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| Sunday, 3 October 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Alternative government programme of the left by Dr. Tissa Vithatana, Minister of Science and Technology (Continued from last week) Promote gender equality and ensure women's rights. Women's rights should be protected in the workplace as well as at home. This extends to domestic employment here and abroad. Their exploitation by recruitment agencies and by their employers must be prevented by having standardised contract forms and the Labour Ministry should set in place mechanisms to quickly rectify any injustice done to the employees. Sexual abuse of women and children is on the increase. Special units composed of women should be set up by the Police to investigate and take action in the courts. Suitable deterrent legislation should be enacted and enforced. The problems of the youth, and of organised crime, need special attention. In the context of a capitalist society in which money is god, and selfish attitudes prevail, unemployment is increasing and there is a constant rat race and the pressure on children and youth to perform is immense. The majority who fail, and are unemployed or underemployed or lack jobs meeting with their aspirations, are under psychological stress. Many fall prey to addictives, including alcohol (specially kasippu) and cigarettes, and to prostitution. The ethnic war has made guns available freely and the large number of deserters, lacking other skills, sell their ability to kill to the growing underworld and even to politicians. Robbery, violence and contract killings are on the increase, together with this extortion and gang violence. The media contributes to the brutalisation of society. These youth are exploited by the growing under-world or drawn into the politics of violence. While the long term solution is social change that generates a more stable environment with a different value system, immediate short term actions to reverse these trends are required. Reforms which make education less stressful and directed towards developing reasoning and problem solving abilities and creativity rather than memorising, coupled with job orientation (including self-employment) would help. Vocational and technical training facilities have to be expanded, both at secondary and tertiary levels. University education has to be expanded and improved. Employment opportunities have to be increased and proper guidance provided on accessing these. Youth must be involved in the process of revitalising the rural sector, (agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and related industry), the plantations, and the SME sector. A large number of productive and satisfying jobs can be generated, with a high level of self-financing, which will ensure social justice and dignity for youth. An intense educational and propaganda drive against the dangers of addictive substances together with strong deterrent punishment which targets the drug sharks more than the sprats is essential. There should be effective rehabilitation programmes. A systematic campaign by the Police has to be directed against organised crime, and all criminals must be brought to justice. Those involved, rather than being in society as today, must be made the subject of public disapproval and ostracised. This raises the question of minimising corruption in the Police and the Public service in general. Besides having properly constituted commissions to manage them, answerability to Parliament and to the public have to be ensured. Media freedom and citizen's rights - Enforce laws that protect the right to information and ensure the freedom and rights of journalists and others working in the media sector. Laws should also protect the right of citizens to privacy and not to be misrepresented by the media. Responsible journalism based on factual reporting and giving both sides of a story must be encouraged. Minority opinions should be given a place in the national press. Set up a speedy inexpensive mechanism, like an ombudsman, to settle disputes that arise. Appropriate International Policies. The previous UNF Government has taken the country away from its traditional non-aligned position into one of complete subservience to the USA. It was shamelessly acting as the agent of the USA in dealings with other Third World countries as was witnessed recently at Cancun, sacrificing our national interest in the process. These policies must be reversed. The grant of military facilities in Sri Lanka to the USA must end. We must continue to have good relations with all developed countries and strengthen our trade ties on a bilateral or multilateral basis, without surrendering our national interest. Our relations with Third World countries should also be the same. But in the context of the predatory role of the developed countries in relation to the developing ones in the capitalist world of today, it is necessary to join other Third World countries to fight for our rights and for justice. Specifically this fight should be directed towards democratizing the functioning of the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank. The concept must be accepted that due to the unequal contest between the powerful and the weak, in a highly competitive world, it is necessary to have not just a level playing field (instead of that favouring the strong as at present) but one weighted in favour of the developing countries. The economic links with other Third World countries must be strengthened on a bilateral and a multilateral basis. This could extend to regional cooperation. In the South Asian region Sri Lanka should act as the bridge between India and Pakistan and also as the main access point to the common market. In our diplomacy priority should be given to achieving this role. Flexible economic cooperation agreements should be reached which maximize the use of barter arrangements and ensure stable markets for our products. We should also work towards mutually beneficial free trade agreements. The cooperation should also extend to the political and social levels. Closer ties should be forged with progressive regimes e.g. China, Vietnam, Cuba. (Concluded) |
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