Crooks that represent the fools
by Lucien Rajakarunanayake
( June 11, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) “We can’t do our job without it” is the current chorus of politicians who are said to work in the August Assembly at Diyawanna Oya.
“What is the job you are talking about?” – The reply is prompt: “Serving the people”.
“How did that become your job?”
“Well, we applied for it at the nominations, were selected to contest the elections, and were chosen by the people. Isn’t that quite a task, and don’t we deserve the tools to do our work?”
“Were these tools you seek today included in the nomination papers you filled? Were they mentioned in the interviews you had with voters – at those public meetings during election time?”
“What we told them was that if elected, we would work for the people – what more could we say? Isn’t service for the people the greatest goal any person can have?”
“Did you tell the people how much your salary and allowances would be?’
“Why should we, they never asked us”
“Did you tell them how many days a month you would be at work, at that Assembly?”
“No – our work is not limited to that Assembly. More importantly, it involves, weddings, funerals, birthdays, attaining age ceremonies for girls, sports meets, various opening ceremonies – this involves much more time than in any other employment”.
“How much time do you spend in the preparation and discussion of laws and regulations, which is the main role of that August Assembly?’
“Not very much; there are departments to draft those laws and regulations. How can we do that? We have not been trained in such work. Most of us have every little education anyway, so why bother? We are only required to raise our hands to pass them, or if we think they threaten the welfare of the people’s elected representatives, raise our hand against them.”
“So what of this tool for work you are now demanding – luxury cars? How can they help you in your work for the people?
“Come on, it is not we who call them luxury – it is you people. What we want are good, comfortable vehicles, like those that were given, duty free, to those who came before us in recent years. We do a lot of travelling, and as one of our fellow members recently said, we need four-wheel drives that can climb hills and mountains, too. You may call them luxury SUVs or whatever. We think of them as the necessary transport tools to serve the people”.
“Don’t you think of the worries that people have today…?”
“Why not we always think of their worries…that is why we need these vehicles, to help us be with them and share their worries.”
“But do you really think this is the time to bring a Bill to that August Assembly to get these vehicles of excellent comfort?
“Why do you ask that? What is so special about these days?”
“Well, since you talk about working with and for the people, you must be aware of the recent floods and landslides…
“Yes, yes…floods and landslides come and go, but we must go on serving the people. Now that you reminded me, it may be necessary to ask to for comfortable boats to be used by us during any future floods. They will help in boat riding relaxation, too. It is a good idea for the next Group Meeting”.
“But what of the more recent Salawa Ammo Dump explosion; does that not worry you?”
“Why should that worry me, or any of us who are elected to serve the people? That is a matter for the Army. I’m sure they will attend to it”.
“But what about all the suffering caused to the people – driven out of their homes – house and property destroyed. Don’t you think of the cost of all that to the country?”
“Of course we all think of that – in fact we are just thinking how much political capital we can get out of that. But meeting the cost of such crises is the job of the Government, it will and must do it, and the faster the better.”
“But what of the cost – so many millions of rupees?’
Yes, yes, everything is costed in millions of rupees these days, so what about it?”
“But the cost of these luxury service vehicles you are seeking costs another Rs. 1,175 million. Can’t that money be used to bring relief to the people you say you are elected to serve?”
“Now don’t get your priorities wrong… we are not doing an ordinary job. We protect the sovereignty of the nation – does anyone else do that? We work in that August Assembly – can there be any higher priority in the allocation of State funds than our immediate needs for service. Vehicles of the types described, whether you call them luxury or not, are our pressing need today. That must get top priority.’
“But what about democracy or the rights of the people?”
It is very simple. Those elected to serve the people, must be served before the people. Providing them the best vehicles in the market, or importing even better vehicles for them, is the need of the hour. We can’t let floods, landslides, ammunition dump explosions or any other crises to stand in the way of the vehicles we need to serve the people.
“You don’t think you are fooling the people all the way – janathava gonata andanava”?
“I’ll tell you the truth, if the people were foolish enough to elect us – ehama gonnu vuna nam – the blame lies with them, not with us.”
