The tragedy of power

By Insider

The going colours for the Coalition Government is certainly not looking good after the recent events involving the President’s son, the Royal College Colombo 7 educated Daham Sirisena, who clearly demonstrated his immaturity and boorish instincts at a posh night club in Colombo 7. Fortunately for him other events took over, burying his cowardly act for the moment. 

Then the COPE findings involving the conduct of another old Royalist Arjuna Mahendran reflects the greed and impunity of certain people in the Government. The COPE report according to a leading Sunday newspaper has now found the controversial Governor Mahendran directly involved and wants the Government to go to Court and recover the ill-gotten gains, the same way the State agencies are now collecting what rightfully belongs to the public from the Rajapaksas. COPE wants the former Governor and those responsible for the loss the public has suffered to pay for their acts. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the former Central Bank Governor at the bank premises

Ironically, the timing of the Perpetual results was the final nail in the coffin for the former Governor, according to a COPE member. “There is now no escape for those crooks and we will now go to Court and prosecute those involved,” said a JVP spokesman on national television. 

The Joint Opposition according to newspapers is planning on agitating for a special presidential commission to fully investigate the bond scam what they now term daylight robbery in the Central Bank. JO is already finger-pointing towards two ministers whom they say were involved in this controversy. 

According to Opposition sources, a no confidence motion would be brought soon against a National List Minister whom they dub as the new Mr. 10% in the Government. They say the Minister tends to operate behind the cover of a VVIP. The JVP and the JO are in no mood to allow the Central Bank bond scam to fade away and are working very hard to mobilise the support of civil society to continue their struggle. 

President

Then last week the President’s outburst on the conduct of the independent commissions and his attempt thereafter to clarify himself did not either help him or his Government and only made matters worse. The Prime Minister’s trip to Brussels to convince the European officials to give Sri Lanka the GSP back lost its shine completely thanks to this outburst. 

Subsequently the sudden resignation of the Director General Bribery got mixed reactions and the President accepted her resignation without much of a fuss. In some quarters she was severely criticised for not closing the investigation on the bond scam and the Dubai accounts. Her friendship with a wife of a VVIP also went against her. Some SLFP ministers wanted to know why she had taken so long to complete the Mahendran investigation. The public is now hoping that a totally independent credible person is appointed to run the commission. A person not connected to anyone in the administration. 

"The next few weeks will be crucial for both the President and Prime Minister to work together and put a workable budget together. It seems the public is fast losing patience with the Government and the Government has only itself to blame"

Most analysts are of the view the Presidential outburst was with a purpose. To give the UNP leadership a message that the President is no longer willing to stay on the sidelines and allow his Government to get unpopular. The President according to insiders is frustrated at the speed certain proposals are approved with no proper governance procedures, while approval for certain crucial projects are pushed from committee to committee for months and months. He had given several examples publicly. 

The next few weeks will be crucial for both the President and Prime Minister to work together and put a workable budget together. It seems the public is fast losing patience with the Government and the Government has only itself to blame for the current chaos in the Government.