Few monitors, more observers
If the Guinness Book of Records were to offer a prize to the most unique public relations firm in the world, who would win it?
The London based Bell Pottinger seems the easy answer. Not because it carried out the latest overseas propaganda blitz of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga which turned out to be a disaster. Not because it won a one million Sterling pound (Rs. 120 million) award from the campaign for the Government.
It turns out that the same Bell Pottinger firm is the one that was hired by the UNP for the Presidential campaign of its leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe.
"They are like gods. All rival parties want them and pray for their support," said one leading advertising executive who wished to remain anonymous.
It was former UNP Minister and PA Minister Ronnie de Mel who secured Bell Pottinger for Mr. Wickremesinghe. He was assisted by advertising tycoon Irwin Weerackody.
And for the PA, Bell Pottinger was introduced by the Sri Lankan Emirates Airlines partnership. As reported in The Sunday Times last week, the firm also carried out public relations assignments for Chile's one time dictator, Augusto Pinochet and multinationals defending GM foods.
Bell Pottinger is known for the minutest PR details it focuses on. That includes the dress styles of clients, their gesticulations, their speech and what have you.
The irony, The Sunday Times learnt, lay in the fact that the UNP was still consulting Bell Pottinger on and off.
But, for the Government, the payment goes from public funds. Hence, a critical question that was raised last week was the all important ethical question of whether it was right to use public funds to pay a foreign PR firm and then attack the Opposition. That too during an election campaign. As one wag said, "any thing goes" in the battle to win an election, even a plethora of terminological inexactitudes.
By Shane Seneviratne
The Malwatte Mahan-ayake Ven. Rambukvelle Sri Vipassi Thera yesterday advised the JVP to look inward before trying to reform others.
"You can reform other people later. Don't be like other politicians who finds faults with others while failing to see his mistakes," the Mahanayake told JVP General Secretary Tylvin Silva who visited the Dalada Maligawa to present the party's manifesto to the prelate.
The Mahanayake also expressed concern over the increasing election violence.
Mr. Silva said the JVP manifesto focused mainly on how to uplift the downtrodden people and to salvage the country from the economic crisis it was facing now. The party also pledges that it will reduce the prices of goods, solve the unemployment problem, and safeguard the unitary status of the country.
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
Increasing rivalry among political parties and the clamour for "Manape" have compelled candidates in the December 5 general elections to go hi-tech incurring heavy expenditure.
UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sagala Ratnayake, Dayasiri Jayasekera and the PA's Ananda Wasantha Nanayakkara and Hector Bethmage had opted for the most extravagant mode of advertising using digital cut-outs and video displays, political observers said. They said a digital cut-out alone would cost a staggering Rs. 400,000.
They also said several UNP and PA candidates including Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane, Duminda Dissanayake and Dayasiri Jayasekera had produced video displays for screening at election meetings. A leading Colombo-based video producer said a five-minute display of video footage would cost anything from Rs. 200,000 to Rs.300,000 depending on the type of visuals and the technology used.
A well-known advertising company official said many candidates were turning to the electronic media to convey their messages. He said a silent visual lasting for 5-10 seconds would cost about Rs.100,000.
A well-known artist in Thotalanga said a bust-size cut-out would cost anything between Rs.50,000 to Rs.75,000 while those of ten feet or above would cost around Rs.150,000.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have warned that coloured polythene used in abundance by different political parties had posed a serious environmental problem. As the polythene bags and other decorations were not biodegradable they tended to block waterways and clog drains in cities.
Political observers said certain candidates had used polythene and plastic bags bearing their names and pictues.
Meanwhile, they said the main political parties had not given up the tried and tested but expensive souvenir advertising by distributing caps, paper bags and pens bearing their names among voters.
