Oh what a circus! Oh what a show!

Wednesday, 21 February 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

When we, the voter, trudged our way to the polling booth on that fateful Saturday, did we ever realise that we were electing a gargantuan local government body of 8355 members? We are the paymasters of these persons of unknown backgrounds, intellect and principles.

Did we ever in our wildest dreams expect the shocking result, both to the victor and vanquished, both still reeling from the ‘morning after’?

This was only a ‘Kanu bokku’ election/selection, to administer trivial maladies and hiccups mostly at village level. Political stalwarts, by proxy, took it upon themselves to demand change of a democratically constituted government. The sheer cheek! Grab power at any cost, never mind the Constitution!

It’s time the people of this beautiful, fertile little Island took its destiny into our own hands. We have to take full responsibility for the state of affairs that is sinking us into a whirlpool of mud and slime. We are suffering from every conceivable economic and social disease, from progressively expanding external debt to human rights abuses, degrading international castigation, money laundering and blinding corruption in Government, etc., etc. We are persona- non- grata as a country.

As a people, by and large, we are honourable, hard-working and principled. Why do we need to suffer this condemnation? Our politicians of all hues are insincere, intellectually barren and self serving. Corrupt to the core.

The inept legislatures of the last 70 years of ‘universal franchise’ in the form of de-more-crazy has impoverished our society beyond redemption. National debt is mind boggling. Appuhamy and Alice Nona, Manikkam and Selvi, Raheem and Umma are blissfully ignorant of the imminent economic meltdown.

Even the good gentleman running the CBSL is mincing his words to favour his political masters. How do you misconstrue and downplay a serious economic catastrophe? Misguiding the people, for what purpose?

The private sector, not only the blue-chip but very importantly the medium and small entrepreneurial sectors are the engine of growth and economic stability, contributing to GDP, foreign exchange earnings, export growth and import substitution. The Government does not extend a helping hand but continue to sign FTAs with powerful economies, who will, of course, exploit to the fullest in their favour.

The erudite, knowledgeable, informed and experienced intelligentsia, who comprise the contributing journalists and readers of the Financial Times, have to think and act aloud to change the direction of the path this country takes. Politicians and their cohorts do not read this esteemed journal, period. It does not appeal to their lowbrow intellect. They, in fact have castigated it as not fit for toilet paper.

It’s no point publishing well-thought, thought-provoking, lucid political and economic ideas if it’s pointedly ignored by the persons ‘chosen’ to run the country. It’s exasperating. A meaningless endeavour.

If we the people continue to remain pawns in the hands of ruthless politicians, we are worse than them. Unworthies. Damned by choice.

Dilki