7th January 2001

Strange are the ways of politics

5th Column

I thought I must write to you when I heard that you had allowed an increase in bus fares. After all, everything else - including the BMW's of ministers have gone up in price, so why not bus fares?

I do know, Dinesh, that all this is not really your fault. What else could you do when the diesel prices in the world market keeps on rising like the numbers of ministers in our country? And we can't blame you when our aid donors give us nothing despite Satellite's personal appearance in Paris, can we?

But why I feel sorry for you is because some people are already blaming you for all this, saying "Fowzie mahattaya hitiyanan oka wenne ne ...". That may not be quite true, Dinesh, but it does indicate that at least some people have lost confidence in you.

That, I'm sure, has something to do with what happened last year, when Satellite tried to introduce her new Constitution and you were among the people who took the lead in opposing it.

I must assure you, Dinesh, that we considered you a principled leader even though that may have ensured that you were always in the Opposition, and recently even out of parliament. Despite that, people always knew you as a man of integrity and not as just another politician.

So, imagine our surprise when we suddenly hear - a few days after your plans to set up an alliance with the Sihala Urumaya and the Bhoomiputra people fall apart - that you have finally decided to join Satellite's team!

We do know, Dinesh, that politics makes strange bedfellows and we would not have been surprised if someone like Ronnie or Rauf did such a thing.

But when we heard that you, of all people, had decided to join Satellite's team most of us simply lost faith in you.

And now, three months after assuming office, you go before the people again to tell them that bus fares have been increased! Tell me Dinesh, is it just possible to reduce the number of ministers and reduce the spending on their vehicles, telephones and body-guards, reduce expenses on the new President's Palace and the Speaker's Residence and then with all those savings maintain bus fares at the same level, at least for a little while?

But of course, Dinesh, you cannot do any of these things now because you are just another member of a team that is as diverse as Batty, Rauf, Douglas, Amunugama, Ronnie and your own brother, Indika and you dare not even criticise such matters!

But remember Dinesh, you have still given a pledge to the country that you will oppose any attempt to impose a 'peace package' on the people.

With Norway's Solheim still around and Satellite announcing in Paris that she would introduce the new Constitution with a simple majority in parliament if necessary, there is every likelihood of that happening again. When that day comes, Dinesh, we hope you will have enough of a backbone left in you to walk out of the Cabinet. If you can do that, then people would not care even if you increase bus fares, a little more!

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha

PS - Has it ever occurred to you that Anuruddha does not announce increases in diesel or gas prices? Nor does Reggie announce increases in the price of bread. And Mangala himself does not announce increases in telephone rates either. So, why should you?

The Jungle Telegraph

Editorial/ Opinion Contents