The ruling PA is reported to have produced a special video display which glosses over the development projects undertaken by the government during the past seven years. Not to be outdone the UNP has reportedly launched a fully-equipped, luxury electioneering bus which in itself is a costly advertisement. The bus donated by a well-wisher is reportedly equipped with multi-media facilities. In addition, the UNP is said to have spent a tidy sum in digital and ordinary cut-outs of party leaders in addition to a multi-million electronic and print media campaign.
The JVP, dubbed the third force in the gruelling election campaign, is reported to be campaigning on a low-key budget by releasing audio cassettes carrying selected speeches made by ten of its parliamentarians.
By Chris Kamalendran
As in many other cases, the sensational killing of one-time Presidential Security Division fixer Beddegana Sanjeewa also appears to be at a dead end.
The Sunday Times learns that police have evidence about the prime suspect who reportedly got into Sanjeewa's vehicle before Sanjeewa's slaying-but no effort has been made to arrest the alleged killer. Not even a statement has been recorded from him nor has action been taken to track down any other suspect.
The prime suspect is believed to have political connections, The Sunday Times learns.
DIG Jayantha Wickram-ratna told The Sunday Times they were aware of the people who were associated with Sanjeewa at the time of the incident, but could not immediately question anyone due to the lack of evidence. He said he hoped eye witnesses would come forward to give evidence.
However at the inquiry held by Magistrate R.M. Jayawardana no eyewitnesses came forward to give evidence.
The only account was by a neighbour who said she heard the noise and alerted the police but saw no suspects.
Another mystery in the case is that though Sanjeewa's services in the police had been terminated six months ago, he still had a service revolver and a PSD identity card at the time of his killing.
Former minister S.B. Dissanayake in a statement recently alleged that he knew of various instances where Beddegana Sanjeewa had been used to eliminate or terrorise opponents of the PA.
By Nilika de Silva
Large scale abuse of public funds and property for party election work is reported to be continuing despite denials and claims of preventive action.
In one of the latest cases the Foreign Employment Bureau is alleged to be utilising money allocated for calendars to turn them into virtual election propaganda, The Sunday Times learns.
The Bureau is alleged to had given an order for the printing of 100,000 calendars for next year, but 70,000 of them are alleged to be more useful as campaign posters for the Kegalle PA district list which is led by labour minister Athauda Seneviratne.
Due to lack of funds no calendars had been printed in the year 2001 by the FEB, however, this year calendars were being printed carrying the pictures of the President, Labour minister and the Deputy Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga.
The FEB has in the previous years printed subject related calendars and never before had calendars printed with political figures, sources said.
Meanwhile opposition sources have alleged they have reports of at least100 state vehicles being used for party election work along with personnel and other material resources.
The Labour, Education, Health, Finance and Urban Development Ministries and the Water Board, Lotteries Board, Foreign Employment Bureau, National Savings Bank are among the institutions which are alleged to have released vehicles and drivers for these activities.
The Co-ordinating Secretary of the Minister of Urban Development, in a letter to the Chairman of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board on October 22 instructed that five vehicles be released to the Ministry for essential work of the Minister.
The Institute of Human Rights(IHR), an organisation which is monitoring the misuse of state property is due to release details of a series of cases of abuse of state property.
At the inaugural PA rally in Anuradhapura on November 3 over 50 state vehicles had been seen with garage numbers, while several vehicles had been seen with the state emblem covered with posters. Among the buses that carried people to the rally were 10 buses from the Kurunegala Public Bus Company, the IHR charged.
A potentially dangerous incident of a driver found in possession of a ballot box around midnight under the influence of liquour is being probed, but no action has been taken against the officers responsible for allowing the ballot box to remain in the custody of the driver.
The ballot box which had been used to train the election staff in the Galle district earlier in the day was found in a vehicle belonging to the Galle district election office. This came after a candidate contesting the elections in the district lodged a complaint to the Police about the disorderly behaviour of the driver.
Police who checked the vehicle found the ballot box and the driver was taken into custody.
Police later made inquiries from the Galle District Secretary G.Hewavitharana who confirmed that the ballot box had been used earlier in the day for training purposes.
