Who gobbled 100,000,000 loaves of bread?
(May 11, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) True to the Buddhist concept of Metta (loving kindness), the Mahinda Rajapakse government extends this kindness to all living beings including: proven failures, rogues, scoundrels, racketeers (political and financial) and others of similar ilk. This serendipitous perception (now popularly known as Chinthanaya) dawned on us as we were glancing through the week's newspapers.
The Morning Leader (Colombo based weekly) had on its front page the story: 'Govt admits Mihin Lanka losses Rs. 3,500 million.' This airline which we christened Hemin Lanka in this column at its inception would go down in the country's history as the biggest ever white elephant. It could be an example in management or mismanagement studies from its ill conceived beginnings to the present pathetic state of affairs.
What is alarming is that it appears to be governed entirely by this concept of loving kindness and not the usual managerial standards of business strategies, transparency and most important of all, accountability. Who is to be held responsible for the colossal loss of Rs. 3,500 million of public funds? Will justice be done?
Bread and millions
In contrast we read a report in another daily on Thursday headlined: 'Man remanded for stealing 20 loaves of bread.' Here at last justice seems to be well on its course. We will not comment on the case because it is still before courts but will go along with the prosecutors in that crimes however small or big they may be, have to go through the processes of the law.
Without commenting on the case, we wish to make a comparison on the amounts involved in the case of bread and Mihin Lanka.
Estimating the price of a loaf of bread at Rs. 35, the Mihin Lanka loss in terms of loaves of bread would amount to 100,000,000 (one hundred million loaves). Now what would the punishment be for those guilty of stealing, losing or gobbling100 million loaves of bread?
If a trader is caught selling bread underweight the price control inspector would pounce on him and bring him before court. But are those who made the loss of the equivalent of 100 million loaves of bread to go unscathed and continue with their rich and glorious life?
We are not being facetious but ask a poor family of five that sits down to dinner with just one loaf of bread they can afford and only a parippu curry, how they feel about it.
Ravi Karunanayake, the UNP MP raised the issue of Mihin Lanka in parliamentbut the Minister of Aviation was not present to answer the queries. The Leader of the House, Nimal Siripala de Silva claimed he knew nothing about it. The query about the number of planes the airline possessed had the Minister tartly replying that he could not go into the hanger to count the planes!
Progress or 'Kota Uda'?
Karunanayake had asked for the corporate plan of the airline and the Leader of the House had said that since the corporate plan contained 'sensitive material' such disclosure might 'retard the progress of the airline.' Whether this airline is making progress, retrogressing or Kota Uda is anybody's guess but that it is in the red for Rs. 3,500 million has been admitted.
Who is responsible for this mess? JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake had pointed out that the minister in charge of aviation at the time the airline commenced operations, Mangala Samaraweera, had said that he had no idea about this airline being launched! Now it is an airline that has no planes, Dissanayake has said.
Mihin Lanka indeed is turning out to be a phantom airline.
Can any responsible government squander the money of the people on a state sponsored venture such as this?
All the billions expended have been the people's money -money collected from VAT and other taxes which the ordinary people pay for their sugar, milk and vegetables. Only a full probe by a reputed international auditing agency can do justice to the public.
Catch the sprats
The strong arm of the law may miss the darlings of the powers that be but the wheels of justice grind slowly but surely. On Thursday we came across a report from far away Mahiyangana where a colonisation officer had been arrested for soliciting a bribe of Rs. 4000 from a resident for the issue of a land permit. Who says justice is not being done under this regime?
While some may think that the crackdown on bribery and corruption should start from the top, this government believes in the bottom upwards direction. Catch the peon first, the boss can come much later on, seems to be the thinking.
The final news item that caught our eye was that of a report titled: 'Is this Nation Building?' Leader of the House, Nimal Siripala de Silva answering a question raised by JVP MP Ranaweera Pathirana had revealed that six ministers in charge of the subject of 'Nation Building' were using 43 vehicles incurring a stupendous bill of Rs 752,500 a month on fuel alone.
The portfolios of 'Nation Building' are a new Rajapakse creation which enabled him to enlarge his cabinet to over 100 ministers. So whatever the 'Nation Building' work these honourable gentleman are engaged in, they have to be provided with all the facilities a minister is entitled to. Vehicles are one such requirement. But there should be bodyguards, secretaries, free telephones, free housing and much more. What a way to build a nation!
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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