Letters to the Editor
View(s):A plea to the next President of Sri Lanka
In order to safeguard democracy for us and future generations I implore you to exercise your powers to make the following changes which may even transform our island nation to a ‘second Singapore’ :
1. Abolish the Executive Presidency and revert to true Parliamentary democracy as in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Human greed is such that when absolute power is vested in one individual, abuse of that power is inevitable. We have seen how some past presidents of Sri Lanka abused their power shamelessly on a massive scale to feather their own nests and help kith and kin. We see how President Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping, the supreme leader of China maintain their grip on absolute power by ruthlessly crushing any opposition.
2. Ensure total and absolute independence of the judiciary without interference from anyone including the head of state and the rich and the powerful. The laws of the land must apply equally to all citizens including the penniless.
3. Eliminate corruption in all its forms both in the public and private sectors. Bribery, nepotism and political vendettas should have no place in a civilized society.
4. Enforce strictly and with no exception, declaration of assets by politicians before entering Parliament. Politics should be to serve people and not a means of livelihood. Honesty, integrity and character should be unquestionable.
5. Ensure politicians refrain from indulging in luxuries at public expense. Accountability and transparency must be crystal clear in government spending and all dealings.
6. Increase employment opportunities in the country to reduce the ‘brain drain’ and stop Lankan women working in the Middle-East in virtual slavery.
7. Improve the living standard of the poor and the underprivileged. A nation will be truly great only
if it cares for the welfare of its weakest citizens.
W.Y. Rambukwelle Katugastota
We are unable to protest on the streets but please heed our plea
In recent times, we saw Government employees as well as those from the private sector on the streets clamouring for a salary increase and a better standard of living. Academics, university students and farmers all joined the crowd.
I wish, we senior citizens, could unite and join, pleading with the government to restore the 15 per cent interest on our savings.
Of course, none of us can stand the baton charges, tear gas and water cannons- most of us would collapse and die if we had to face that –and this would be a plus point for the government.
Valerie Y. Davidson Moratuwa
Suspended visa deal: What has happened to all the dollars?
Having read the stories in the Sunday Times of August 4 on the VFS and the suspended e-visa deal I was happy to see the inside story of this deal so elaborately made known to the public. A few days back I was able to view the video clip by Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda that came on social media.
It is now left to the Commissioner General of Immigration and Emigration to show how much of the dollars charged (or what proportion of it) during the period of this ill devised operation has been remitted to the Treasury. If not, where has it gone or to which account? Perhaps the Auditor General has a duty to go into that whether now or later.
The general public should know this detail as the Department of Immigration and Emigration is an important source of Government revenue. This has become increasingly important with the expected increase of tourist arrivals.
Lalith Hettiarachchi Via email
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