Can Sri Lanka Produce A Macron?
Rajeewa Jayaweera
The recent TV Show ‘Face the Nation’, presented and moderated by Shameer Rasooldeen and broadcast over MTV discussed several current contentious issues.
Panelists associated with the program were former National List MP and State Minister Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Executive Director of Center for Policy Alternatives Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Senior Attorney-at-Law Gomin Dayasiri and Journalist and Political Commentator Malinda Seneviratne.
The discussion centered around politics, governance, corruption and role of the judiciary.
Commencing the discussion, Prof Wijesinha (RW) voiced his dissatisfaction with the current good governance government. He was one of its initial members. He was critical of the departure from President Sirisena’s election manifesto beginning with Ranil Wickremesinghe being sworn in as Prime Minister a few minutes after Maithripala Sirisena’s own swearing, with a sitting Prime Minister still in office. It also differed with what was previously agreed. He contends, thereafter, it has been a regular case of contradicting the good governance manifesto and broken promises. He opines, the Yahapalanaya administration has since lost all interest in structural reforms and was dishonest. RW concluded, in the event of a general election, he would vote for people opposed to the current government.
Dr Saravanamuttu (PS) pointed out, a lot has not been done in terms promises made and expectations raised of voters in 2015. The commitments made to those promises and reforms has been seriously diluted and even cast aside. He further stated, what currently holds the government together was their desire to cling to power and not relinquish it to someone else. While conceding of some progress made, he spoke of the need for the present government to regroup and come up with a minimum consensus and program of action for the remaining period in office. PS emphasized, failures of the two main political parties currently in government voluntarily, to deliver on promises and expectations they raised would bring into disrepute, the institutions of representative democracy. On the subject of those resigning from high office reappearing in various other government positions as witnessed recently, he opined, notwithstanding the concept of ‘presumed innocent till proven guilty’, the political consequences of what was currently happening was important and expressed the need for “wrong doers to realize what they have done and go rather than wait to be pushed.”
Gomin Dayasiri (GD), in response to the moderator’s question “do you think Sri Lanka right now needs a new constitution, do you think we need the 20th Amendment to the constitution, what are the priorities of Sri Lanka right now” stated “we have got all our priorities mixed up”. He spoke of 20thAmendment being necessary to change certain very important aspects such as return of police powers to the central government and the need to change the electoral system as it was the live wire for much of the corruption taking place. Electorates were too big and MPs need to look for money before and after elections. He expressed his doubts if current constitution making efforts include those very important aspects. He highlighted the eradication of terrorism as the one single major achievement during last ten years but criticized the lack of effort, especially by the Rajapaksa regime in the reconciliation process thereafter. GD opined, even though structural development had been addressed, ‘People Development’ in the North had been overlooked. He further stated, the government had held out very high expectations, but had failed to fulfill many of the promises made. President Sirisena was praised on two issues, for appointing the three-man Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Central Bank bond scam which had resulted in bringing out “a lot of dirt and filth” not uncovered till the appointment of the CoI and for his declaration, foreign judges would not be permitted in Sri Lanka.
Malinda Seneviratne (MS) commenced by praising Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development Dr Harsha de Silva for his recent lament “the entire system is corrupt. I am sick of it”. While conceding to availability of “greater media freedom and breathing space” compared to pre-January 09, 2015 era, he stated “these are still early days” and referred to a senior government minister who had recently telephoned an editor of a newspaper and demanded “this column has to come off”. While praising some of the positive developments such as Right to Information act (RTI), 19th Amendment with independent commissions which corrected the faults of the 17th and repealed the 18th Amendments, he also highlighted the clauses in the 19th Amendment which permitted the government to “go around” the promise of limiting the number of ministers
