With General Elections on the horizon, the focus once again has shifted to the quality of Parliamentarians who will represent the people and serve their interests and that of the country in a positive manner. The popular consensus is that the next Parliament should be represented by educated professionals and men and women of standing if the country is to benefit and progress to any degree. The latest to add their voice in this regard are several youth movements who have prevailed on all political parties to grant nominations only to qualified, capable and visionary candidates with people centric policies at the upcoming Parliamentary elections.
The convenor of the Youth to Lead movement Sachinda Dulanjana addressing a media briefing the other day said political parties should check the educational qualifications together with the political background and aspects such as discipline of their candidates prior to granting nominations .”The candidates will eventually use taxpayers’ money and also would be paid a pension. Therefore we request all political parties as well as the voters to give a chance to professionals”, he said.
True, the conduct and behaviour of most of our MPs is left much to be desired that has given rise to more and more calls being made to clean the Augean stables. An appeal was also made to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by a leading Bhikkhu to, at least this time around, get good, educated people and men and women of integrity to enter Parliament to better serve the nation.
The Ven. Medagoda Abayatissa Thera in an audience with the President soon after he was elected prevailed upon him to ensure at least one such individual from each of the 24 districts in the country receive entry to our apex legislature at the next General Election. This call is not a new one but one that has been raised perennially by all those who have the country’s progress at heart. Former President Maithripala Sirisena made fervent appeals to Lankan professionals serving overseas to return and make their contribution to the Motherland. The response he received to this appeal is not known.
Ven. Abayatissa Thera though wants home-grown Lankans of erudition and good standing to take the plunge. What better way than to ask President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was elected with a resounding mandate and promised a clean and efficient administration where meritocracy will be the watchword, to take the lead in this regard?
However it has also to be conceded that there will be few takers on this score under the prevailing political culture, just yet. The former President said he would like to see at least 50 men and women of integrity belonging to the professions to be part and parcel of Parliament. Would his successor be able to fulfill this wish?
There is hope though. Among the first tasks of President Rajapaksa when he kicked off his campaign two years ago was to cultivate professionals, intellectuals, technocrats and men and women of different walks of life in the formation of the “Viyath Maga” (Path of Intellectuals) the main platform of his campaign. He, no doubt, would not find it difficult to persuade at least some of them to be of help and avail of their professional expertise and services by being Members of Parliament.
In the past, there was no rapport between political leaders and educated segments in society. Parliament being a political quagmire, it was hard to imagine any professional, intellectual or individuals of standing, in their right minds, would even think of an offer to enter politics. They certainly would not have wanted to be identified with some legislators, one third of whom had not passed their GCE (O/L) exam. This was amply demonstrated recently in the exchange between a politician and a State Official in Negombo, as it became clear that the politician had no understanding of the complex interplays in Nature.
No doubt President Rajapaksa will find it hard to ignore those who worked round the clock to ensure his victory. Besides, among the current crop of Parliamentarians on both sides there are those who are popular with the people and electorally indispensable. Ideally the President should strike the right balance in obtaining the right mix of professionals and those popular with the electorate.
Leaders of all major political parties, could make a start at the next elections by not giving nominations to those whose past records do not stand up to scrutiny. It is the toughies and ‘baddies’ who are vital for most political parties for their money and muscle power, a sure recipe for vote harvesting. Even after their exit there are the progeny and siblings waiting in the wings to someday fill in the breach when their papas and mamas call it a day. Hence, the vicious cycle that is continuing to this day.
There are two remedial options – one option is for professionals to remain in their own professions and contribute to national development from the outside. The other is to set a higher entry bar to Parliament to set it on a new course.
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