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by Amrit Muttukumaru

Luxury Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) are instantly available on order for all our honourable Members of Parliament, but we, the people, must depend on 'Hope' for a better cancer treatment facility. This comparison between the ordering of luxury Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) by all our 225 honourable Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public appeal for funds for the proposed 'Hope' cancer hospital by our national cricketers points to the very root of the tragedy of this country.

Confused? Just think of this: the potential loss to the revenue of this country by the duty free purchase of these SUVs on deferred payment terms, is approximately equivalent to the projected cost of Rs. 750 Million for the 'Hope' cancer hospital. Hopefully you are now catching on.

This expenditure is taking place in the backdrop of a severely cash strapped and crippled economy that for the first time has suffered the ignominy of negative economic growth and is begging for international aid. The funds for this purchase is being brazenly taken from an Indian line of credit meant for heavy machinery and equipment. It has been reported that the quorum bell in Parliament had to be rung thrice to summon our worthy MPs, both Government and Opposition, into the chamber and away from the demonstration vehicle.

Who says there is no 'cohabitation'? Such sense of common purpose among our legislators will not be a surprise to anyone.

Meanwhile, there is this ongoing, very disturbing appeal to the public for funds for particularly basic and critical health services which is actually the bounden responsibility of the government. The more prominent public appeals for funds in recent times have been in connection with the purchase of the MRI for the neuro-surgery unit of the National Hospital spearheaded by a group of government doctors at a cost of Rs 100 million which, true to form, was (on their invitation) 'ceremonially' inaugurated by the President and, the current Rs 750 million public appeal for the 'Hope' cancer hospital at Maharagama spearheaded by a group of national cricketers.

No doubt, although misguided, these are genuine attempts to do some 'good' for the community. In reality, as will be explained in this article, this does long term harm to this country.

In addition to these two, there are numerous other relatively smaller although useful projects such as the purchase through public fund raising of ambulances, hospital equipment, vehicles and garbage/sewerage disposal trucks which clearly fall under the ambit of the Government.

These public initiatives are only justified if there is a bona fide case of a genuine scarcity of State funds. Very clearly, this is not the case in Sri Lanka.

The numerous cases of alleged shocking abuse of power and corruption although often supported by documentation have never been subject to any convincing inquiry. The so-called 'leaders' of civil society have never convincingly demanded one either. If such abuses and corruption do not take place, due to the public demanding good governance and accountability,there will be more than enough funds for a number of 'Hope' cancer hospitals and MRIs. Apart from this, the resultant good governance will benefit the entire country and all its people. The easiest part is to collect funds and curry favour with the Government while the more demanding part is putting pressure on our political leaders for good governance.

This writer has been repeatedly making the point that the tragedy of this country is the absence of a vigilant and assertive civil society which has resulted in the thriving of irresponsible governance and inequity.

The essence of this malaise is the absence of accountability. It was also pointed out that it is the servility of the so-called 'leaders' of civil society particularly the business and professional community as well as their 'running with the hare and hunting with the hound' syndrome in pursuit of state patronage that has largely contributed to this sad state of affairs.

Corruption

The instances of suspected abuse of power and corruption include the alleged Rs. 2.4 billion presidential limousine scam. A sum of Rs. 2.4 billion was allegedly spent outside established tender procedures without cabinet/parliamentary approval (cabinet approval was reportedly given for only Rs. 64 Million) to purchase 48 luxury vehicles purportedly for security purposes. It is alleged that not only were some of them not purchased from the agents but that they were also purchased at inflated prices. Most terribly, it is alleged that although supposed to be brand new vehicles, some of them were re-conditioned and that the Letters of Credit for some of them were opened in favour of an obscure company reported to be the same company involved in the alleged Rs. 541 million Sri Lanka Rubber Manufacturing and Export Corporation scam. Doubts on the whereabouts of some of these vehicles have also been expressed.

Apart from this, there are numerous other alleged instances of disgusting abuse of power and corruption which includes the privatizations of AirLanka, plantations, LPG and others, and possibly rampant corruption in military purchases. Also very disturbing is the reported Rs. 2.5 Billion and Rs. 400 Million being spent on super luxury residential complexes for the President and Speaker respectively.

What is disturbing is that these sums have been spent precisely at a time when the country has been and continues to be on its knees in terms of its financial bankruptcy where the people are being continuously exhorted to undergo sacrifices. Surely, these allegations need to be transparently and publicly inquired into if the Government is serious about getting this country moving in the right direction.

'Perks'

For sheer audacity it is difficult to beat the unprecedented and unbelievable benefits and luxuries being allowed by us to our politicians - we have well over 2000 of them from Pradeshiya Sabha members to the national Parliament and the executive Presidency. All our legislators be they in the government or opposition, in addition to generous salaries and perks which include duty free luxury vehicles, residential facilities, telephones, electricity, office equipment, allowances for attending parliamentary sittings where five star meals are dished out virtually free, are also entitled to pensions after only 5 years! Nowhere in the world is this facility available.

In addition to this, many of our legislators and ministers routinely employ family members to official positions which in addition to salaries, generous perks and foreign trips also entitles them to duty free vehicle permits and a pension after a mere 5 years. Our ministers - we have a record 62 of them at present of varying descriptions often with the irrational allocation of subjects - are entitled to appoint a 6-member personal staff entirely of their own choosing. The PA equivalent of this was 79 ministers. Another phenomenon is where defeated political candidates and other ruling party hangers-on, irrespective of competence, are appointed to high state positions which include corporations and diplomatic posts.

Servile

We are indeed an amazing people for the wrong reasons. Our capacity to absorb virtually without murmur all the rubbish being dished out in the name of governance by successive governments must surely be unique. If not for its tragic consequences to this country and its people who are being steadily led on the road to anarchy, the antics of our governments could constitute excellent material for a block buster comedy series.

The latest is the 'comedy' on the 18th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution which were rightly thrown out by the country's highest court . The appropriateness of the constitution of this court is entirely another story which also reveals the malaise in this country vis-a-vis an unassertive civil society. With such obvious incompetence, duplicity and arrogance being demonstrated by politicians, how much confidence can we place on hasty legislation and deliberations on issues that will fundamentally impact on the life of the people such as deregulation in favour of the private sector and the complex peace process ?

The 'Constitutional Council' which was established by the 17th Amendment as a beacon of hope to bring some decency back to our public life has been in hibernation since birth apart from its dubious promotion of 'immunity' for itself for its actions. What is it so frightened of? The promised independent commissions are still to see the light of day. Even if they is constituted, the chances are that they will be ineffective.

The only hope for this hapless and bleeding country is if the people demand good governance and accountability from the government. In practical terms, this translates to the articulation of the hopes and aspirations of the people by the leaders of civil society.

In the Philippines for example, it was provided by the Catholic Church's Cardinal Sin and the leadership of the business and professional community. In our case, our 'leaders' of civil society seem to be utterly servile and petrified to stand up and be counted due to their pursuit of state patronage.

Worse than this, by their silence in spite of alleged horrible abuse of power and corruption often supported by documentation and their actions such as 'bailing' out successive governments from their transgressions - such as by collecting funds for what governments should be doing, they are virtually acquiescing with such unacceptable conduct.

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