This week's three day debate on the Puttalam Cement affair showed how the UNP sold one of the country's important public assets to a Pakistani company with questionable credentials. It also showed how the present Cabinet has failed in its pledge to be honest and transparent. We saw how things are passed in the Cabinet without even the knowledge, let alone the involvement of important ministers. We saw how things were done by officials in secrecy and how recommendations on high finance are made at 35,000 feet while rushing from one country to another.
The Puttlam Cement debate gave the country a disturbing glimpse of how governments work or don't work in Sri Lanka. It was sad to see the PA government virtually selling a minister who is acknowledged by many to be one of the best. This happened when the government decided to debate the statement made by Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on the cement deal rather than the no-confidence motion proposed by the UNP against the government.
Many impartial observers saw how the government thrust Mr. Kadirgamar to the line of fire. Was he sacrificed because he had the courage to write to the President about the possibility of bribery in high places of this government which has pledged so often to wipe out bribery. Was Mr. Kadirgamar used as a sacrificial lamb to prevent the UNP from debating why the government dilly dallied in investigating a complaint made by a senior minister.
Obviously encouraged by the government's Judas role one UNP frontliner took advantage and referred to Mr. Kadirgamar as a 'humbug'. This would have been music to the ears of the LTTE or Eelam lobby here and abroad. For his country, and not for any one party Mr. Kadirgamar has during the past months carried out a successful campaign here and abroad to counter the Eelamists and portray a correct image of Sri Lanka. So much so that he is known to be high on the hit list of the LTTE. Mr. Kadirgamar told our sister paper recently that if he has to die, it will be for a united Sri Lanka. Men of honour must not be sacrificed for a mess of Cement.
Little Sri Lanka's spectacular emergence as World Champions in cricket, has brought about positive factors that go far beyond the scoreboard or playing field. Almost everybody in Sri Lanka started smiling again from last Sunday night and there was a happy feeling in the heart, despite all the crises facing us. Sri Lanka's revolution in World Cricket also brought about deep unity among people of all races and religions here. We hope the unity rebuilt on the playing fields will grow into other areas and that some day soon Sri Lanka will provide lessons to the world in more important dimensions also.
The restoration of national pride through the breathtaking achievement of Arjuna Ranatunga's team in the World Cup was also seen among Sri Lankans living abroad. Most of them generally like to be identified by their western foster names, but last Sunday thousands of Sri Lankans in Australia cheered heartily for their motherland and felt proud to be Sri Lankans.
A sour note in the historic drama was how politicians were fawning around the cricketers, obviously to get into the limelight and obtain party political mileage from what the team has achieved through sweat, tears and sleepless nights. Some of the politicos who went for a 'ha ho' in Lahore, had not held a cricket bat in their lives. Others might have gone to the Gaddafi Stadium thinking it had a Libyan connection. The airport welcome ceremony also was botched with one Sports Ministry official now sprinting for political mileage, sharpening his Minister's pencil with the World Cup. But tens of thousands of ordinary, grateful people lined the streets from the airport to give the cricketers a welcome that befits national heroes. We must also note that the official reception given to the cricketers was in marked contrast to the recent Gallantry Awards ceremony to the Armed Services personnel. Some widows had to bus it home with the medals of our fallen heroes.
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