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an amended DDC system In a country such as Sri Lanka, for one in two voters to keep away from polling is a serious indictment on its political system. Considering the fact that several voters went to the polls only to deliberately spoil their vote, only adds to the charges on that same indictment. The results itself are being analysed in every way possible by the various contending parties and fed to the people, who however, are becoming less gullible than before. While the outcome was another stunning defeat to the Opposition, it was hardly sweet victory for the Government. A less than 50 percent poll gives one clear message, though. That, many people have lost confidence in the Provincial Councils, and in the political parties that vie for places within it. And all this is in areas outside the North and East where confidence in decentralised administration is probably non-existent. Through it all, there was no positive message that came out from any of the political parties. Instead what appears to the people is that here is a system of government that means little to the people, gobbles up state funds and creates confusion in the administrative set-up of the country. Ironically, the system's bitterest critics of yesteryear, the JVP, have turned out to be its staunchest defenders. True, the JVP have turned a new leaf, but what do we make of this volte-face? Evidently, the sole purpose of Provincial Councils has now turned out to be places where your party members can get the wherewithal, both the spending money and the hardware (vehicles, fax machines, mobile phones etc.,) that will strengthen the party base. To hell with the country. The Provincial Councils are a dead loss to the country. The sooner the political parties join hands and abolish this white elephant, the better. It provides neither proper devolution of political power to the periphery, nor is it efficient administration-wise. If the winning party leaders claim that they received a mandate from this election, then they must give ear to the deafening resonance and a defining mandate from the silent-majority of this country that clearly rejected the PCs. In its place must come a system closer to the hearts of the people. We have for some time proposed an amended District Development Council system, or enhanced powers to local councils like the Municipalities and Urban Councils, though they themselves reek with corruption, inefficiency and are the dumping grounds for party workers without jobs. You just can't get a job done through most of these local authorities. The proportional representation system is not a system for local councils. These councils must have identifiable ward members so that they come under voter-pressure to get things done, though many unsavoury things also get done the same way through patronage. The fight against dengue is a prime example of the impotence of the PCs to mount a concerted battle against the dreaded disease that has now reached epidemic proportions. Dengue has made a regular appearance for the past so many years but whether in the provinces or in the capital, the local government authorities have been utterly ineffectual in combating it, as evidenced by the mounting death toll. It looks like we are losing the war against dengue. Who's responsible? All the politicians do is pass the baby while the people continue to suffer the anguish of seeing innocent lives lost. A quantum leap in administrative skills is required to make local govt.work. For that the Central Government must also be seen to be functioning. It is glaringly evident that these Councils are mere miniature political powerhouses rather than the genuine people-friendly agencies of hope to the teeming multitude that they were intended to be. Doesn't a working democracy, albeit a beleaguered one, deserve better? |
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