Stop abuse of State resources

Monday, 9 July 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka’s elections are never without bias. It is well known that all polls are slighted by abuse of State resources. Unfortunately, in this instance, the acts have already started and the authorities have already admitted there is little that can be done about it.

With provincial council elections slated for September, a Government-backed recruitment drive has begun in three provinces — Eastern, Sabaragamuwa and North Central. It was reported that Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya had acknowledged he was helpless over the matter, except to direct the complaints to the Public Service Commission. Besides recruitment, since the dissolution of the three provincial councils on 27 June, staff transfers have also recorded a new high.

Deshapriya’s reasoning had been that the powers under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution have been limited, compared to the 17th Amendment which was abolished. This has led to the independent commissions empowered by the 17th Amendment being undermined at best and downright ignored at worst. This has led to elections losing respect among the people, a fact that is repeatedly shown by lacklustre interest by the people in repeated polls. In such an instance it is even more of an unjustifiable expense to have elections costing millions of rupees at a time when thousands of people in a country are suffering due to the drought and need immediate assistance.

Among recruitments that have taken place after the dissolution of the councils are 1,395 graduate trainee appointments in Batticaloa and 200 disaster management assistants in the same district. Recruitments to hospitals and State sector banks are also underway in the district.

In Sabaragamuwa, consisting of the Kegalle and Ratnapura Districts, 78 appointments of minor employees and 70 transfers have been granted since nominations were called for the elections. In the North Central Province, a number of Development Assistants have also have been appointed, but figures were not available.

Opposition political party secretaries raised the issue of appointments and transfers when they met the Elections Commissioner on Friday. They also alleged there was misuse of State resources, including vehicle and personnel for election activities. The commissioner had said he would inform ministry secretaries about the control of vehicles and personnel, but added that his powers had been curtailed due to the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.

In such an instance, the possibility of free and fair elections grows bleaker by the day. Such wrongdoing is only likely to increase in these provinces and retaliation to grow stronger as the months go by. Election monitors have already warned that unethical practices would be high in the upcoming elections. They also have warned that candidates guilty of crimes are being nominated by various parties and that the stage is being set for an unfair standoff. Perhaps that was already established with the legal framework that has been placed to safeguard impartial elections in Sri Lanka.

Development is not only about highways and ports; the freedom for the people to elect their own representatives without coercion is one of the hallmarks of democracy – a hallmark that this country is fast losing.