Leaders with the courage to be different

Fairy God Mother (FGM) helps ‘Cinderella’, to realise her dreams in the classic folk tale myth which highlights the elements of unjust oppression followed by a triumphant reward.

FGM, visits the Wise Old Owl (WOO) in a pensive mood, and offers one wish to realise its dreams. After much thought and reflection, WOO states – “ Leaders in Sri Lanka with Courage to be Different”.

WOO amplifies that courageous leaders, “ need to be ‘fit and proper persons’, ‘Role Models’ with integrity, a conscience, high ethics, who uphold meritocracy and societal norms and value”;

*A Leader for the nation, placing sustainable growth and development of the country and its people the top most priority; clearly seeing ‘the real underlying causes of present and future risks’; and the priority challenges in taking the nation and its people to prosperity’

* A cabinet of Ministers who fear and are ashamed in engaging in acts of moral turpitude; ready to take accountability; and willing to resign no sooner they fail in their duty to the people

* Opposition leaders who support measures that advance the growth and development of the nation and its people and vigorously challenge any that fail to do so

* Religious leaders who tirelessly commit to embody positive values and societal norms

* Leaders in judiciary willing to uphold traditions; discharge justice with intellectual honesty, strictly in accordance with the rule of law and never to please the boss and win favours.

* A Leader for the Treasury willing to present transparently, professionally compiled national development strategies and budgets; which support equitable development encompassing the whole country; accurately reflect acquisitions on deferred payments and subsidies financed by state banks; and highlight the likely disastrous outcome of continuing the war, costs of devolution and economic policies followed

* A leader for Government Audit, willing to concentrate on social and value for money audits and fearlessly express opinions following professional reviews that go seeking the truth behind projects, tenders and payment vouchers

*A leader for the Central Bank not endorsing misleading statistics that misrepresent facts; and vigorously canvass against policies that negatively impact on price stability

*A leader of defence establishments willing to advise Commanders to control terrorism and engage at heightened levels of security without terrorising or endangering the lives of innocent civilians; always acting as agents of a legitimate government and committed to avoid violation of human rights

*A leader in Foreign Relations, with guts to explain to the leadership what non alignment in diplomacy means; the need to treat all friendly nations with respect in a non aggressive manner; and never to condemn and target nations which demand upholding human rights and good governance

*A leader in Public Administration assuring delivery of public services of quality with efficiency, economy and effectiveness

*A leader in Anti-corruption willing to act with independence, impartially, vigorously pursuing high level, high impact corruption not dictated to by the power, position or network links of the suspect

*A leader for the Police, upholding the law irrespective of position or power of wrong doers and pursuing vigorously criminal elements focussing on impact/outcome rather than number of cases

*Chamber leaders respecting core values, bold enough to acknowledge that any economic summit to spread the wings of development must address issues such as economically debilitating conflict, equitable development, poor governance, human security and human rights

*Business leaders with courage to recognize that their stakeholders future and their primary responsibility to ensure the growth in the economy are closely entwined with peace, conflict resolution related devolution, law and order, justice and good governance and that these cannot be to be left to be dealt with only by politicians

*Leaders of Media committed to present unbiased news, highlight with courage weaknesses in governance, corruption and impact on civil liberties; giving equal prominence to positive news and promoting good role models for society

*Leaders of Audit Practice adopting guidelines on classifying ‘corruption’ related payments and highlighting these in audit reports

*Professional Leaders with courage, daring to seek legal redress on behalf of persons whose human rights are violated

*Gandhi, Mandela and Martin Luther King-styled, truly committed peace activists and civic rights leaders; definitely not those presently silent in the face of government atrocities, who once engaged in peace marches/meditation by taking old village women on pilgrimage all in the name of peace and collective consciousness but really targeting international media, funded lavishly by foreign governments and INGO’s

Alas, by the time this wish was announced, the evil spirits had driven away the FGM!
Email: wo_owl@yahoo.co.uk