‘Physician heal thyself’ | Daily News

‘Physician heal thyself’

The dust storm that erupted after the ground level victory of the SLPP (JO) at the local government elections has now settled down one could see the contours of the victory and defeat suffered by all major parties more clearly. The SLPP victory is not all that straight as it needs Opposition support to form administrations in almost two-thirds of Councils in which they hold a majority of seats. To that extent the defeated parties have an effective power in deciding the final outcome. Thus it is not a blank cheque that was given to it by the voters.

The confusion thus created was worst confounded by subjective efforts of the major parties in seeking to change the central government with their own imaginary governments and imaginary portfolios as well as repeated calls for the removal of the Prime Minister. This was despite the specific provisions in the Constitution that the President has no power to remove the Prime Minister unless the Parliament passes a Vote of No Confidence on him or unless he resigns on his own. Either the politicos were ignorant of the Supreme Law of the land or they deliberately wished to undermine it.

The call for the change of the central government was wrong on account of the fact that the legitimacy of its mandate has not expired. The Government was formed according to the mandate given by the people on August 17, 2015 when the legitimate President of the Republic invited the Leader of the party with the majority of MPs to form the government. It had passed votes of confidence several times and until a Vote of No Confidence is passed or the Budget fails to get Parliament approval it has legitimacy to run for the full term. Besides, there is no precedent in international experience where a central government was changed following a defeat at local government polls.

Political parties

Amidst all this confusion, claims and counter-claims of political parties and knee-jerk reactions of interested parties there is one factor on which there is almost universal acceptance. That is that the Government has been given a clear warning to correct its mistakes and embark on the promised path towards implementing the January 8th mandate without deviations. Failure to do so would be its doom.

We would like to propose certain changes as part of a rectification drive by the Government, if it heeds the popular warning.

It has to re-consider its blind adherence to the neo-liberal economic policies which even their mentors are now abandoning. Its principal drawback is the lack of equity in the distribution of its gains. Equality of opportunity and equity in distribution are necessary.

Ever since 1977 people were fooled by promises of “trickle down” benefits which were never realized. It is not a personal failure of those who governed whether it is a Bandaranaike, a Rajapaksa or a Wickremesinghe. It is a systematic failure. Over the years the gap between the haves and have-nots has widened. The wealth of the country has been concentrating in a few hands. A mere change of government or a return of the Rajapaksa era will not guarantee equity. There should be a definite pro-poor and people-friendly socio-economic development programme of action. It should include re-distribution of national income equitably. To call the people to tighten their belts when the affluent and symbolically Ministers and their deputies display vulgar ostentation devouring much public funds parasitically there cannot be any equity. They need to sacrifice extra-ordinary comforts and perks of office.

All extravagant projects with only cosmetic value should be abandoned in preference to those that are production-centred. The craze for macro-projects is also another obsession that has to be abandoned. Perhaps chances of abundant sleaze may be the attraction.

Dogmatic adherence to both nationalization and liberalization should be done away with and at each instance a concrete appraisal of the benefits of otherwise of either should be made before arriving at a decision. Unsolicited investment proposals from whatever quarter have to be carefully weighed before approval. Though it is imperative to get FDI the government must be selective in choosing them to suit the national interests, especially to protect nascent local industry and agriculture.

Soaring cost of living is a perennial problem for the poor and the lower middle classes. From the performance of the Government during the last three years shows that its objective has been not to provide relief to them but to develop the upper middle class through economic concessions. The increase in indirect taxation through VAT and custom duties as well as service charges was meant to favour the upper middle class and those with higher incomes.

Essential commodities

The poor should be guaranteed a subsidized package of essential commodities as a safety net both to improve their income and prevent the growth of malnutrition and poverty. Emphasis on developing preventive health and improvement of basic educational facilities as against giving priority to cosmetic projects such as supplying Wi-Fi and Tabs distribution is more urgent.

As regards the prices of agricultural goods such as vegetables, potatoes etc. cost of transport and storage facilities are major debilitating factors. The use of the railways for transport as well as the restoration of the services rendered earlier by the Marketing department would certainly improve the situation. A hundred percent free market or the government’s total abstention from business activity is a luxury and an oddity that cannot be afforded.

The government has also failed to provide necessary agricultural inputs in time for cultivation. The unavailability of fertilizers in time and their higher costs following instant purchases without tenders was a key element of dissatisfaction with the government as witnessed at the local government polls. Even at present potato cultivators are not getting a fair price for their crops due to heavy imports.

Food security is a major concern, especially due to periodic droughts and floods. Post-harvest loss is also an impediment that should be rectified. Meanwhile, attempts are being made to divert attention of the farmers to cash crop cultivation in preference to paddy cultivation. Academics and foreign consultants have advocated such measures to improve the living standards of the farmers. But it runs the risk of destroying the food security of the people, especially that of the staple diet.

Sri Lanka is still mainly an agricultural country. In the short term it is the development of agriculture -its modernization and development of its technological base that promises a quick improvement of the GDP.

Economic development programme

It is a fact that there is a shortage of both skilled and unskilled labour amounting to at least half a million hands. The only way to rectify this situation is to improve the dignity of labour by providing an adequate salary, the lack of which is the principal reason for the existence of a large number of vacancies. True, an attitudinal change among youth is required but it is only a secondary factor needing a long-term solution.

We are told that a new economic development programme is being worked out by the National Economic Council under the President. However, unless detailed out in a pragmatic plan of action to be implemented within the next two years a policy couched in nice language full of “promises” would be of no avail.

Similarly a reshuffle of the Cabinet could amount to a mere shuffling of a pack of cards with its jokers merely changing hands. One thing is clear, whether a national government or not, the country cannot afford a jumbo Cabinet. It is high time to reduce its size to manageable size. Nor should certain perks of MPs and Ministers, for example, attendance allowances for each sitting and subsidized meals should be done away with. Import of fresh vehicles for them also should be abandoned and the needy given vehicles from those available in Ministries.

In the political field much remains to be done both in local and foreign policies but we keep it for another occasion.

 


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