A Confused President

I was waiting and watching during last couple of weeks to see where the country is heading. Well, I read lot of mess everyday. Things are getting bad to worse. The president came to power from the vote of normal people. Mainly the people living outside Colombo. At this moment, the entire ball game is shifting and the focus has shifted towards some new businessman and family friends who have started to abuse the system. I will be wrong if I say that the President is not aware of what is going on.

Instead of focusing on what the President promised to the people, now the ball game has shifted to consolidate power in all sectors. Instead of working for the country and winning more votes, president has started to purchase votes.
How many UNP ministers shifted due to ministerial posts? Except for Mr. Navin Dissanayake, I do not see any minister who joined from UNP as politicians who can do something good for this country. All are failed bunch of MP's.

Appointing unsuitable people to key positions could be one reason for this mess.
I do not see any solution proposed to the Ethnic Conflict, no solution to bring down the rising cost of living, no steps taken towards solving infrastructure etc. Basically, the country is just going on and the president is enjoying his time by finding ways to consolidate his position.
From TV program taxes to labor union strikes.. everything is in a mess..
That’s what I have noticed.

Like I’ve said before, this president gave a great first speech as soon as got elected and that’s it. Then it got paused.

Export Paddy to India and Import Rice from Pakistan

The Sri Lanka government will export 50,000 metric tons of paddy to India within the next two weeks, bringing in Rs. 600 million in foreign exchange. (9th of July 2006)

Sri Lanka government has decided to permit the local rice merchants to import 9,337 metric tonnes (MT) of rice from Pakistan within the next six months. (10th of July 2006)

The fertilizer subsidy has cost the Sri Lankan government Rs. 5.7 billion in the first four months of this year. (10th July 2006)

Can you see how Mr. President is managing the economy as per the "Mahinda Chinthanaya"?

Mountains of excess Paddy, Rice or whatever you name them can not hide or drain to keep away from public.

Remember that the government still keep on pumping subsidies to produce more and more excess Paddy, Rice.. Why? Coz it was part of the “Mahinda Chinthanaya”.

At least now, be honest and accept the mistake of promising fertilizer subsidies without having a plan to market the excess rice. Though the President knew from the start about the consequences and the economic loss to the country. Who is responsible for this loss?

Does a person needs a doctorate or to become an economist to understand this simple logic?? I wonder!

India should change its constitution to allow more powers to Tamils

Isn’t this demand a fairer one rather than asking 20 odd million Sri Lankans to change a constitution for the sake of dividing a country along racial lines to accommodate the demands of a handful of terrorists leaders?

Whether LTTE accept it or not, the government has taken the correct decision to form a committee comprising all legal, democratically elected Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese Political parties, academics to form a framework for a devolution of power model.
It is up to the LTTE to join the process, accept it or reject it. Similarly, the government has the right to accept the LTTE demand or reject it.
It is no way that anyone can justify the demands put forward by a terrorist group who “CLAIM” that they have the backing of all Tamil People in this world. By registering a Tamil Ealam Domain Name for 10 US$ will not give any basis to claim that the statements posted in it are the voice of Tamil People and what they want.

Up to now, LTTE has chosen Terrorism as the mean to get what they want. They have lost the war. They also have lost the legal right to operate in most of the countries in the world.
Without the Sri Lankan Governments help, LTTE leaders are not able to cross to any country or to get a visa to any country.
Without the Sri Lankan Government, LTTE leaders won't be able to able to operate in North having access to electricity, roads, water etc.. If LTTE is so nationalist as they claim, they should first stop using the utilities, infrastructure provided by the Sri Lankan government.

Aren’t we too sympathetic and generous to even ask from them to join the process devolution?

LTTE is compiling statements by taking bits and pieces they collect from statements issued by various individuals. They have failed to convince any government to issue a statement supporting their claims and legitimating the terrorist acts they have committed and to continue. So does it matter whether LTTE agree to devolution of power or not?

No way in this world a sovereign country will allow to divide it along racial lines. The matter becomes more filthy when such a demand is put forward by a terrorist group. We should categorically reject this and continue with the process we have started. That is to move forward towards a model for ‘devolution of power’ within a unitary (ONE) sri lanka. That should be the basis and it should be non-negotiable at any stage. It should be the same as ONE India.
It’s the right of the majority and by negotiating or changing the constitution will make the future Sri Lankans suffer under a dictatorship. Further, it will open up the basis to divide this small country along other racial lines as well.

Like I have said before, if Tamils wants such a solution, then please ask it from India first. We should not give them anything more than what the constitution of India has given them. Let’s stick to this point and make it clear to those South Indian Politicians who are slowly getting attracted to LTTE for the sake of they having a separate country for Tamils and failed to do so in India.

Sri Lanka.. don’t do it… Ask India to do it instead.