It is questionable whether Sri Lanka's key policymakers have been able to understand China, which has been like a blood relative for the past few years and has supported us in every difficult situation.
Editorial
China has issued an alarming notice on the fragile policies of the Government of Sri Lanka. Addressing a group of local journalists in Sri Lanka, Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong yesterday outlined the bilateral relationships while expressing deep concern about the prevailing social upheaval. There is a serious allegation that many government policies are designed to satisfy the aspirations of local politicians and their henchmen instead of doing justice to foreign investors. The tender for a renewable energy project to be built on three northern islands was awarded to a Chinese company but suddenly cancelled a few days later without any prior notice allegedly due to Indian influence. Also, the third phase of the Central Expressway has been given to a fraudulent company to satisfy the desire of the former Minister of Highways by ignoring the Chinese company which had bid for less than the awardee. Similar to many diplomatic blunders, these activities also are showing the immaturity of Sri Lankan officials in handling diplomacy as an independent state.
 |
| Port City |
In this context, we must understand the basic lesson that China is trying to teach Sri Lanka at the moment. It is questionable whether Sri Lanka's key policymakers have been able to understand China, which has been like a blood relative for the past few years and has supported us in every difficult situation. It is now clear that China no longer wants to feed the fraudsters and hoaxers under the guise of bilateral relations but to maintain authentic and people-centred diplomacy. This is why the Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka reiterated that China has always given priority to people to people relations over politicians.
The main challenge facing Sri Lanka is the lack of a truly intelligent administration and a wealthy business community made up of real wealth, which is an essential ingredient to the stability of the state. Unfortunately, there is no unity among the smallest group capable of fulfilling national responsibility. The so-called richest man in the country is also a fraud who has long evaded taxes owed to the government for years. If the country needs to change, is this not enough to understand where change should begin? The direct taxes required to maintain the state should be levied on the assets of the rich, not on the innocent who struggles to make a living and feed their kids. It is not rocket science to understand that no state can survive by giving huge tax concessions to various forms of fraudsters who supported the government.
Policymakers in Sri Lanka continue to prioritize the family and the clan in decision making. Not only in the case of Mahinda Rajapaksa, but almost everyone who has played with political power and any sort of administrative power is more or less following this policy as an inherited habit. Consequently, state or national policies are always secondary to their personal desires. We have historically been socialized not for true freedom but to waste life as followers or subjects of the oppressor. This is what has happened throughout history. The so-called liberation struggle against the European colonialists was not a real liberation struggle but a dispute full of betrayals over the lack of positions expected by the opportunists disguised as patriots from their colonial masters. This pattern of opportunistic living has been a major factor in determining the depth of social consciousness of this country to this day. The only way we can shorten the difficult time we are having as a nation is to choose the country and conscience over the profit and fraud. It is a collective action for which everyone is responsible. Then not only China, India or IMF but many other countries in the world will truly support us. The first thing is, to be honest with ourselves to avoid repetition and to correct our mistakes to get out of the quagmire.
Post a Comment