Sigh. There are some things in life that simply make the heart go “boom biddy, boom biddy, boom boom boom!” For example, the steady leaking of classified material by WikiLeaks, which has made the world’s sole extant superpower sit up and say, “Ouch, that’s not cricket, is it?”
Of course it isn’t. For one thing, the good old US of A wouldn’t know a cricket bat from a brickbat – even if either one or the other was, er, suddenly brought to its attention in a surprising way! For another, more people in the so-called Free World would side any day with the likes of Julian Assange and the openness of the WikiLeaks operation than the black ops of Uncle Sam and its modus operandi over the decades – as has been revealed to everyone’s horror. Other than those, um, culpable. Guilty? Shamed! And now stark raving mad that it’s all been allowed to hang out… like soiled underwear on a flagpole.
But I’m rambling. And there is a point. Which is that while too much disclosure is good for nothing, too little only serves those who have secrets to hide. Let that day come in our own WikiLanka-less domain when what has been whispered in secret will be shouted out on the rooftops.
Until that explosive and exposé-driven day, we can only live in hope. And trust although there is no such ‘luck’ in our neck of the woods which would see courts compel certain powers that be to spill the beans about the, uh, unbiblical life they’ve been leading, we will see justice done one day. For the nonce, though, the pure as driven snow powers that be are riding high on their next wave to fame, glory, and sheer incompetence.
Which just about begs these questions: Why is the cabinet still as large as it is? When will our tribal chieftains have the guts to get rid of some superfluous medicine men? Where is the waste of public money going to lead the country other than down the garden path to the primrose path of dalliance? How much longer can the centre hold when the weightlessness of the periphery will see the provinces fly off the handle? What is the administration’s long-term strategy for governance? Who stands to lose from trimming down big government?
We’re not holding our breath while waiting upon the answers. Perhaps it will take a truly courageous version of WikiSri to bell this cat?
In the meantime, as a sort of poor compensation for our gutted and gutless media milieu, permit us as a private citizen to make some observations in the public interest.
Firstly, who really runs the country? Is it the glory hounds who dominate the headlines – or is there a battery of competent bureaucrats (ah, there’s an oxymoron – like “military intelligence”, no?) who do the real work that keeps us afloat? Stand up and take a bow. The nation salutes you silently, even though we may never know you by name… the army of civil servants and leaders with ascribed rather than assigned authority – who make the country tick, despite the ministrations of sundry quacks, and self-serving charlatans, and smooth-tongued slick-looking spin doctors.
Secondly, is it possible that in the long run – and we’re in for the long haul with this lot, with or without the entrails of a dead duck to foretell the future – some of the oomph and savyy and whatchamaycallit will rub off on the republican oddities who head the national circus? Each executive should rapidly rise to their respective levels of relative non-competence! You have been sitting in those seats long enough to let something about good governance rub off on you.
Thirdly, just what is it about a grand panjandrum that blows its own trumpet that appears so seductive and appealing and desirable to sundry courtiers and hangers on and kiss my satakay types? How else to explain the rats who have deserted the sinking boat of their former principles and cosied up to the captain of the seemingly unsinkable ship…
Fourthly, is it wishful thinking to expect that rather than let power go to its head, a truly (self-declared) democratic leadership will eventually allow power to dissipate to the rest of its body? Or is it relying on raw power, mere money, and sheer charm to quell any possible future riots, revolts, rebellions – and even the rumblings of former favourites who have been left weeping in the outer darkness a.k.a. the cabinet portfolio-less cold…
Fifthly, think you that we can count on the handful of intellectuals and cognoscenti scattered in the ranks of Tuscany to forbear to cheer – just for a change – so that Caesar and his imperial cohorts may think – just for a change – they are not immortal?
Last but not least, has it occurred to anyone that now – not yesterday, and certainly not tomorrow – is the time, precisely when Sri Lanka appears to be at its apogee in terms of self-image, that the vision can be most distorted? Over-self-confidence cometh before the crack in the mirror. Will our leaders be humble enough to pay attention to the people’s representatives – no, not parliamentarians; but passionate patriots among outspoken members of the clergy, for example, who have expressed disapproval of the size of the state.
We have had quite enough of paeans of praise to the powers that be from parties of all parts. We know how good and just and fair and pure you are – we do: we read the papers and hear the speeches. We now need you to be a trifle contrite and penitent and patient with your critics and other dissenters – so that not only can we believe you, we can also leave you in peace and quiet; so that you can lead us in safety to a leak-less land… |
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