Wastage and cheep publicity, Say Ministers:

Posters - propaganda media or public eyesore!

by Jaliya Wijeyekoon

Our country regained independence in 1948 and since then a large number of elections were held upto 1977 from where a total different turn in politics took place with the introduction of the new constitution with the preferential voting system in all democratic elections such as Presidential, Parliamentary, Provincial Council and the local bodies.

At all these elections, it is quite evident that the posters of candidates of all parties appear in their respective areas and districts in large numbers.

It may be an effective mode of propaganda undertaken by the candidates to some extent.

But unfortunately now it has reached an alarming level of becoming a big problem to the people of the country owing to a number of reasons. It is the general belief of the independent observers that the posters have indirectly challenged the democratic process of electing representatives as all candidates are not in a position to equally spend huge amounts of money on posters.

In the present context, the electorate of a candidate has become, the entire district since he or she has to garner the support of a higher number of voters to get elected. So invariably candidates are compelled to have their posters wherever possible in the district in order to achieve a higher number of preferential votes.

At present you can see that no place in the city is spared by these contestants however much the law enforcement authorities warn them to abstain from doing so.

Even some senior Parliamentarians who had represented parliament for very long periods are engaged in this poster campaign without paying scant respect for the country's rules and regulations. From the very first day the election was announced different types of posters started appearing in every nook and corner of the country with smiling faces and different actions.

Posters, cutouts, hoardings and billboards are a common sight all over the city, suburbs and even in rural areas in the country these days depicting their alloted numbers.

This is against the election law of the land and Commissioner of Elections has summoned all General Secretaries of the registered parties and instructed them to inform their candidates to refrain from indulging in this uncouth exercise which deface the pleasant environment of the country.

But unfortunately a lot of candidates still continues to engage in the process in spite of all these warnings.

It has been reported that most of the quarrels, conflicts and related crimes including deaths had taken place during the election period while pasting posters or forcibly removing rival party candidates' posters or putting up billboards or hoardings. Every affluent candidate has employed a team of supporters only to paste posters all over the district and they are very well looked after by the candidates.

The only duty of these people is to paste posters and put up cutouts whereever possible in the district.

We have seen very often that direction boards, name boards and public and even private parapet walls are covered with posters of various candidates.

Public bus stands, railway stations, hospital walls, market places and even public latrines are not spared by these unscrupulous and illiterate party supporters.

The Government had already spent a staggering Rs. 20 million to remove the posters and a further million will have to be spent before the election day to remove all the re-pasted posters and cutouts put up by the candidates of all parties.

It is most encouraging to note that the youngest candidate in the Hambantota district, NamalRajapaksa has decided agaisnt having posters depecting his picture or number, insted to divert the funds to a canel project in the district. Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Patali Champika Ranawake commenting on the poster campaign stated that it is on utter wastage of funds by unscrupulous elements which finally leads to environmental pollution and deface the pleasant atmosphere of the city and it is further a blatant violation of election law on which an imprisonment of 6 months and a fine of Rs. 5,000 can be imposed.

Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda commenting on the poster campaign stated that he did not believe in achieving any popularity or support through posters but to personally meet the voters and have a dialogue.

From the firstday he started politics, he never wanted to have his picture on any public place since it amounts to cheap publicity. Further it is illegal according to law of the land.

We know how the elections are conducted in developed democratic countries such as United Kingdom, U.S.A., Australia and many other European countries as well, which follow pure democracy. Candidates of any party in those countries never resort to this type of cheap publicity to gain mileage in their political campaigns.

They confine their election campaigns to print and electronic media and rallies at stipulated venues.

It is high time that the government decided on a national policy on the frame work of conducting election campaigns without allowing the candidates to dump huge amounts of funds as wasteful expenditure on posters, cutouts, billboards and hoardings which lead to a financial burden to the State in addition to being a menace to the law abiding citizens of the country.