28 March, 2024

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Candidates And Programmes

By Kumar David

Prof. Kumar David

Bigwigs one would have expected to be staunchly pro-Ranil (Mangala, Malik, Kabir Hashim, Champika, Navin, Eran and Harsha) have deserted what they perceive to be a sinking-ship. Talk in three-wheelers and tea boutiques is that poker-faced Ranil is unpopular. To outsiders like me, it seems Karu too has missed the boat. Sajith these bigwigs think is popular and will poll well. I think it’s not quite like that. Brawling for the same vote-bank as Gota, Sajith may end up choked and in so doing sacrifice middle-class, minority, elitist and the ‘traditionalists’ in the UNP’s nationwide repository. Why should Sinhala nationalists and hard-core chauvinists prefer Sajith to Gota? What’s the difference? Isn’t Sajith said to be dumb and Gota smart?  Isn’t he too dumb to be president? These factors will weigh against him.

It is possible that with a popular PP candidate, some UNPers and middle-of-the-road folks may find Sajith unattractive and opt for PP as a protest against the failures of yahapalana. As for the minorities (both Tamils and Muslims) I am on firm ground in asserting and that both Gota and Sajith are in the bottom drawer. Indeed, PP will come first among minorities in a contest against Gota and Sajith if it handles its campaign correctly; that remains to be seen (sigh!). Will the TNA see the light or will it find it impossible to break the chains that bind it to the liberal bourgeoisie? If it stays manacled will the Tamil people tell it to go to hell? Too early to tell.  

What if it’s Ranil versus Gota? Ranil will not be competing for the identical chauvinist votes, so the effect is difficult to forecast. But I think PP will poll better if the UNP puts up Sajith instead of Ranil as the latter will split minority and moderate Sinhala votes. But whether it’s Ranil or Sajith is not my concern, it’s what effect it may have on the PP campaign. The difference is that PP will have to tailor its campaign with more emphasis on economic content if the candidate is Ranil; Sajith in this respect is blotto. The 2015-2019 road, though it made gains on democracy was barren on economic achievement. 

Economics means such issues as the directive role of the State; accommodation of capitalist and finance capitalist sectors; fiscal-deficit, debt, current-account, investment. Informal sector, service sector and IT, agriculture, industry, fisheries, plantations. Export-orientation vs inward-looking. Employment, female foreign employment. Environment and Energy. Regulatory failure: Bungling telecoms, electricity and hundreds more inept regulators. There’s enough to do for a month before this section is ready.

A civil society alliance (NMSJ, Purawesi Balavegaya and Vame Kendraya) adopted a programme at a BMICH convention on 23 August. It is good intentioned and begins with a commendable demand for the complete abolition of the Executive Presidency, but replete with errors, contradictions and gaffes. The section on ‘The Economy’ (Section 10) is wishy-washy and best ignored. Section 2 on National Security is downright reactionary. The draft ignores the national question and says nothing about devolution. Overall, like a curate’s egg, good in parts. Regarding all-pervasive corruption where action not talk is needed, it is weak. Nonetheless I am grateful to this alliance for doing some ground work. The People’s Power movement can use this draft as reading material to develop its own programme. There is a world of work to do to make ready, in the long-term, for an alternative government and state. It is serious-minded approaches to these issues that can mark off the PP-Alternative from the degenerate established parties. This is the way things are moving all over the world; long established structures are crumbling and making way for emerging entities. 

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Latest comments

  • 17
    2

    I had the opportunity to listen to the programe “Insight” conducted by Chapa Bandara, where Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa was interviewed. This Dr. explained what the “PP” stands for and said: ” The programe of PP is not to win elections but to bring bank the country to what “It should be”. That, in my opinion is NOBLE and deserves serious considerations. On the contrary what does Gota of SPP stands for? It is nothing but to “Protect” family interests and “Continuity” of “Family” saga. If not will a person with an iota of “Self Respect” and a “Love” for the country would seek such high position in the country with a huge load of “CRIMINAL” cases against him. On the other hand, what makes GOTA to contest at National Elections, when in actual fact his “WHOLE” family remains ALIEN to Sri Lanka. ? This aspect of SLPP and Gota’s nomination have to be EVALUATED in it’s “Hidden Agenda” rather than the “Concocted” patriotism covering of sweetening.

    • 7
      1

      Thanks, Douglas.
      .
      You couldn’t have put it better.

    • 3
      10

      PP will never win elections. Its teachers and leaders are merely there to to play-act the Russian Revolution. Main two first-tier parties easily give out cigars and bourbon to Pp teachers and leaders, and foreign scholarships to their children. At constitutional and parliamentary level, Pp is merely relegated to a small number of electoral seats. Thus bought over, Pp hierarchy never bothers to let its party rise to first-level contesting. All the while the struggling masses keep shouting and screaming and torturing and wounding and killing and falling in on themselves with no end in sight.

      • 1
        11

        On top of that, Ranil’s main, bestest, bbf, CB-Governor Indrajith, is in the process of disenfranchising Lanka’s masses to the right of time-honored work. He is in the process of introducing the 4th-industrial revolution into Sri Lanka (on top of attempting to conglomerate our precious island with the Indian continent)
        *
        Nation’s wealth is to be delegated to the 0.01% , and they will create robots do all the work. Wealth is to be doled out to the masses in drip-down fashion, and dissent to be probably controlled by AI-drones.
        *
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0s3GEDjOG0 (from 19:05). He quotes Karl Marx, but does not speak in context of Marx’s prediction that capitalism would however soon be destroyed by the continued exploitation of the underclass (unless he feels that the AI-drones will control the masses by torturous means).
        *
        Indian merger deal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX5y7dFMHi8
        *
        Such is the UNP economic deal.

