An opportunity for change?

Tuesday, 6 December 2011 00:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SRI Lanka’s main opposition has been in crisis for a long time. So long that many people have given up hope of seeing the party rejuvenated. The announcement of United National Party Co-Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya as a candidate for the upcoming leadership battle has finally perked up the public with high expectations of seeing a much-needed change.

At Wednesday’s election the unthinkable may happen – or it may not. There may be change and there may not. However, one thing that needs to be remembered is that opposition parties will always have a role to play in the balance of power, should they chose to fulfil it.

Even if Jayasuriya is elected as the new UNP leader this Wednesday, it is unlikely that a significant change in the larger rule of Sri Lanka will become reality. Yet it would herald a change in the decision-making capacity of the Government and create a voice in Parliament. A voice that is much needed for the equitable and sustainable development of the country.

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) gave a glimpse of the corruption in State institutions and much worse is happening in development projects around the country. Land is being parcelled out with no consideration for good governance and transparency. It is true that growth in industries such as tourism is positive, but it must also be done without creating environmental, economic and social issues such as increased child abuse.

“We preach on the need for free expression. It is not allowed within our party. We preach for democracy. There is no democracy in our party. We preach on the need for transparency. There is no transparency in the party. We preach for unity in the party. Instead there is devious manipulation to cause disharmony and seek revenge. We complain of authoritarianism in the Government but forget it is there in greater measure in our party. As Co-Deputy Leader, Sajith Premadasa, said in a letter to me that this is why 61 MPs have crossed over to the UPFA Government in the recent years. Some of them hold influential cabinet positions. This is why, as he points out, in 16 years, commencing from 1994, our party voting bloc has gone down from 45% to a dismal 29%,” said Jayasuriya in his statement to announce his candidacy.

He goes on to say: “Can the actions of one person or a small coterie be allowed to continue this systematic destroying of our party? I asked myself whether the United National Party can continue to betray the public confidence imposed on them. I am convinced overwhelmingly that we cannot. We owe a duty to all our party followers, the public and the country.”

In this, Jayasuriya makes one point that is relevant to everyone. A strong opposition is needed to concentrate and weed out detrimental policies, not for their gain but for the benefit of the country. Utopian as this ideal is, aspiring to it is the only way that Sri Lanka as a nation can hope to beat the cancer of corruption. Even without a leadership change, the UNP can aspire to this goal but there is no argument on the fact that this would be an uphill task since the attitudes of people at all levels need to change.