Do presidential aspirants understand the country’s problems? Part 2

 Our President travels the world on the simplest excuse, accompanied by large numbers, attends petty functions all over the country, also every seminar and exhibition, neglecting his own duties

The first part of this article highlighted the blunders made by past governments which need to be addressed by the new president. The second part offers some solutions to be considered by the presidential aspirants to include in their policy statements. 

Among the major problems faced by the country are the financial crisis, resulted from massive political and administrative costs and the need for inter-communal harmony especially after Easter Sunday attacks. 

Communal harmony broke down first when the medium of education and administration changed from English to Sinhala in 1956. Thus recommencement of English-based education is essential for inter-communal harmony and also to provide employment opportunities to youth. The country’s ability for moving over to English medium education depends on the supply of English medium teachers or conversion of existing teachers to English medium. 

Converting into English education

Although President Chandrika Bandaranaike permitted English medium education since the mid-1990s, over the past 25 years the Education Department has failed to produce English medium teachers and this remains a problem. 

The country’s development and young generation’s ability to obtain good employment depends on their English skills. Meanwhile, well-to-do-parents send their children to international schools at a great cost and children obtain further education in universities abroad, but most do not return to the country.

The Education Department has failed to establish even a single Teachers’ College training English medium teachers and the country cannot wait for establishment of same. Thus the services of the private sector need to be obtained. A reasonably achievable target would be to convert 60% schools to English medium in three years or conversion of 20% schools per year. After five years the balance 40% schools, from Grade 6, teaching of science and mathematics would be in English medium and after Grade 8 students will join the mainstream. Schools to be converted each year would be determined in advance and announced so that the students, teachers and schools themselves could get ready.

Encouraging existing teachers to learn English and become English medium teachers would be boosted by offering 1. An allowance to English medium teachers (say 20% of salary). 2. Teachers would need to follow English classes at own cost and incur travel expenses. To reimburse expenses undergone a lump sum payment of Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 200,000 be made to teachers depending on Primary, Post-Primary, O-Level and A-Level teachers. 

When the need is announced, the private sector would move in, offering required services. Converting schools into English would result in teachers failing to achieve English competency having to move out, giving room to competent teachers from other schools – a situation forcing lazy teachers to become active.

Expensive politicians and administrative system

Our country possibly has the most expensive political and administrative system in the world, when the total cost is divided by the population numbers. The most expensive president, large number of ministers, juniors and MPs all with huge perks, large number of ministries, huge expensive offices, large employee numbers, in addition provincial councils and below. In addition, corrupt politicians get percentages from projects and contracts awarded by them.

Our President travels the world on the simplest excuse, accompanied by large numbers, attends petty functions all over the country, also every seminar and exhibition, neglecting his own duties. Issuing letters for new appointees is a big function, where recipients are expected to travel long distances and be dressed up, whereas when I passed out as an Engineer in the 1960s, my appointment letter from Public Services Commission arrived by registered post.

Our minister numbers exceed what is allowed under the Constitution by dubious means. Now the PM wishes to increase numbers to 48. Ministers and MPs, some even without O/L, get expensive offices, huge staff and a fleet of expensive vehicles. Also personal staff, generally family members. In addition to huge salaries and allowances they are eligible for duty-free vehicle permits which they sell and a pension for life. Whenever they fall sick, get medical treatment in Singapore hospitals, all at taxpayer’s expense. The annual cost of food and beverages in Parliament amounts to Rs. 120 million, Rs. 80 million on electricity, Rs. 14.5 million on telephone and Rs. 9 million on drinking water.

Will our next president be willing to change the system? Travel abroad only for essential functions/meeting important to the country with minimum staff? Ensure local functions are attended by local politicians? Do away with petty functions as giving appointment letters? Will he be prepared to reduce ministerial and junior ministerial numbers and consolidate the large number of existing ministries and departments? Is he prepared to discontinue duty-free vehicles to MPs, also their pensions? 

If the next president reduces his own expenses and of the Cabinet and MPs, the balance administration will fall in line. Any presidential candidate willing to sacrifice and promise the populace above, substantial number of voters will vote for him. But do we have any presidential candidates prepared to sacrifice for the country, also will his political subordinates accept such sacrifices?

