The TNA: Following The North American Election Model?

By Rajah S. Rajasingham -August 9, 2013 |

A private dinner for a small group of people will be hosted on Saturday Aug. 10, 2013 at 6:30 PM by TNA supporters in Toronto for TNA Members of Parliament Mr. R. Sampanthan and Mr. M. A. Sumanthiran. The venue is the Toronto Don Valley Hotel. The cost of attendance? A minimum contribution of $500 per head. The goal? $100,000 towards the provincial council election campaign fund of the TNA. To be successful, this so called “small group” must therefore include about 200 people.

R Sampanthan

An announcement by the TNA’s Canada branch says the two MPs will arrive on Aug. 9 and meet lawyers, doctors and representatives of local bodies at a dinner, another one, on Aug. 11 and leave for the US the next day, Monday.

The TNA’s election needs and fund-raising goals are legitimate. Government vehicles with false number plates have always been used by the EPDP and UPFA candidates in the South too, as complaints already lodged by observer agencies indicate. For the TNA to hire a private van for a day’s campaigning could cost several thousand rupees.

EPDP MP Murugesu Chandrakumar from noon to 3:00 p.m. on Aug. 8, a Wednesday afternoon when officers are required have open hours to meet the public, had government officers to join him at an election campaign event at Uthayanagar, Kilinochchi where free lunch was served. Temporary Assistant Planning Office Amarasingham Ketheeswaran and Assistant Primary Education Officer S. Ganesalingam delivered major speeches on government time. Candidates were introduced.

For the first time in Sri Lanka, even temporary, menial government positions are distributed by Douglas Devananda at public meetings and the recipients bow down to him when receiving the letter of appointment. The appearance of an imminent win at his campaign meetings because of the crowds so gathered, can have an avalanche effect in his favor and needs countering.        Read More