Leaders: The less educated got a bigger ‘aye’, ‘aye’

Many educated people I know read The Sunday Times and quote it when they want to emphasize matters about politics, war and other news. Some of them must have answered the Poll/Comment published on page 5 of The Sunday Times of 03.02.2008.
Question No. 4 has yielded interesting answers.

D.S. Senanayake	Sirimavo Bandaranaíke	R. Premadasa

Dudley Senanayake who was elected four times and ruled the country for 12 years has got only 1%. Lalith Athulathmudali who never ruled the country has polled more. Sir John Kotelawala and W. Dahanayake were never mentioned. Mahinda Rajapaksa who has ruled the country for two years so far has got 21%.

Not everyone knows that D.S. Senanayake, R. Premadasa and Sirimavo Bandaranaíke were not highly educated people, just the 'Ata Pass' – stuff. What astonished me however was that together these three polled more than 50% in every age group. In other words, people prefer them over the educated ones.

Though they had no higher education qualifications they were intelligent, practical and hard working people. When it came to making decisions they sought the advice of educated and experienced people in the concerned field. After they arrived at a decision, they acted promptly without wavering.

Had J.R. Jayewardene acted promptly to control the 1983 July riots, many of the problems we are facing today would have been much less or may not have been even present. There is an old proverb that "People of a country get the rulers they deserve". That is why we are getting the leaders we have.

By S. Wijesekera, Thelijjawile