Editorial

23rd July 2000

The service ethic

Ministerial wives being involved in an alleged financial irregularity is a story that has a farcical element written all over it, but notwithstanding all of that, the serious allegations of corruption aimed by one Ministerial wife against another is just another indication of how absurd things can be closer to the unreal arena of politics.

But, the tragicomic elements of the story aside, it's pathetic that the funds that are alleged to have been swindled were partly for the welfare of the armed forces. Allegations of impropriety will not necessarily apportion guilt on anybody, but that does not mean that there are no suspicions. An organization such as the Seva Vanitha, cannot afford to remain with any hint of impropriety surrounding the conduct of its affairs.

What's also disturbing is the casual way in which allegations of corruption concerning organizations that deal with the welfare of the forces are treated. Governments have developed thick hides, and kickbacks, commissions and bribes, the politicians think, are aspects ingrained in the political culture of this land. That's dangerous in itself, but diddling any money that's meant for the armed forces is the nadir, and moreover it's the fact that this is not known by and large to our political elite that's distressing.

The entire sub- culture of service oriented organizations that have grown around the armed forces should measure up to an extraordinary standard of conduct. None of these organizations should be used for personal image building or for political public relations exercises. If that happens, these organizations lose their moral legitimacy, and without a carapace of rectitude surrounding them — these organizations would become mere fronts and facades that ostensibly serve a noble cause.

The Seva Vanitha corruption farce, though it adds almost too much of the element of the absurd to the passing scene, should perhaps be made the opportunity for rationalizing all of the service organizations and task forces etc., that surround the war effort. For instance, the recent Ranaviru Surakum Ekakaya, established partly as a result of the nervous shock of the Elephant Pass campaign that went against the government, duplicates the Presidential Task force on Human Disaster Management which was earlier appointed by Presidential fiat. There is still another task force, headed by Dr. Tara De Mel, who is a lady who seems to hold many of the President's magic wands.

Any amount of magicians are good in a situation that deserves almost divine intervention, it can be argued, but what's not acceptable is a chaotic reaction to the needs of the beleaguered service personnel who are in need of care that's sincere, reliable — and organized. Apparently, the new Ranaviru Surakum Ekakaya has been enlisting volunteers towards the task of helping families, but, the question is whether the work of this new entity and the other myriad task forces are properly coordinated. Apparently, one has been housed in the other's offices, and the result is less than streamlined.

All these loosely coordinated efforts might degenerate into the farcical, which, we dare say, appears now to be the fate of Seva Vanitha Unit despite all the previous good work that may perhaps be traced to that organization's credit as well as some of the sub-units run autonomously by separate Ministries, which indeed have done yeoman service to the poor, underprivileged and the uninfluential.

Charitable organizations may have been the private fiefdoms of feudal ladies, who operated from the cosy spaces of their walawwas. But they were never tainted with corruption allegations.War relief and disaster management are too serious to be left for spouses or sidekicks with time on their hands.

Disaster management is a professional effort — but if amateurs are doing it, and indeed many with good and sincere intensions the least that can be asked is that they have clean hands.

The Political Column