By Ayathuray Rajasingam –
Ayathuray Rajasingam
The issue at the coming General Election is whether or not Good Governance will be given priority. Promising of a new constitution to demonstrate excellent governance would be meaningless, as any new constitutions will have to abide by the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord, unless it is abrogated by both India and Sri Lanka. The goal of the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord is to promote Provincial Participatory role to encourage very good governance and discourage the call for secession.
In a Federal method, each and every level of government has its own direct connection with the citizens. Although the power is dispersed, it is the coordination amongst the Central Government and the Provincial governments that germinates great governance. This symbolizes the protection of pluralism as effectively as the rights of the individual against an more than-powerful government. Very good governance marks the beginning of righteousness.
Federalism also protects regional interests to some extent. The advantage of Federalism is that Provinces have their capability to handle and administer the geographical places. This is been misunderstood by the JVP and other politicians that it would lead to separation and be a threat to National Safety. If they realize that creating very good decisions overtime across a spectrum of economic, social and other locations and working out power for the benefit of the people and the nation (which is excellent governance), they can’t give valid causes that Federalism would be a threat to National Security. If one particular thinks the Provincial participatory part in a constructive manner, he will comprehend that Federalism denotes solidarity. Each Provincial participatory part and good governance are interwoven. The conflict of East-West ideologies prevailing among the politicians ought to not be an obstacle. What is necessary is a reform in the political transformation that need to address towards democratization and pluralism in the nature of promoting Provincial participatory function.
If they keep away from the issue of the Provincial participatory function, it signals that they intend to mislead the public in order to conceal their corruption. This is what occurred till to date. Provincial participatory role also can give birth to the granting advantages such as pensions to non-government servants. The presence of Provincial governments administering local issues make Nations significantly easier to manage. In this context, all Provincial governments meet routinely and communicate with one particular one more through formal and/or informal means, i.e. through the departments of inter-governmental affairs, for which there can be a Minister in the Cabinet. This is 1 way of establishing a confident developing measures. In this context, the appreciating factor of Federalism is the recognition of different kinds of political problems with the creation of normal Departments of inter-governmental affairs, which could be carried out by a Cabinet Minister. But in Sri Lanka, the Central government areas restrictions in order to conceal the corruption of the Ministers and their supporters, thus sending a message of excellent governance in crisis.
Provincial participation has the qualities of bringing even the rivals of strengthening the unity of the nation for which excellent governance is a need to. Transparency is a key element of good governance. Accountability and the rule of law calls for openness and good info which permits the administrative sector to confirm functionality and compliance to law. But this element of transparency has turn out to be a query mark throughout Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime.
Since independence, Sri Lanka was unable to rectify soon after getting opinions and views from all segments of the society without having discrimination. Even after the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord, Sri Lanka was observed unaccountable to all segments of society on account of the clumsy handling of the corrupted politicians. On the contrary, the North East Provinces have been demerged posing a question mark on great governance. For the duration of the regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa poor governance manifested the inability to preserve law and order to handle the sporadic eruptions of political instability and violence. As a result it had knowledgeable suspicion from specific segments of the society and triggered a negative influence on the economic development.
If Provincial participatory role is to be offered priority for strengthening the democracy, there is no require to have a mega Cabinet. It is enough to have not much more than 20 Ministers in the Cabinet, when some segment of the society are engaged in illegal activities. The current deaths of Muslims in Syria raises an issue whether or not Islamic terrorism had encroached within the Sri Lankan communities. It cannot be forgotten that a Deputy Registrar of Persons was engaged in issuing National Identity Cards some years back as nicely as the praising of Bin Laden following their Friday prayers by the Islamic communities when the Twin Tower was attacked. As there are reported news items about the families of the deceased which left either for Pakistan or Iraq, the situation is whether the relevant authorities and some politicians are conscious of it. This is only a beginning of vulnerable youngsters becoming at threat of Islamic radicalization and ultimately drawn in to terrorism. Terrorism begins with the procedure of radicalization. A single ponders about the great governance if such politicians are given locations in the cabinet.
As the financial development was retarded by the corrupt politicians throughout Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime, it is crucial is to uncover out the remedy to enhance the economic conditions. As such, it is important to concentrate not on the troubles, but on the possibilities which would develop a lot more possibilities to strengthen Sri Lanka. It is not late for the politicians to reconsider on Federalism which respects the locations of Provincial jurisdiction and sends the signal for the establishment of a formal mechanism for Provincial output into the development of a country. Federalism invites the Provinces to take component in international negotiations. If Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithiripala Sirisena can take a bold step for the establishment of a formal mechanism for Provincial output, Sri Lanka require not be concerned about sending labourers to Middle-East nations and face tragedies like in the case of Rizana. Briefly Federalism is about collaboration with Provincial Governments. Such Federalism will not only strengthen the very good governance but also nullify the call for secessionist movements. It is time for Ranil Wickremesinghe to act as a Statesman and shed all variations and stretch a friendly arm towards C. V. Wigneswaran in the very best interests of the nation. Even some of the Tamil politicians in the TNA and UNP like Vijayakala Maheswaran need to don’t forget that the Parliament is a holy spot and not to deviate towards cheap politics as they are not well versed in Provincial Participatory part.
Had due importance been provided to the Provincial Governments, it would be clear that transparent decisions-generating is a important element or necessity for exploitation of Provincial organic sources in compliance with the laws of the nation. Transparent decisions make aid the public to confirm performance and encourage private sector for investments which will be helpful for the country. Transparent decisions-producing will deny room for incidents such as an assault on a Tamil engineer who exercised his duty in compliance with engineering common and the throwing of stones at the Magistrates Court in Mannar by supporters of former Minister Rishard Badurdeen are cases in point.
Canada, USA, India, Switzerland and some other Federal countries have sent the message that the concern of good governance can only be recognized in a federal structure, which guarantees the high quality life of the citizens. Political leaders in Sri Lanka which practises pluralism, have to recognize that it is in Federalism, excellent governance plays a pivotal role as a determinant element of the sustainability and strength of democracies. Each Ranil Wickremesinghe and C.V. Wigneswaran have a formidable activity of reminding the Sri Lankans that the grant of needed powers and allocation of adequate funds to the Provinces for exploiting the organic sources have become a need to, given that Provinces are accountable for their decisions and performances, which would eventually pave way for strengthening of the unity of the nation. If powers are given to the Provincial governments they can play a participatory role which once again would involve consultation in the development of policies and choices-producing in the ideal interests of the country. It is this element of Provincial participatory role that encourages both the Central government and the Provincial governments to know about the needs and priorities of the men and women of the respective Provinces and lead to excellent governance.
The technique of Checks and Balances can be demonstrated via Provincial participatory role. The distinct levels of Provincial governments and the Central Government can act as a verify on a single yet another in the exercise of political authority which is a need to in Sri Lanka. This would enable a Federal structure with a far more diverse and steady atmosphere for investment and economic improvement which would offer a new protection of the rights of the individual. Certified members of the TNA and UNP can go over on this subject and could arrive at a meaningful conclusion for the benefit of the nation, as an alternative giving promises of special programmes for financial improvement for North and East. This would mark the beginning of great governance.
Each the Sinhalese and Tamil speaking communities ought to stay away from themselves in falling prey to emotional speeches of narrow-minded politicians whose main aim is to be in power and lead a luxurious life. As Federalism leads to a greater tomorrow in a multi-racial nation, the situation before the Sri Lankans is regardless of whether good governance as promoted via Federalism would resolve the conflict by means of peaceful means, while it is history that Unitary in Sri Lanka resolved issues by means of coercion of war symbolizing corruption.