To save its economy, Lanka needs a strong opposition

The role of the Opposition is to be the constant watchdog, sniffing out corruption, exposing it and mounting a vigorous opposition to corrupt deals that damage the economy. The second role of the Opposition is to present a manifesto of what they will do when elected to power – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

Sri Lanka needs a strong Opposition to stop the endemic corruption to restrain the current shambolic governance and to give the citizens an option for a new government with different policies to develop the country.

Endemic corruption

Endemic is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as regularly found in a particular group. In Sri Lanka that particular group who manifest endemic corruption are politicians. It is important to understand the genesis of this endemic corruption.

The attempts to get the educational qualifications of all members of Parliament under the RTI has not been successful. If they had excellent qualifications they would be proud to tell and the reluctance tells its own story. However the knowledge in the common domain tells the story that many in Parliament, and many that tried and failed, were nobodies trying to become somebodies. 

A mythical journey was likely to be a youngster with no A Levels with not many prospects of a good job becoming a handyman to a politician. Pasting posters, taking down Opposition posters, rallying crowds for meetings and providing a little thuggery when required.

The next step in this journey is to contest a Local Government Election. Even at this early stage funds and help are required to win. From early days there are debts to pay. They become much larger as nobody goes up the ladder to contest for Parliament. Even as a minister contesting to retain a seat requires many rupees.

The gist of the story is that obligations arise right along the journey and the only way they can be repaid is by providing small jobs to the small helpers and big jobs like directorships and even chairmanships to the big helpers. All with the untold message of now it is up to you to make the best of the opportunity to make some money. 

The elected members of Parliament need to replenish their depleted bank accounts and the big donors to the party have to be repaid and this means looking for opportunities for big money. This requires high level manipulation to create new mega projects that will provide rich opportunities for making mega money.

Endemic corruption will not end until what makes it essential is removed, but an Opposition cannot achieve this until they become a new government 

The role of the Opposition

The role of the Opposition is to be the constant watchdog, sniffing out corruption, exposing it and mounting a vigorous opposition to corrupt deals that damage the economy. In some ways this is a futile exercise as the Government will ignore the vocal Opposition and pursue the big bucks. 

But the benefit is that it will slowly educate the electorate to understand that our whole economy is wrapped in a shroud of corruption. Properly nurtured this will soon lead to a rapidly growing view that the only way to save the nation is to change the government. 

The second role of the Opposition is to present a manifesto of what they will do when elected to power. This is essential. Simply criticising the current Government does not create a strong belief that the current Opposition will be a better government. They must set out their plans and articulate it with passion to the electorate.

A plan

If I was asked as a consultant to provide a menu of development activities for consideration by the Opposition politicians, I would list 10 programs for consideration.

1. Vision

The heartland of our country is rural, 75% of our country is rural. The vision to be to create thousands of prosperous villages, each linked to an urban centre that will provide the secondary schools, hospitals, a police station, large retail outlets, cinemas, etc.

The key role of the government will be to provide every facility to support the rural economy of agriculture, fisheries and industry.

Industry will be encouraged to locate in rural areas so that the workers can live in their homes. 

The urban commercial space to be utilised to support the information technology industry, which has the potential to be a huge contributor to the economy.

2. English

No country can develop fully without a global language. We cannot talk to the world in Sinhala and the world cannot talk to us in Sinhala. If we know only Sinhala we cannot access the vast world of knowledge in the sciences, economics and business.

To commit to carry out effective programs to teach English at all levels in schools and importantly to teach English to all those out of school by using mass media.

3. One country

To commit fully to the one country concept. A one country of different races, different castes, different languages, different religions, different sexual orientations. All to rank equally in every respect and to live together as one brotherhood.

To create an appreciation of the facts that our economy (tea estates, garment exports, other exports, manufacturers and service providers) is hugely dependent on non-Sinhala Buddhists.

4. Tourism

Sri Lanka to look to tourism to build foreign exchange earnings, together with garments and other exports and worker remittances

Within a year to get to pre-COVID tourist numbers and build the infrastructure to support five million tourists.

Major foreign investments

Not to expect major foreign investments for many years. They will not come until the bad record of the Rajapaksa era (rampant corruption, foreign exchange crisis, agriculture in disarray, trade union unrest, unsettling regular changes of top appointments, military creeping into civil administration, etc.) becomes a distant memory.

5. Creating a new image

Creating a new image for the country has to be a priority. The Opposition should set out their commitments to creating a new image for Sri Lanka. We must commit to shed our image as China’s pet puppies always acting at their behest. A cricket stadium that was totally superfluous, a port in Hambantota which they then took over, an airport that was not required, and then Port City so that they could have a piece of land. For what? To take the breeze under a beach umbrella or to be able to mount missiles aimed at India.

As a quick signal that the puppy is breaking loose, to do two things. Cancel the plans for a mega road from Port City to the port (that would make it easier if required to move missiles to their site in the Port City) and to make a declaration that no sites on land or sea will be given for Chinese ventures without discussion with India.

No more nepotism (always held in contempt by the international community). A commitment to no more than one person from a family in cabinet. No more than one person per family is to be given a nomination for Parliament.

No more impulsive stupidity like going green overnight.

To make it compulsory to table in Parliament the views of an expert committee before laws are made that affect agriculture, industry, tourism and mining.

6. Military

To dispel fears of a military takeover, the troops to be sent back to barracks and relieved of all functions in civilian matters.

7. State-Owned Enterprises

Sell selective State-Owned Enterprises including the airline and one bank to urgently create some funds. It makes no sense to collect State-Owned Enterprises like little boys collecting toy cars. If they don’t provide a healthy financial return, the sell option to be pursued. 

8. Highways

Stop building highways. Any investment must have a payback and the funds invested must be recovered. Highways cost a lot of money including a large drain on our small foreign exchange reserves with no model able to demonstrate a commercial return on this massive investment. They are popular with corrupt politicians as they provide multiple opportunities to make money. 

9. Roads and rail

Develop the existing road network by building dual carriageways. One lane reserved for buses and trucks. Where there is a need for large containers to travel to and from the port, the dual carriageways should be exclusively available for containers from midnight to 5 a.m.

Develop trains as an important means of travel. We have railway lines and this means this major requirement is available in many areas. The task is to provide engines and carriages. 

10. Eliminating corruption

Endemic corruption started and continues to thrive in Parliament. To make a dent in it by removing the need for a lot of money to contest elections, by stipulating the maximum a candidate can spend and making it a condition for unseating a MP if they have exceeded the spending limit. 

Put a freeze on recruiting staff into the public sector; that will do away with handing jobs for political reasons. Sell State-Owned Enterprises, another source of providing jobs.

Other options

There are many other options and many more objectives that can form the plans for a different government. The objective of this article is just to stimulate thinking of better ways of developing the country compared with what is happening now.