Financial Times

Sense of hopelessness
 

Are you under constant worry about your house being robbed; your car being stolen; your purse being snatched, being assaulted on the streets or wary of walking into a police station to make a complaint?
Are you worried that a suspect you name in a complaint to the police will return to harrass you; torment you and your family and that the police complaint had led to a threat to your life rather than being a protective measure and seeking justice?

Are you worried about the impunity that a ‘selected’ group of citizens enjoy in this country despite involvement in actions in direct violation of the law? Are you worried about doing business in the country; the threats from competitors which now turn into violence, thuggery and abduction?

In this context shouldn’t law and order have been an issue that should have been discussed at the annual Economic Summit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) this week? There was neither a separate session nor any discourse on a problem that has been confronting business – equally or much more than the peace dividend. Isn’t the rule of law fundamental to doing business, attracting foreign investment?

The Summit drew participants from here and abroad and among the sessions was an interesting one between politicians, businessmen, professionals and other stakeholders on peace.

JVP’s firebrand leader Somawansa Amarasinghe spoke his piece about how the JVP views the peace process but also reiterated that their proposals on this topic were open for discussion or negotiation.
Amarasinghe seemed to be overawed by the occasion and the galaxy of top stars from the business community in their designer suits, so much so that he stumbled a few times when making his presentation.

There were also the lighter moments when he was seen chatting merrily with TNA leader R. Sampanthan. Whatever differences they may have in the resolution of the Tamil problem, didn’t appear to be in the friendly conversation they were having. One wishes this would be the same in the political battlefield where both sides are at loggerheads in the search for a solution.

On the peace discussion, it would have – to our minds- been useful for the same panel comprising politicians and religious leaders to also discuss the Chamber’s proposals for peace which were submitted to the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC). It would have been an ideal opportunity for political input into a proposal driven by the business community. Tear it to bits if you like – that’s what the politicians will do anyway to proposals that are not to their liking – nevertheless it would have raised the level of discussion and brought these issues into the public domain.

Unintentionally Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera dropped a few bricks when he said that scrapping a few ministries will not change the macro economic situation in the country or drastically reduce spending. Maybe true but is he on the other hand implying that wastage, leakages and corruption is acceptable? What kind of governance is that? Any ways to cut spending – big or small – should be resorted to. Remember the old popular People’s Bank advertisement about ‘savings’ showing a child putting coins into a till and saying "Sathen sathey, rupiyalen rupiyala ekathu karala...(meaning we should save coins – little by little - to build a future)”? That was all about saving cents to make a rupee and rupees to make a million!

The Summit discussed a range of issues from infrastructure, public finance, peace, inflation, cost of doing business, competitiveness and the Eastern development – all good and relevant issues. But unfortunately the rule of law didn’t figure at all.

Come to think of it maybe the Chamber didn’t think it was an issue that should be taken up at an Economic Summit. But isn’t law and order essential to doing business? Understandably, talking about law and order is like flogging a dead horse – you get nowhere except for trouble. Don’t believe the IGP when he says the police are doing their job. That will happen if the politicians leave them alone!
It’s only the courageous few in business – in the current environment of impunity; to hell with the law and blatant disregard and respect for human rights – who will speak out.

Forget about the peace dividend; what about being able to do business in the midst of a law and order situation that affects everyone? The cancer of thuggery and corruption is seeping into the business world and respected businesses and organisations are caving in, in a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. Talk to any respected business leader and he or she will hold their heads in despair and say “what can we do”.

The business community can do many things; it’s a powerful force in the community but is not leveraging that power for the betterment of society.

 
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