Govt. must rise and shine to grassroots’ wakeup call

Ranil is the last Prince among politicians; let’s count our blessings in having him as the UNP leader and as Prime Minister

Although Mahinda Rajapaksa has won 200 or more councils, he has failed to secure a working majority in 169 of them.

2018-02-28

Sri Lanka has many firsts to its credit, not all are plus points though. It seems to be a world’s first that an attempt was made to oust a Prime Minister, also from his leadership of the UNP on the results of a Local Government Elections.

The actual percentages of the parties and what they polled are as follows:-

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s party which has other parties under its umbrella 44.6 %, UNP 32%, The SLFP and UPFA 13 %, JVP 6%, TNA 3%.
The political pundits sitting in their armchairs in Colombo talk about the Bond issue, but I disagree, it may have kept a considerable number of voters not voting in Colombo, despite which, the UNP managed to win well with a good majority.

But if corruption was an issue, would they have voted for Mahinda, whose Government is famed both here and the world over, for its rule of unprecedented rampant corruption?

Although Mahinda Rajapaksa has won 200 or more councils, he has failed to secure a working majority in 169 of them.

As a longtime UNP supporter, I think this is a warning signal and a wakeup call, that we as a party, must do more for our supporters, with creating employment, tackling the cost of living and so on.

I am aware that much has already been done in housing projects, education, health issues, reduction of the price of medicines, petrol, gas, increasing the salaries of Government Servants, giving back land in the North, but there isn’t enough publicity for all this and we have to improve our propaganda and PR machines and get them moving fast. 

I am aware that much has already been done in housing projects, education, health issues, reduction of the price of medicines, petrol, gas, increasing the salaries of Government Servants, giving back land in the North, but there isn’t enough publicity for all this and we have to improve our propaganda and PR machines and get them moving fast.

There is also the complaint that the corrupt politicians of the past regime, their siblings and their children, who milked the coffers of this country dry and some murder cases, remain unsolved in spite of the Government having been in power for three years.

These have to be speeded up fast and something done soon.

Any suggestions by MPs should be made behind closed doors, within the precincts of the corridors of power in the party. A public show of disunity is disastrous for any party or organization. 

This is not the first time, although some try to make it out to be a historical fact, that a Government in power has lost Local Government Elections.
Some UNP Ministers removed longtime supporters of the party, who have worked hard for the party after the last Parliamentary Elections and replaced them with their own cohorts. This has also resulted in displeasure.

Whilst I was on the working committee, I recall the Prime Minister telling all members that they should refrain from attacking the President on any issue whatsoever.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t reciprocated and high ups in the SLFP and UPFA kept on throwing mud at him; getting votes for their party, was probably their intention and reason for doing so.

The good that has come out of the mud slung at him by media Moguls and others, all trying to be king-makers, although some of them don’t even have Sri Lankan roots, is that he has gained public sympathy in a hitherto unknown fashion, and people from all walks of life are horrified and angry, at attempts to oust him from the party leadership and his post as Prime Minister

But this did not, in the end, bring them the votes, but went to Mahinda. The Prime Minister kept to his word of command to his MP’s and Working Committee and never hit back, however hard he was hit or hurt.

He is one who keeps his emotions under house arrest, which makes it all the worse, as those that do this suffer immeasurably inside, which is bad for health, which is why all his supporters are deeply concerned.

The good that has come out of the mud slung at him by media Moguls and others, all trying to be king-makers, although some of them don’t even have Sri Lankan roots, is that he has gained public sympathy in a hitherto unknown fashion, and people from all walks of life are horrified and angry, at attempts to oust him from the party leadership and his post as Prime Minister.

As a Christian, I believe that this has happened because ‘God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform’.

Anyone with an IQ over zero is aware how hard he worked at getting the GSP and regaining international confidence, which would never have been ours, without him as Prime Minister.

Political pole-vaulters who left the party when we were down and returned just before the Presidential Election when we were on a winning streak have no business whatsoever, to suggest changes in Leadership.

This is the view of many UNP supporters, who have stuck with the party right through the bad times. These long-jumpers were not there to fight against injustice, corruption and for freedom through the worst times for the party.

There must be more party discipline, to prevent MP’s airing their views publicly, to the media on these and other internal issues. No pole-vaulter has the right to be appointed as Leader in the future.

There are many young MPs who stayed with the party through thick and thin, and any future leader should be chosen from among them.

Any suggestions by MPs should be made behind closed doors, within the precincts of the corridors of power in the party. A public show of disunity is disastrous for any party or organization.

Instead of pointing fingers at the PM for defeat, I wonder if they realise that when they do, they point three back at themselves, they should spend more time in their electorates, tell the people what has been done and not spend so much time abroad or in the high spots in Colombo.

There have been others airing their views on corruption and blind loyalty to Leaders. Nepotism, favouritism, positions given to one’s kith and kin, taking money for positions given are also forms of corruption in any organization. Loyalty is a rare virtue and has to be admired, whatever the circumstances may be. It’s far better to show loyalty to a cause or a person than to be known as hypocritical, greedy or for betrayal, which has become the most uAnfortunate trademark of our time.
Those who throw mud at the PM wouldn’t have dared to do the same with MR, when they would have met with a fate even worse than death or being taken away in white vans, or with the late Presidents Premadasa or Jayewardene who would have had absolutely no qualms about kicking them out of the party.

Ranil’s is too much of a gentleman and takes everything with cool composure, in his gentlemanly stride.

He is the last Prince among Politicians. Let’s count our blessings in having him as the UNP leader and as Prime Minister.
No-one wants a return to those horrific times we experienced before 2015.

‘Oh God of Earth and Altar, bow down and hear our cry
Our earthly Leaders falter, our people drift and die.
From all, that terror teaches, from lies of tongue and pen.
From all the easy speeches that comfort cruel men. From sleep and from damnation,
Deliver us, Good Lord.’