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| Sunday, 4 September 2005 |
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Politics |  |
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Anti-corruption coalition not for jumbo cabinets With the upcoming Presidential Elections, Diriya Foundation has set out monitoring systems to closely observe misconduct and illegal practices during election day and thereafter. Transparency International Sri Lanka a coalition against corruption appeals to the politicians to consider as a matter of priority the ineffectiveness and unaffordability of mega cabinets. In a press release issued recently TISL says. Unsound political tradition of having 'jumbo' cabinets continues in Sri Lanka for almost three decades now and indications are that this practice will continue, unless a powerful public opinion is created opposing this move. At present, all except two members of parliament of the governing party are Ministers or Deputy Ministers. TISL has repeatedly stated that the Government of Sri Lanka cannot afford to have a high number of Ministers and Deputy Ministers for two basic reasons: Firstly, the oversight of the executive by parliament has become extremely weak due to having a large number of members of parliament in the executive branch. Secondly, the perks and other emoluments given to the MPs are unaffordable for a country whose economy is extremely weak and every cent is critical for development purposes. It is public knowledge that the ministries are created some times for expediency but mostly for short time political gains, at the expense of the public finance. Often cabinets and subjects are changed merely because the appointing authority has power to do so. This has placed the public in a dilemma, since the subjects and functions of ministries are obscure and vested in multiple ministries. In addition, the massive cost of maintaining the Ministers, Deputy Ministers and personal staff, and the other perks attached to them, are absorbed by the public. TISL reiterates that the Legislature is unable to oversee this expenditure effectively as there is a genuine conflict of interest between the executive and parliament where a large number of members of parliament are beneficiaries. "TISL also believes that it is the prime responsibility of the President, Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and leaders of the political parties to address this issue beyond political advantages as a matter of priority and to introduce a democratic tradition for the benefit of the country. We trust that it is time for the political authorities to realize the basic principle that they enjoy the public finance, full control of which is vested in parliament." |
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