“On the law and order front — sad to say — there is not even a semblance of law and order. People are kidnapped on a daily basis and ransoms are demanded. Some of those kidnapped are released once the ransom demanded is paid, but some are killed even after collecting the ransom. Some of those kidnapped simply disappear without a trace.”______________________________
(May 09, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We became an independent nation in 1948 breaking away from British rule. We then had educated MPs who were elected by the people to serve the people. We had a very efficient police force which maintained law and order. We had the IGP who maintained the law and we had the most efficient judiciary to implement the law. There was no corruption as the elected politicians used their own money for the benefit of the people. Corruption was therefore unheard of.
Now, although our MPs are still elected by the people they serve themselves and not those who elected them to power. Quite a lot of them are thugs without any basic education. They are the most corrupt creatures on earth and earn enough to last generations.
On the law and order front — sad to say — there is not even a semblance of law and order. People are kidnapped on a daily basis and ransoms are demanded. Some of those kidnapped are released once the ransom demanded is paid, but some are killed even after collecting the ransom. Some of those kidnapped simply disappear without a trace.
We have been classified as a ‘failed state’ by the world. The jumbo cabinet, the largest in the world, is listed as such in the Guinness Book of Records. The ministers enjoy all the perks, travel in bullet proof cars with security and back-up vehicles, all at the expense of the people.
The police do not enforce the law. It is said the IGP’s role is to protect the thugs a good many of whom are in parliament. The Central Bank prints money to keep the government in business. The inflation rate is running at 30%. The cost of living is rising at an alarming rate.
The cost of running the jumbo cabinet of ministers runs into billions of rupees, while people are dying of starvation.
Singapore learnt a lesson from the failed political system in Sri Lanka and made English the country’s official language in addition to four other languages. Consequently that country has developed while we are still fighting over the language issue. Many countries in the region that were not developed as we were then have overtaken us in every field, and now we have to look up to them for assistance.
Next, do we need a state sponsored religion? The greatest mistake made by our government is to have given patronage to one particular religion. We should undo the mistake made in 1956 and let all people practice their own religions without government interference.
It is time we Sri Lankans living within and out of Sri Lanka rise up to this need and create a new breed of people — educated youngsters — to govern this country. We celebrated 60 years of independence this year. It was celebrated to commemorate what?
It is time we ask ourselves this question and ponder on all that has happened in this country since independence. We should not allow this government to fool us forever.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
I am in agreement with the writer.What kind of democracy could we boast about when a routine civil court takes a life time for a verdict.It is time politicians are made to account. This cannot be done until the civil society has the character to stand up to the politicians.
I wholeheartedly agree with this writer and this the absolutely the true situation in the country. Today the hardworking principal of the Trinity College is asked to leave the country because he tolerated no corruption in that collage, brought in discipline tat had desperately have broken down during the last 2 decades. The country is in the hands thugs and hooligans. We are on the way to a failed state unless the people wake up to it and even if they want to can they really do it?
Ranjith states:
While thanking th author for expressing the real truth, I should say that the responsibility of this situation should be taken by the Senior Government oficials who bent thir backs just for personal gains agianst the decisions appropriate for the country. Most of the Secretaries and senior officials make hay when there is no ethical behavoor and have assets all over the world. The carry on corruption at internationa level and no systems are availble to monitor earnings, monitor bank balances and Bribary Commission is slent when reported known corruption.
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