Lecture at the OPA (Organization of
Professional Associations of Sri Lanka) on the “Proposed Electoral System of Upcoming Local Government Election & the Role of Citizen/Professional”
Presented by Mr Rohana Hettiarachchi –
Executive Director of – PAFFREL @ OPA Auditorium on 17th October
2017 @ 6pm
MY CONCLUSION – (these are my personal conclusions as a result of grasping the finer points of how the system is set up and how I believe it will operate in practice from my experience of the political animal in Sri Lanka)
At most only 5 MPs in Parliament (out of 225) will pass a simple test on how this system operates. Less than 1% of the public will ever be able to even grasp the basics of how it works, let alone determine if it is appropriate and hardly comes even close to improving on a bad system that it replaces. It is too complicated, and the independent observer would argue it is meant to confuse, so no one will challenge it. Any system must be SIMPLE to understand to get the maximum out of it. THIS FAILS BADLY.
At most only 5 MPs in Parliament (out of 225) will pass a simple test on how this system operates. Less than 1% of the public will ever be able to even grasp the basics of how it works, let alone determine if it is appropriate and hardly comes even close to improving on a bad system that it replaces. It is too complicated, and the independent observer would argue it is meant to confuse, so no one will challenge it. Any system must be SIMPLE to understand to get the maximum out of it. THIS FAILS BADLY.
I would go so far as to state that this
new Act that has been passed SHOULD NOT BE implemented, it is a disgrace, and a
further burden on the public, which results in almost a doubling of the Local
Government Representation, which will inevitably create more problems when you
have twice as many politicians than at present. There are 337 local bodies that will have to hold these elections. Imagine the increasing level of corruption with twice as many people indulging it!
It should be axed forthwith, none of the
people who I know who wish to be elected under this system even understand the
system, and they sincerely believe they do not even need to understand it to be
elected from it as all they are seeking is the ticket which is effectively in the palm of the organizer! NEED I SAY MORE THAN THAT?
Which begs the question, SHOULD YOU EVEN
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THIS SHAMBOLIC SYSTEM? The Simple answer is NO, and if most
of the public who are sick and tired of the political culture in Sri Lanka and
which this system does not change at all, the only answer available to them is
go to the polls and SPOIL YOUR VOTE, which effectively registers your disgust,
NOT your complacency.
I will in future Blog posts when time
permits go into individual aspects of why it is bad, and why even the good
points are not redeemed, due to the massive increase in representation in a
country boiling over with unproductive politicians.
IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE that has been
proved by this ACT. We have left the drafting of this new system to the MPs in
Parliament who have a vested interest in the current political culture for
their survival and prosperity. A rational human being is unlikely to jeopardize
their status, unnecessarily, therefore it is asking too much for the MPs we
have elected to effectively reform themselves, starting with the Local
Government System, where all their band of sycophants have to be paid off by
being given the ticket by that political party, and most often than not all
these MPs are the organizers of the electorates that determine who should be on
either or BOTH of the lists, of ward candidates, or those who come from the PR
list. We started with the WRONG foundation, it has already COLLAPSED!
Watch this blog for the analysis, and most importantly the simple system that should replace it to have effective local government with local people having a real say on the decisions taken in their community for their community, which is all that Local Government means. Sadly that fact is NOT understood by any member in Parliament.
8 comments:
In my opinion, this was a chance for Political Parties to put professionals in their list, to make sure the caliber of person was better, and was a strong selling point of this system for the people to accept.
The reality is far different. The mafia who surround any MP or Organizer today, has made sure that good people are not put on the list, as they are a threat to their ability to financially benefit. So the good people who are not sycophants don't hang around waiting for the ticket, and this is a warning for those putting people on the lists, to give it to those of integrity. These people have to be found, go and seek them.
"REMEMBER THE PEOPLE TAILING YOU ARE NO GOOD. THEY HAVE TIME TO KILL BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO IN LIFE, BUT PRETEND TO BE YOUR GOOD SERVANT - SO THEY FOOL YOU INTO GIVING THE TICKET AS BEING LOYAL - WHEN IN FACT HE IS A BLOODY ROGUE"
Youth representation is not enshrined. So technically no young people will enter politics. That may be good or bad depending on your point of view.
The reality is that youth are all turned off politics, you only have to see the old (youth) no one under 21 who went to the World Youth and Student Get together in Sochi in Russia.
The future of our Country is with those under 21, who don't have a say, don't have an education in order to have a say, and who have to live with the decisions taken by those who will be dead in a few years.
Somehow there is something seriously wrong in this state of affairs.
It is all about taking control of your destiny. No body seems to get it, that decisions taken by others affect our daily lives, and so those who make those decisions must do it in the best interests of the people, and not themselves as is the case now.
Which begs the question, do we even want Local Government at all? We have gone on for a year without it and it has been great, no bribes to be paid to Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman to get permission to fill the paddy land. They are filling it anyway, as the Government Servants are too lazy to act on the powers they have got, and too frightened to take the bribe!
You mention in your earlier blog post about the new Austrian Chancellor who is just 31 a few months ago. Well all the UNP delegation to the Sochi World Youth and Student Conference were all over 31, shame on you UNP, which means they have already given up on youth.
They are now the OMP, Old Men's Party!
Women's representation at least will be higher, guaranteed. Question is what kind of women these women hating list prepares put in that. Any guesses?
We should have a different means at least to nominate 25% of women into the lists, to at least try and get people of integrity on to it. Better still I am sure any attractive girl of 18 seeking office is a shoe in, the only way to get the youth out to vote in this election. So who is thinking out of the box here, to take advantage of the various rules, to get their personal desires fulfilled?
Is there a minimum age for a candidate?
Frankly the public deserve what they get. If they elect people who cannot understand voting systems into Parliament then they don't deserve to be lead by anyone other than con artists, who make a living out of fooling the people.
We must first decide who has a brain, and have faith they will use that brain to help their people prosper. Until we do all that all this talk is just hogwash, clutching at straws, that slip away at the mere tug.
THUGS RULE UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM ALSO
One touted benefit of the new Act is that due to the ward system only those on the list for wards will have to fight for their ward and win, perhaps at most 2000 houses in that ward. This is therefore expected to cost much less and allow people who otherwise would not contest to contest, like the professionals.
The flip side is that if professionals are not put on the list, then the thugs who are can get into power cheaply, as it is ON A TICKET and the organizer is putting the thug's name instead of the professional. The thug may promise a bribe, may promise a part of the proceeds of the protection racket, and as his cost to become a PS Member is so much lower, he is going to be even richer. What an absolute disgrace. - by the elector having NO control over who is put on the list.
Surprise no one has explained this voting system before. Obviously the stupid journalists dont understand it either, how can they explain it to the hapless public?
At least postpone again and immediately draft a simple system that is understandable without all these quotas that seem complicated, and pass it to allow independents to contest only one ward, that will show how out of touch the established politics is from the people who elect them.
Post a Comment