Make compromise equal

Sri Lankans are a pragmatic people so they do not expect any government to lead the way. However lax they may be in holding public officials accountable they become extremely belligerent when they feel their personal space, particularly income and expenses, are being negatively affected by Government decisions. Anyone doubting this only need look at the public reaction to the latest Budget.

The Government Medical Officers Association, otherwise known as the GMOA, is a feared trade union as when it goes on strike the entire country feels it – literally. The sleeping dragon has been awoken by the Budget proposal to stop all vehicle permits to public employees. While the GMOA would be hard-pressed to find many members within its ranks not engaging directly or indirectly in private practice, it insists on identifying itself as a body with public servants. Despite the public possibly quarrelling with the term “servant” as strikes are frequently conducted with little or no interest in public welfare, the GMOA feels otherwise.   

Its ire has been increased by the Government initially saying all public officials would not be given permits but later giving options for Members of Parliament (MPs). This is clearly unfair but had the Government the capacity and fortitude to lead by example, then possibly it could have held the moral high ground and fended off a strike. Yet things being as they are, a usually disinterested public might just find their sympathy gravitating towards the unlikely target of the GMOA for the very simple reason they are fed up with having to compromise when MPs and ministers do not.

Several other trade unions including buses have made it clear they will also follow the GMOA and hold single day strikes as warning to the Government and demanding several of the Budget clauses be removed. The Provincial Bus Owners Association has gone a step further and demanded Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva also step down. If the Government holds out, unions have threatened to pass on the costs to the consumer, which will also have dire consequences for the Government.

On the surface a moderate-minded person may be inclined to feel a tinge on sympathy for the National Government. It is not a secret that the Government is struggling to increase revenue and operates in an environment of entitlement. Many economists have pointed out that successive governments have had to shoulder deeply expensive subsidies and hand-out programs because otherwise they would be booted out of power in the very next election.

But on the flip side when government after government prefers to feather its own nest at the cost of the taxpayer, insist on midnight gazettes to pass fresh taxes and refuses to tighten its own belt and lead by example as a government should, the public is understandably going to take matters into its own hands. Usually this means protests and strikes, which in turn have negative consequences on the economy. But how else can the people get a government to listen?

This National Government, which came into power promising transparency and anti-corruption, has delayed in living up to its high promises. The Budget has increased indirect taxes that disproportionately affect the poor and pushed the ratio from 80:20 to 86:14, meaning that richer people are taxed less. Even though the haves and have-nots are very confused in this situation, few are likely to commiserate with the Government.