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| Sunday, 13 February 2005 |
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Laptops @ Diyawanna Oya Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake On learning of the proposal to give free laptops to all elected to the House at the Diyawanna Oya, I visited the Centre for Cyber Politics that identified the urgent need for the elected representatives of the people to be supplied with the latest Laptops or Notebooks.
On the cost for these laptops Dr. Jagath Antharjaala said they should definitely be provided at state expense because it was wrong to expect people's representatives to use their hard earned money for such essentials. "The only way ahead for this country is for politicians, especially people's representatives, to get used to the Internet. That will enable them to learn much more of solutions to the problems that people face. It will be a great educational tool on a politician's lap," he said. Vidya Vaasanava, who owns a chain of profitable computer training institutes was keen to launch his IT for Politicians Course. "Some of these representatives cannot even keep count of the immediate problems of the people. How could they be expected to work with a laptop? They must first be computer literate. It is not easy to make people who show more signs of general illiteracy than being literate make the leap to laptop technology. I am ready to give at least basic computer literacy to these people, through a crash course. Ofcourse knowing the intelligence levels of the students my fees will have to be somewhat high". "Don't worry about the fees" said Prof. Pariganaka Dotcom, head of the Centre for Cyber Politics. "There will be no difficulty about funds for such an important service to the people. So far there have never been any problems in voting funds for anything that benefits the elected representatives of the people. That is when the country sees true political unity, with all party differences forgotten". "Although you people, who know the value of the computer think it will be useful for these peoples' people, how do you really know whether they will be interested in having a laptop?" "What makes you raise that question?" asked Prof. Chintana Web-adaviya. "It's just that from what little I know there are other things that people who are in the business of politics or representing the people think of when it comes to the lap," I said. "What are these other interests?" asked Dr. Antharjaala. "When it comes to the lap the first thing most of them want is to live in the lap of luxury. I don't think they will care so much about a cyber notebook on their laps. A laptop is definitely not such a priority when it comes to political luxury and opulence. Also, when it comes to laps most of them like to see the various perks of being representatives of the people fall on their laps, rather than have laptops." "But surely these people who talk so much in public the computer age and even vote money for the expansion of computer science in education, will want to get involved with the cyber age themselves?" asked Dr. Pariganaka Dotcom. "These are people who have everything falling on their laps. Just see how even the tsunami fall on their laps, at a time when the people were getting more than bored with the promises and performance of both sides. They have greater calculations to bother about than the problems of the people. It's no great deal for them to get a laptop when there are better things on offer," I said. "Typical of you journalists to be so sceptical about politicians, especially those chosen by the people to represent them," said Prof. Chinthana Web-adaviya. "These are people with the problems of the people at their hearts. What better way of helping solve them than having laptops on their laps. They can spend all that traveling time calculating the costs of various development projects; workout the infrastructure needs of the people. Once they get hooked onto the laptop, you will find that they will always carry it with them." "If they are able to workout the costs of development projects while on the move in luxury, they will also be able to calculate the commissions and other tender payments they will receive. It is also possible to have the names of their favourite contractors, commission agents and political pressure people entered in the laptops for ready reference. With Internet and e-mail facilities they will also be able to make quick contact with these people whenever a tender is to be called for a big contract." "I think there is something serious about these concerns mentioned. Don't you think we should reconsider this proposal?" asked Dr. Pariganaka Dotcom. "Surely, don't you think it will help the political culture of this country if we can get the representatives of the people used to the culture of the computer age?" asked Prof. Chinthana Web-adaviya. "What about the connections that politicians are known to have with the underworld? Don't you think such contacts will expand greatly if they are able to use laptops for the calculations? I have my worries. Many a laptop given to such people will have enough evidence of underworld contacts in the hard disks, as to make their underworld contacts hold them to ransom very easily and get more favours from them," said Dotcom with some concern. "I think all of you have no understanding of the average representative of the people. There are more things they want on their laps than portable computers, however fast the drives may be. Most of them, even of ministerial rank, have been known to have a proclivity to have shapely women on their laps. Do you think they will have the time for laptops even at State expense when there are other willing adornments for their laps, with the kind of perks they can offer?" I asked. "But why have none of the people's representatives objected to the proposal to give them laptops or even bluntly refused to have them?" asked Dr. Antharjaala. "It's so simple. There will always be others who can use it. It can be a good gift to a child or a special friend. Who will be able to keep track as to what happens to these laptops, when it is not possible to trace the firearms issued to politicians. Also, don't you think some of these politicians have not thought of the hold they can have over other representatives if they can get hold of his or her computer?" I asked. "Talk of hard disk evidence will create a new political culture of corruption and fear," I added. "Well looks like we'll have to think twice about this whole idea," said Dr. Pariganaka Dotcom, getting back to work on his laptop. |
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When asked about the need for this, Prof. Chintana Web-adaviya, said
these elected representatives of the people spent a long time travelling
in the comfort of luxury vehicles, with nothing to do but think of the
problems of the people who elected them. He believed that giving laptops
to them would help them keep track of these problems and try to work out
speedy solutions.
