Chaos and confusion in the new regime
View(s):When President Maithripala Sirisena announced on September 4, the day the new cabinet was appointed, that a high powered committee chaired by him and the Prime Minister would select only those ‘suitable’ for top posts in government institutions, there was a sense of relief across many segments of society.
For, this meant that cronies, the corrupt and even family members of politicians would not get high posts as has been the case not only during the period of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa but also under earlier administrations. Finally, it appeared, an administration that reflect the hearts and minds of the people had arrived.
“The Prime Minister and I will appoint a general committee and we expect to select suitable and qualified individuals for appointments as Chairmen and to the director boards of state institutions, from next week,” the President was quoted during that September 4 address.
The President had also said that Ministers can send their requests to the committee, which will extensively discuss the candidates and decide on the most suitable persons for those institutions with the consent of the ministers.
However while weeks have passed – almost seven weeks – appointments are yet to be made. In the meantime a few ‘friends’ continue in these positions. It was only this week that the heads rolled at Sri Lanka Tourism with Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau Head, Rohantha Athukorala, who – according to the industry – has been more involved in self promotion rather than promotion of the industry, among others being asked to step down. Paddy Vithana, whose appointment as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, is yet to be confirmed, has been appointed as acting Chairman of Tourism Promotion as well.
Meanwhile, pre-parliamentary polls’ appointments to key posts still remain and it is unclear as to whether they have been re-appointed which should be the case after a new election and government has been installed. The appointment of the chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority also got bogged down in controversy but Minister Arjuna Ranatunga went ahead and appointed his brother Dhammika to this key post.
If the government appears to be stepping up on investigations and probes against favoured politicians of the former regime like the arrest of former Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, its progress on fraud and corruption by the specialist Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) has slowed down considerably drawing widespread criticism.
Furthermore the slow process of appointments to key positions, some controversial appointments and contradictory statements by ministers and other official reflects an element of chaos and confusion in the administration with divisions appearing to arise between the UNP and the UPFA sections in the cabinet.
Some key appointments have been made in government institutions, raising a simple question: Have these appointments been cleared by the Maithri-Ranil committee?
Transparency and good governance was expected to be the hallmark of this government but that is swiftly disappearing as fast as the promises were made. No one knows who is in charge in government departments, whether the heads appointed after the presidential election still continue or whether they are legally eligible to continue.
On the other hand at least two ministers have told this column that they are making their own appointments on the grounds that the Act under which they are authorized to function, permits them to appoint heads of departments and that they would be forwarding their names to the Maithripala-Ranil committee only as a formality.
Confusion also reigns at the Ministry of Finance where the minister’s statements are unclear and lack clarity. For example, a few weeks ago, Minister Ravi Karunanayake announced that the leasing facility which had been earlier reduced to 70 per cent of the total cost of a motor vehicle (to reduce imports) has been restored to 90 per cent which is what was offered earlier. If so what was the purpose in reducing the facility in the first place? Furthermore commercial banks are yet to be informed of the 90 per cent leasing facility.
Then two weeks back the Minister offered an amnesty to Sri Lankans holding secret numbered accounts in Swiss banks, who have been asked to close their accounts under a new rule. They could bring back their money to Sri Lanka under a ‘no questions asked’ policy, he told reporters.
sked at the media briefing about the billions of rupees allegedly stashed overseas by members of former regime, the Minister responded: “Even Mahinda Rajapaksa can bring his money here (under the ‘no questions asked’ policy).” If so what happens to the Government’s painstaking effort to trace billions of rupees allegedly hidden overseas by members of the former regime including the former President and his family for which elite government agencies in many countries are helping to trace? If the government is offering a ‘no questions asked’ amnesty to undeclared currency, there can’t be any discrimination … that would have to be available to all, criminal or otherwise. Furthermore any amnesty must be approved by parliament.
On Thursday, Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said the government was continuing to track the billions of rupees allegedly stashed overseas by members of the former regime including the former President and his family. Rajapaksa on the other hand has vigorously denied having any foreign accounts either by him or members of his family.
The confusion and contradictions that prevail in Government point to the lack of clear policies on a range of issues which have not only left the public confused but also a feeling that the administration is direction-less at the moment. The priority at the moment is for more clarity on the issues raised.