Moragahakanda waters to north

Moragahakanda Multi-Purpose Project was planned during 1970-’77, to provide irrigation facilities to North of Anuradhapura when Maithripala Senanayake was the Minister of Irrigation in the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Government. During the period Mahaweli was diverted at Polgolla delivering water to Kalawewa via Bowatenna. The J.R. Jayewardene Government under Accelerated Mahaweli Project completed Victoria, Randenigala, Rantembe reservoirs and transferred irrigation water to Maduru Oya all within seven years. Thereafter, Moragahakanda project was negotiated for funding with Japanese; but communal violence in 1983 resulted in the project being postponed.

During the northern conflict understanding amongst the political rulers was to leave Moragahakanda as part of the negotiations with Tamil parties for a final settlement of the ethnic problem. The waters of Moragahakanda would be a gift to people in the north from the Sinhala people for settling the ethnic issue. But the Rajapaksa Government having won the war decided water would not be given to the north and the plans were modified. 

Moragahakanda dam located on Amban Ganga was expected to deliver waters to the north, carried over a 100-mile-long trans-basin canal (NCP Canal) terminating at Iranamadu Tank near Kilinochchi. The waters were to satisfy the needs of the driest region of the country, especially during the Yala season (May-June), when the Northern Province gets hardly any rain. 

Moragahakanda dam has been completed and Upper Elahera Canal (UEC), originally NCP canal, a 65.5km canal conveying water northwards from Moragahakanda reservoir terminating at Yakalla is under construction and expects completion by 2024.

Of the 974MCM (million cubic meters) of water diverted from Moragahakanda under the current scheme, only 100MCM is expected to reach Iranamadu. The water diversions at Yakalla has been exaggerated and could be modified on re-evaluation, availing more water to North, also for irrigation in Jaffna Peninsula. Currently, although Iranamadu tank does not have sufficient water to satisfy the farmers’ requirements, part of their water is planned to be diverted as drinking water to Jaffna Peninsula. 

Balance works of North Central Canal supplying water to Iranamadu tank could be accelerated to be completed in four years, as JRJ achieved in 1977. The canal route beyond Yakalla is generally flat and construction would be simpler. There would be no shortage of funding agencies for the project. The canal could be subdivided into sections and be offered to different contractors commencing simultaneously for early completion. 

Transfer of substantial amount of water to Iranamadu tank will fulfil the water requirements of the farmer population of Kilinochchi, drinking water, and also irrigation needs of Jaffna Peninsula. People in the Northern Province have not requested nor are in a position to demand water from Moragahakanda or any other source be sent to them. If Moragahakanda water were to be delivered to Iranamadu, 

it would be certainly be a gift from the southern people. The gesture would certainly be appreciated by northerners and they would be grateful to their southern counterparts, resulting in cordial relations between north and the south. 

If a presidential candidate offers to accelerate the implementation of Moragahakanda as envisaged by Maithripala Senanayaka and supply water to the north as well as Jaffna Peninsula by 2025, the entire Tamil population would vote for the candidate.

Meeting electricity needs

Currently, Sri Lanka’s electricity costs are highest in South-Asia, discouraging possible foreign investors. The country failed to establish even a single major power plant since 2012 (Norochcholai Stage 3) and no plant is under construction or has even been awarded. Electricity generation is over 50% dependent on liquid full, costing between Rs. 26 to 40 per kWHr, while coal power costs Rs. 17.50 and LNG Rs. 15 per unit. Additional costs due to oil based power would cost over Rs. 100 billion in 2019 and will increase every year until the problem is addressed, a sum the country cannot afford to bear. 

The country needs at least 60% of power needs as firm base-power either coal or LNG. Coal is associated with pollution and LNG is the cheapest and eco-friendly, but requires an unloading terminal and storage facilities, however the requirement has not even been discussed. The availability of gas in Mannar basin was confirmed in 2009, but no plans to date. Using Mannar gas requires substantial gas consumption within the country. Thus LNG based power plants need to be established running on imported LNG, to be converted into local gas, when becoming available. Establishment of LNG based plants would take nearly three years, thus urgent measures are needed. 

A decade ago, a Hong Kong-based company offered to establish a LNG terminal at Hambantota and install 250MW power plants every two years and supply electricity at Rs. 12.50 per unit. After four years of negotiations, in 2016 the Government failed to agree. 

Far-East has a glut of LNG and number of companies having secured exploration concessions are anxious to utilise maximum gas within the concession period. Thus there could be companies willing to establish LNG terminals in the country as the Hong Kong investor. But they should be willing to accept Mannar gas when production commences.