The Driver is being charged with driving under the influence of liquour.
The District Secretary who will be the returning officer for the elections has ordered that strict action be taken against the driver. But no action is being initiated against the officers responsible for not ensuring that the ballot box was returned to the office after the training programme.
Candidate Ashoka Samaraweera who made the complaint said he feared such incidents could leave room for malpractices if specifications of the box were taken and similar ones were made by unscrupulous parties.
By Chandani Kirinde
The PA will release its election manifesto on Tuesday spelling out its proposals to solve the North-East conflict and revive the country's economy, party sources said.
They said it would spell out ways of reducing unemployment, helping the agriculture sector and providing more relief to the public sector employees.
Highways Minister A. H. M. Fowzie said the party's campaign itself would concentrate on a message of peace to the country.
"We are campaigning for an undivided Sri Lanka and people are listening to us," he said.
Mr. Fowzie said the party was confident of a victory in the December 5 polls and the PA would get at least 126 seats.
He said the UNP and the dissidents should be thanked for making way for fresh polls as the people now had a chance to endorse the PA policies.
Meanwhile, in a statement released on Wednesday, the PA said its government would not be forced into arriving at a negotiated settlement with the LTTE but would hold talks on reasonable grounds. It would also seek international mediation to help end the North-East conflict. A spokesman said the PA would also support the worldwide push to wipe out terrorism.
In the aftermath of the Akuressa shoot-out Minister Mangala Samaraweera has urged the IGP to hold an inquiry while UNP candidate Sagala Ratnayaka has asked President Kumaratunga to provide financial assistance for the injured youth. In a letter to Police Chief Lucky Kodituwakku Minister Samaraweera alleged that certain UNP candidates in the Matara District had used Army deserters and underworld gangs in the attack.
He claimed the PA had conducted peaceful political campaigns with the co-operation of all opposition political parties. He said the situation changed when UNP candidate Sagala Ratnayaka's supporters bombed a polling booth during the last year's elections.
Mr. Samaraweera also claimed that Army deserters and underworld gangs made an attempt on his life on Sunday.
Mr. Ratnayake in his letter to the President claimed the future of the19 -year-old youth had been blasted by the PSD personnel who were providing security to Minister Samaraweera. The letter had urged Ms. Kumaratunga to provide financial assistance from the President's Fund for an eye surgery on the youth.
A Women's Charter prepared by the Lak Vanitha Peramuna, the women's wing of the UNP, will be handed over to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and his wife Maithree Wickremesinghe tomorrow at the Colombo Town Hall.
The charter seeks to address various socio, economic and labour related problems faced by Sri Lankan women and focuses its attention on the need to increase welfare measures.
The Women's Charter will be presented by Lak Vanitha chairperson and former parliamentarian Renuka Herath.
The Commonwealth Secretariat has declined Elections Commissioner's invitation calling for election monitors citing lack of funds and insufficient time.
The Commissioner of Elections sent out invitations to international organisations calling on them to send representatives to monitor the December 5 polls.
The Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations Elections Assistance Division last week informed the Elections Commissioner that they would not be able to send representatives owing to lack of funds and time constraints.
However, the European Union (EU) has agreed to send 50 monitors. The first batch of election monitors is due to arrive in the country next week. The Indian Elections Commission would send seven monitors, informed sources said.
The Inter Regional Elections Association in Washington and Nepal of which Sri Lanka is a member was yet to confirm although 15 monitors were expected, they said.
An Elections Department official said the cost incurred in getting down foreign monitors would be met by the department. However, he said the EU would use its own funds.
Meanwhile, the two local monitoring groups the PAFFREL and the CMEV would bring down foreign observers.
An official of the PAFFREL said the first batch of the 80 foreign observers would arrive in the country on November 20. He said they would tour all the districts and undergo a training programme. The rest of them would arrive by the end of November, he said.
A spokesman for the CMEV said it would invite about 40 foreign observers who would arrive in the country two weeks before the December 5 elections.
