After Darkness At Noon, Deception In Daylight

By Sarath De Alwis –February 7, 2016

Sarath de Alwis

The best and the brightest of the academic and activists who supported the common candidacy of President Sirisena have decided to refresh Presidential remembrance of his covenant on good governance announced prior to the Presdential election.

The three page letter in elegant, eloquent Sinhala seems to suggest that promises not kept are deemed as ‘broken’. Their sense of disillusionment is expressed with extreme economy, an indication that they still cling to their pre-election aspirations for good governance and transparency.

This missive to the President exposes the dichotomy between the comprador and hierarchical economics of the administration and the indigenous, alliance economics of the reform centric civil society who claim a stake in the Maithrpala Sirisena Presidency.

What they advocate is to be secure in the enjoyment of our own means of subsistence and development first. External borrowing is not dictated by dogma but resorted to under unavoidable compulsions. The tone is aggrieved. The emphasis is on the sense of dejection and despair.

‘There is not the slightest apprehension in our minds that you have unremembered the solemn pledge you made before the Presidential Election on 8th January 2015 with regard to the corruption and wrongdoings in financing infrastructure development.

Read More