Stop playing to the gallery

Few days ago, National List MP Ravi Karunanayake stated in Parliament that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake should use helicopters when travelling across the country. This column is no fan of the controversial politician; however, in spite of whatever the reservations we may have about him, his statement needs to be endorsed. 

The NPP sympathisers were praising the President’s virtue of simplicity by referring to the media reports that Dissanayake travelled to Jaffna via road unlike his so-called extravagant predecessors who travelled from helicopters when they visited remote areas of the country. During their tenure in the Opposition, some of the current Cabinet Ministers even opined rather unwisely that VIP politicians in the Government need to use public transport like commoners without using a convoy of vehicles together with a large security contingent. As the former Finance Minister pointed out, it would have been better for the President to have used a helicopter to reach Jaffna recently without wasting six hours on the road.

For a long time, the JVP/NPP politicians have been inciting feelings of anger and jealousy about the physical comforts afforded to politicians from the taxpayers’ funds. They were also able to convince a sizeable part of the electorate that tax burden can be brought down substantially if facilities provided to politicians are removed. The oft-repeated notion that billions of public funds could be saved by curtailing the benefits of the political class is not supported by facts and it was emphasised by this column on an earlier occasion. 

The JVP/NPP politicians have continuously advocated that politicians need to maintain frugal and austere lifestyles, and they have used it as a political trump card successfully. President Dissanayake himself criticised his predecessors for travelling in helicopters when he was an Opposition MP and was a vehement critic of various privileges granted to politicians at the expense of taxpayers. 

The truth of the matter is that Government is portraying their low-cost ways of doing things to become politically popular among voters. Nevertheless, the question is whether such acts of short-sighted frugality result in tangible economic benefits to masses. This year’s Independence Day became a talking point as it did not accompany the grandeur and pageantry associated with the important national event. Every State in the world celebrates Independence/National Day in a grand fashion in view of its significance as well as to create a sense of pride among their citizens. Hence, it was hilarious to see the Speaker – the third citizen of the country – arriving to the important occasion from a Toyota Hiace Van. 

Presidents and Cabinet Ministers spend busy lifestyles and have important responsibilities to execute. To carry out their tasks effectively they need to have peace of mind and that is why every republic in the world offers a scheme of facilities to their political representatives. A Cabinet Minister needs a group of trustworthy officers who are personally loyal to them to get on with their activities, and no fair-minded individual would ever dispute it.

Singapore provides their MPs and Ministers highly attractive financial benefits to prevent their legislators from being part of corruption and underhand activities. In the event politicians are provided paltry remuneration, it would prevent professionals and accomplished, bright individuals entering the political process. 

Governing a country is a challenging task and it all boils down to formulation and implementation of effective public policies. Attempting to gain popularity by doing trivial things like using a ballpoint pen instead of a Parker Pen might please some gullible individuals, but lack any substance. The Government needs to get its priorities right by looking at the big picture without playing to the gallery by resorting to inconsequential acts intended for public consumption and praise in the social media.