For A Civilised Parliament – A Decent Government

By Kusal Perera –May 10, 2015

Kusal Perara

Abolition of the Executive Presidency was proposed as a solution to almost all evil issues from mega corruption to fraud, to nepotism to crony capitalism, to breakdown of rule of law to dictatorial rule.19th Amendment that would include the establishment of Independent Commissions was thus projected as the main solution for ills and was campaigned for over an year resulting in a Common Opposition Candidate at the presidential polls. During the presidential elections the urban middle class rallied round 19A expecting the executive presidency to be abolished for an accountable, transparent good governance rule to begin with the corrupt in the previous regime duly punished.

Proving purely arithmetical calculations done by “Experts” in how a two thirds majority in parliament could be secured wholly absurd and a-political, abolition became a non starter. Their “expert” ignorance that argued the ‘abolition’ was possible with just a 2/3 majority in parliament was rejected by the SC. The next important reform in the electoral system that is promised as 20th Amendment is being greased the same way, compromised to exclusively suit political party leaders and not democracy and not wider people’s representation. In fact there are “experts” whose only work on electoral reforms is to satisfy a majority of MPs in this deformed and illegitimate parliament and not the democratic needs of people.

These go to prove, it’s not just politicians who are corrupt and everything bad. These go to prove even the urban middle class is not wholly committed for a clean and a fair government. To prevent nepotism, fraud, corruption and cronyism. For the educated, the professionals, the administrators and even the academics are also gnawing at different advantages in being within this heavily corrupt and profitable system. We are certainly living through intellectual poverty and ignorance in this society. Intellectually lethargic, we don’t get into serious discussions in finding what really ails us. We are happy raking the superficial, the most visible. We are being caged in intellectually and culturally dead city life.Read More