Employment opportunities to unemployed

The country gives financial assistance to poor as Samurdhi. Successive governments have increased the benefits and the recipient numbers, irrespective of their financial status. Samurdhi benefits have encouraged poor not to accept available employments. Meanwhile there are mentally and physically handicapped persons incapable of employment, but receive only the meagre Samurdhi benefits and they find impossible to live with the allowance which needs to be enhanced.

Meanwhile, industries and most businesses are short of staff restricting country’s production and economy. The garment sector alone has 60,000 vacancies. Thus the unemployed need to be directed towards employment. Identifying unemployed at village level could be carried out by teams of Samurdhi officers, Grama Sevaka Niladhari and management assistants (who idle in offices at the moment). The ‘Samurdhi team’ could visit current Samurdhi recipients and prepare a file on each family and direct them to accept available employment. In addition each Samurdhi team could visit businesses in the area and make note of available vacancies, expected qualifications and experience, also payable salaries.

In Western countries university students find employment on part-time basis. If allowed our university and other students could be employed on part-time basis in supermarkets and shops. This would allow reduction of Mahapola and other hand-outs and encourage students’ productive employment, instead of participating in protests. 

Current legislation need to be modified to allow part-time employment of students and trainees under 18 be exempted from EPF and ETF payments to encourage employers to accept such persons. 

A large number of skilled ladies leave employment after child delivery. They and others who could be employed remain unemployed and hang on to children, spoiling them. If day-care centres are established, mothers would become free to take up employment. The Government could pay up to 50% of care fees. In Western countries home-based ladies look after up to five children under five years of age and are part paid by the Government.

Housing policy

The current Government boasts of giving so much housing to the poor. But was an evaluation of each recipient carried out? Housing is only one aspect of life. The members of the family need be employed for a living; either own or for a third party. The question is, do the houses provided by the State allow family 

members to continue 

their livelihood employment? Some were engaged in agriculture in own land, others employed elsewhere. Small plots around the house do not allow agricultural activities for a living. Unless the location allows agriculture or employment opportunities nearby, house recipients would be in trouble and will demand Samurdhi as well. 

Urban areas, especially around Colombo, present a variety of employment opportunities, resulting in large numbers taking up residency on marsh-edges, railway reservations and by the sea-shore. The Government has built multi-storeyed residential buildings to house slum dwellers, but charge very low fixed rents, although recipients are capable of paying reasonable rents and their earnings rise with inflation. Most notable are those living in Bambalapitiya flats since the 1950s, who were paying a fixed rental from the beginning, occupied the flats well beyond the contracted years, now descendants of the original residents demand free accommodation in proposed high-rise structures at the location.

Thus a future housing policy should consider availability of employment opportunities in rural areas and in urban regions and accommodation should be limited to families 

with minimum two persons being employed and able to pay a reasonable rent, revising every few years with salary increases. Families with fewer working members could be settled away from the city. The policy also should consider the ability of the country to invest such huge sums. 

Laws delays

Court cases are delayed, some for decades and even simplest cases take years, causing complainants and accused endless worries and concerns, wasting their valuable time, in addition to payments to lawyers. The delays need to be avoided to ensure fair disbursal of law.

It is suggested that a committee of retired judges be appointed to find solutions to the issue and be implemented. The progress need to be ascertained yearly and modifications be made until an efficient law administration is established.

Challenges to presidential candidates

Given above are some major concerns of citizens for a better future of the country. But are the presidency aspirants willing to consider abovew as part of their future policies? Or do they wish to continue to allow their supporters to enrich themselves at the expense of the country? 

The country is at crossroads while other countries discuss ways of meeting the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

Meaning the changes 

to current and developing environment 

with technologies and trends as the Internet of Things, 

robotics, virtual reality and artificial intelligence changing the way we live and work. Meanwhile, we continue to educate our children in Sinhala/Tamil and attempt to close down existing English medium schools.

School-leavers face the problem of finding employment. The country’s garment sector claims it needs 60,000 workers immediately. In the Information Technology sector, the country’s total employment stands around 100,000, the smallest number in all developing countries in South East Asia, a result of poor English in school education.

Even if English medium is introduced to school education, how about students currently in OL and AL classes and those who left recently? Also students in universities who continue to fight for employment in Government? Can the next president come 

up with a scheme to train these categories in English and other relevant vocational studies? The only successful training program in the country has been training offered by German Training Institute. Can similar training institutes be established in other districts, also similar training programs for other vocations? The voters would demand solutions from the presidential candidates.