5th Column

First 30 days: the politician in Mahinda Maama
My Dear Mahinda Maama,
I thought I must write to you because it is precisely a month to the day you took office and although that is not a great deal of time when you have a full 72 months at your disposal (or possibly even a hundred and forty four!), it is probably just enough time to take stock.

Of course, Mahinda Maama, in the short time you have been in the hot seat you have demonstrated just how good you are at saying something during the election campaign and doing exactly the opposite after the polls. I really do not know whether to call you a clever politician or a shameless opportunist for this!

Why, Mahinda Maama, the ceasefire that you promised to scrap is still on although the Tigers have now even begun to explode mines and kill soldiers, we are now virtually begging Norway to be the go-between for peace talks and your Foreign Minister says you are looking for a solution within a united country instead of a unitary state. For a moment, I thought Uncle Ranil must be the President!

But then, these are complicated matters and it would be unfair to expect you to work miracles in just a month. After all, that period was just enough for you to attend all the ceremonial events like swearing yourself in, addressing Parliament and then presenting your 'Mahinda Chinthana' budget which of course threw out Sarath's previous masterpiece rather unceremoniously.

But, Mahinda Maama, there are a few matters that you need to look into right now. For instance, for all your claims of austerity, we now have eighty-three cabinet ministers and this is a 'highest-ever' record for our country, somebody said. I really can't understand how Wimal sahodaraya can keep a straight face abut this but you should be doing something about this before the masses start complaining.

Then, we are already hearing of how some of your ministers are jet-setting in style at state expense. We also hear of the same ministers removing professionals in institutions under their purview in a rather high-handed manner. You will need to nip this trend in the bud because it is you who will be ultimately blamed for whatever happens in any ministry.

Then, Mahinda Maama, we are still hearing quite a lot about Satellite even though she is supposed to have retired a month ago. They say you have cancelled her cheques and various inquiries are under way and you seem to have won round one by having Dulles appointed to late Kadir's vacant National List seat slot. Satellite, we are told wanted that Chandana chap appointed for Kadir's vacancy - and that would have truly been a case of going from the sublime to the ridiculous!

True, Satellite has not life made easy for you by making so many demands and I am not for a moment suggesting that any excesses should be excused, but I also think the lady also deserves a dignified exit and you should be mindful about that, Mahinda Maama.

But of course, your biggest headache will be to get Velupillai to toe the line. It is true the chap helped you win the election but don't ever forget that he also helped Satellite win her election in 1994 by eliminating Gamini and then wanted Satellite herself eliminated just five years later!

So, Mahinda Maama, we must wish you luck in these early days of your reign because you seem to need all the luck you can get. And don't forget that we are all looking forward to the 'gauravaneeya saamaya' that you promised so seriously during your campaign!

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS-And a little bird whispers that even the prisoner in the Merchant's Ward will get a reprieve one of these days. But will that also mean that the number of ministers will increase to eighty four?

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