end societies for authoritarian governance is understood and yet the abuse of power can take place in democracy too. The total peace from the 30-year-old war came with the dedication of the security forces and the police in the battlefront. The evil spells of 1971, 88-89 were also defused by them to end the insurgency which cost the country a colossal public wealth and human lives.
The argument against authoritarian governance of any form arises from the dark patches in the past and any odd soldier with assumed impunity could take the law into his hands in the spur of a moment. Authors such as Ambika Satkunanathan were questioning the continuation of military presence in the North after 2009 but the ground realities showed the people, especially the Tamils, that military was needed to prevent the infiltration of the LTTE, the removal of landmines and massive reconstruction sought when Prabhakaran could not build a single house , school or hospital despite indulgence in a comfortable life. The same goes for the rest of the country after independence with the current equation of 500 ICU beds to thousands of super luxury vehicles!!!,
An Authoritarian Governance cannot be compared to dictatorships like the times of Hitler, Pinochet, Idi Amin, Bokasa , Polpot followed by various military Juntas from Ethiopia to Haiti, Nicaragua , Nigeria, and Peru. Sri Lanka had never gone through such regimes and instead there were disguised dictatorships with the extension of government’s tenure in the 70s and retaining undated letters of resignations of MP in the 80s. History reveals how the role of security forces rescued Sri Lanka at times of calamities, be they natural disasters, insurgencies or terrorism. Today’s situation is more than proof for the necessity of their presence in all aspects from emergencies to development in the future. Without them and their discipline together with the health authorities, Sri Lanka would never have handled Covid-19 to this extent. We are doing far better than developed countries with inexpressible sacrifices. The question keeps bugging the masses why this model is not tested as a forerunner for the development of the country.
If one seeks a paradigm shift which is a silent prayer of the poor masses, the word benevolent authoritarian governance sets a parameter as to how the country should move forward in the future with less talk but more action. At present it is only a war against a deadly virus that is cutting across the world. This should not end like 2009 where we completely missed the bus.
The authoritarian governance is in action and so far with a minimum number of deaths and over 40 fully equipped quarantine centres erected in a few days’ time - a mission impossible, while the developed countries are still struggling, turning older patients away and pleading with other countries for ventilators and Malaria drugs.
Sri Lanka is a small island comparatively. We have had politicians, bureaucrats and professionals since independence and the crime record from January 1-15, 2020 read in Parliament shows where we are. As reported, we have the 24th largest security force in the world. They are the best not only in combatting enemies but also handling emergency situations. Aren’t they good enough for development as they brought Colombo to be the best emerging in Asia?
What is the model that works under Authoritarian Governance? Effective modalities for accountability; system of democracy to elect MPs whose role is as implementors of national plans in geographic regions; appointments of performers in institutions as seen in Ports, Consumer Affairs, Airport & Aviation services etc; managing the economy to reduce overdependence seeking truly a middle path; a diplomatic network that interacts with the international community with ambassadorial and Public diplomacy to get the best out of the friends through bilateral agreements, trade, investments and tourism. Covid 19 has shown the world the need of economic thinking beyond borrowings over borrowings and encourage agricultural and manufacturing bases over stock markets. Sadly they say, among our imports are National and Buddhist flags!!.
The colossal expenditure on Provincial Councils and Pradeshiya Sabas is a crime. We need a simple explanation to India that pushed us for Provincial Councils to sign the Indo Sri Lanka accord which itself made over a thousand Indian soldiers perish down Jaffna streets. The country needs a paradigm shift in every sector and in the education too. Sri Lanka needs skills, not graduates. We need professional plumbers, electricians, horticulturists, agriculturists, motor mechanics, language experts, web developers, multimedia experts, Para medics, beauty culturists, culinary and cookery experts , English Teachers, Masters of F & B, independent journalists, event planners, pest controllers, land and construction movers, -the list is long. Other than the medical, engineering and IT fields, universities do not produce them. University colleges and technical Colleges do, in a small way. The coronavirus will revert the world to basic economics in many countries, like barter trade on the one hand and enhanced technology to online practical training on the other. It’s time to re-assess shifting priorities from luxury lifestyles of some quarters to devices and wifi for poor children.
Sri Lanka will not have another chance. Nothing will be lost even if this model is tried out for a shorter period to show the world that development can be achieved through ‘benevolent Authoritarian Governance.
(The writer is a former diplomat, Tourism official and currently an Academic)