Friday, November 4, 2011

Politics Sri Lanka Style – Can we ever change it?

What came first the chicken or the egg? Who came first the politician or the Sri Lankan elector/electorate/voter/dependent?

I may be stating the obvious to my Sri Lankan readers, but to those who are not aware, the Sri Lankan electorate EXPECTS the following from a politician, if they ever even hope to give their vote to him or in very rare occasion to her.

1 Supply their toilet facilities

2 Supply roofing sheets

3 Supply the electrical connection to the home

4 Give a loan to help them over a tough period

5 Visit all manner of relatives if they are in the hospital

6 Attend the funeral of even a distant relative

7 Get their child into a school of their choice

8 Pave the road to their home

9 Provide a job to their husband and then the children!

10 At least a Bank or Government job is most preferred

11 Intervene when arrested for drunk driving or other driving offence

12 Put an advertisement in the paper to publicize their vocation

13 Provide items for a shop she just opened as part of self employment

14 Sign the marriage register as a Godforsaken early auspicious time

15 Pay cost of a grandchild going to Singapore for a gymnastic competition

16 Speak to a Foreign employment agent about getting a job overseas

What a relief, at least today there was no request by a mother for him to marry her daughter as the politician is single and eminently eligible.

The above were just a few personal requests, some by supposedly die hard party supporters over the last 24 hours (we have no proof that at the polling booth they did in fact cast their secret ballot for the party! Let alone the individual)

I will note the community related requests in a later blog entry. A few months on the job and I could provide a list of at least 1000 different requests.

All these requests above are from a politician in the opposition, who will himself have to suck up to the government politicians to get some of these done for the constituents, who in turn will want the favor returned when he is in Government.

How can we brake this cycle of dependency? Can we make people understand they must take responsibility for their lives, and not go running to a politician when their husband slaps her in the face, hoping he can solve the domestic dispute too.

REMEMBER PROVIDING SOME OR ALL OF THESE DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE VOTE, IN FACT VOTES CAN BE LOST BY THOSE NOT RECEIVING THE GOODIES BEING JEALOUS OF THOSE WHO DID.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

May I add to each if I may

1 Including toilet bowl, that is a must

2 Even to cover the outside toilet

3 He must also pay for the pylons from the nearest transformer to the home.

4 That is after paying off his debts for the daughter's coming of age booze-up party.

5 Don't forget to leave an envelope of money to pay for the drugs the hospital asks to get from outside.

6 Here too an envelope of money to pay for the post funeral celebration of the life of the man who died of cirrhosis

7 Make sure you tell the Principal not to charge the entrance fee that goes into his pocket or otherwise pay that too.

8 Give the contract to my relative so he can also make some money on this by supplying sub-standard material

9 Husband is retired with a good pension, but I want him out of the house

10 My son will only accept a job in a govt. bank where he does not have to do any work.

11 Threaten the Police OIC not to mess with friends of the MP and drop all charges and warn the Traffic Inspector who made the arrest.

12 Please make sure it is large enough so it will draw plenty of interest.

13 Please arrange for permanent wholesale rates given to Food City as you know the owners of the supplier company.

14 As if 7 am in Anuradhapura was not bad enough, we expect a handsome gift.

15 Please add another Rs 15,000 for incidental expenses pocket money.

16 It must pay at least Rs300K a month otherwise it is not worth him leaving his government job here.

Anonymous said...

Ranjit, I have a feeling your blog will be blocked soon, the way things are going. Don't abandon your readers.

Jack Point said...

I suppose the only thing that one can do is address the underlying issues if there are any.

eg school admission: is there a shortage of good schools in the district? Can schools be improved etc

These are long term solutions, nothing much to alleviate the short term problems faced by the people.