President Sirisena must worry about his broken vows and legacy

By Insider

The nation despite the chaos and havoc caused by the rains was so happy to see the endorsements the President received in Japan. World leaders walked up to the President and greeted him warmly and Presidential Aides say they all congratulated him for bringing democracy back to the island nation. How long will this generosity last the way this Sirisena - Wickremesinghe is going? Many of the promises made to the international community and the public have been forgotten, especially good governance, appointments and corruption charges. Sirisena and Wickremesinghe are going back to the Rajapaksa era for inspiration. What a let down to the million plus voters who eat and drink on social media. The irony is both Wickremesinghe and Sirisena and their cronies may not be social media savvy. If only they spend time on those networks they would know what these young people think of them. These young people are very often the deciding factor in any election. Wickremesinghe, most people thought had turned a new leaf given his hard long wait in the opposition. Sadly he has started from where he left in 2004. He has virtually brought his entire team that paved the way for the UNF defeat in 2004 back into the fold. His key appointments have been at the behest of two or three people to protect their commercial interest rather than the nation’s interest. Most institutions are led by Wickremesinghe’s school mates or his friends. The Sri Lankan airline board is packed with his school mates. The Chairman has no experience to run an airline. The CEO of the airline, according to sources from the airline, was hired because he was Charitha Ratwatte’s brother . They say he was hired with no regard for competence or experience, as a CEO of a troubled airline should have been. The way he was confirmed as the CEO despite objections at the behest of a VVIP is not a good sign for good governance. The recent appointments of a secretary and an additional secretary both being investigated by the FCID on serious charges of fraud, is very bad for the image of the good governance government. The cover up of the bond scandal, the EPF scandals and the controversy surrounding many other bonds and the high handed conduct of the governor, another crony of the current administration should not turn out to hurt the President’s legacy. If Wickremesinghe wishes that to be his legacy then that is something he needs to worry about, not the President. The conduct of the President’s brother at SLT has been very disappointing. The President must take stock of his government’s performance and be firm with his Cabinet. He should not allow ministers close to him and the prime minister to run amuck. The public is fully aware through social media of the conduct of some of his cabinet members. These allegations must be investigated and they must be weeded out for good. If the President continues in the current format allowing the Prime Minister and few of his and Wickremesinghe’s cronies to dominate, he will soon find that he will not get invited to any forums in the future and also face international isolation and when history is written about his tenure it will documented as another lost opportunity for the island nation. Surely, being in politics for over 40 years, he has the common sense to see the writing on the wall?