        • 2
          0

          Dear RTF,
          .
          I’m getting anxious about you! I listened to the entire interview. It’s always a pleasure to listen to Indrajith.
          .
          One of the few things that we can be happy about is that there is a guy like him in charge of the Central Bank. Of course, he’s not the Finance Minister, so he has no say in what the politicians choose to do.
          .
          Let me tell you this very clearly: he isn’t Ranil’s poodle. People don’t change suddenly. I used t know him and his family pretty well about thirty years ago. I’ve referred to that in passing, in comments here:
          .
          https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/a-reply-to-sajiths-intimidation-at-badulla/
          .
          Indrajith was not talking about anything that he is going to manipulate – he was merely telling us what he foresees as happening irrespective of his wishes. He told you clearly that he’s not a Marxist
          .
          Just yesterday, you locked horns with Prof. Kumar David. He is a committed Marxist. Both outstanding men. What you ought to do is to lap up the wisdom that they give you. Do your own thinking, certainly, but be humble enough to learn.
          .
          Thanks for the link to the interview. Other readers also will find it delightful – and it’s only one day ago.

          • 3
            3

            Gosh, Edrisinghe……..soo like Uriah Heep…..”umble”…….. And all the while you will remain humble for those who are intent on dividing our land, but show much arrogance towards Buddhist priests and things. Remember, the SB’s are the struggling majority in our country.
            *
            CB-governor is appointed by the president (prime-minister in this regime’s case). The direction to move and act is implicit, even if on paper it shows a separation. He is precisely implementing the Ranil-plan for our fragile island. Yes, Coomaraswamy is giving us the direction to act, whilst he himself will be there to benevolently print more money to aid with inflation and dole out wealth to the masses who will be out of work.
            *
            Of course Coomarswamy is not a Marxist. But that he uses Karl Marx’s quote out of context is so very devious. As per Professor David, I am so very disappointed that his Marxism, and so many others touting the Marxist message, is one of grave impurity. Give any of them perks and even ambassador posts (like that of the ambassador in Russia), and greater socialism/communism is but for enacting the Russian Revolution in long essays in the newspaper, witty discussions on social media, and for parlour-room talk. And all the while our masses are suffering gross poverty and shame.
            *
            Coomaraswamy’s futuristic talk is something we all mull in our minds after we watch movies like Zeitgeist. But that he has to speak of it on prime-time TV as part of his future economic plan is scary. Yes, you’d find it delightful for it will mean the crushing of our SB masses and a final merger with India.

            • 1
              0

              Dear RTF,
              .
              As a result of your outburst against what I had said, I took a closer at your original post and so noticed the brief Youtube of robots in an Indian restaurant. Yes, that may be the way we are heading, and it is not a pleasant prospect. That was what Indrajith too was saying towards the end of his video, but not as something that he approved of. He is warning us, but it is correct to say that he seems to say that it is inevitable.
              .
              Marx also is mentioned at that point, but I don’t understand what you mean by saying it was out of context. What I do know is that both he, and Kumar David, had many things going for them if they really wanted them, but didn’t go for such sinecures. They are not like Dayan Jayatilleke (some may not understand your oblique reference) who spins yarns. I grant that the young interviewer was feeding Indrajith soft questions, but the result was a welcome break from screaming politicians.
              .
              I thought that you would have noticed that at this moment it is the Nagananda-Rohan Pallewatte team that I’m trying to assess. Yes, what is attractive about them is that they will leave religion to individuals.

              • 1
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                Dear Edrisinghe,
                *
                Not an outburst, but analysis and observation.
                *
                In the interview, Coomaraswamy was asked about how young people are to plan out their future in this knowledge driven society. I would have expected him to speak about environment, organic farming, the medical field or tourism. But no! He went on about AI! If robots are to be used at all, they should be for things humans can’t do, like intricate jobs in the medical fields, or for dismantling bombs. But to take over human natural function like the robotic waiters, that is truly a useless invention by the Indians. Coomaraswamy is hardly warning us, but reveling in the possibilities. A decent man handling country money wouldn’t even be considering it. Instead, he places the seed in the minds of the youth on prime-time TV, and sees these useless inventions a massive wealth creation for a very elite set of people, disfranchising the ability to work for the masses who will have to rely on the drip-down economy to survive. No, nothing is inevitable. But it will become so if a person like him is allowed to control the central bank and make sure that the Lankan monetary system goes that way.

                • 1
                  1

                  He was devious when quoting Marx. When he said that Capitalism was the most efficient means of developing productive capacity, but he skimmed over the revolutions that Marx predicted they would cause. Consider the revolutions in Russia, China, Vietnam, the Koreas, Sri Lanka. Or consider the modern places with a capitalistic outlook that are in much dissent to produce a greater socialistic system- Brazil, Venezuela, the whole of the EU, the US.
                  *
                  He speaks about safety nets and mechanisms and instrumentalities for the work-disenfranchised masses (as AI will take over), and yet questions on how they can be accommodated. Now that very difficult question to answer isn’t it.
                  He talks about paying golf-players and tennis-players being given large amounts, and the poor be given the same. But in the players’ case, they have something to sell to the public- their ability to play a good game. The disenfranchised masses will have nothing to contribute- their very means of existence taken away from them.
                  *
                  All is all, the guy who should have been giving good advice to the young, is forcing the AI concept into the minds of young people, titillating them up with futuristic possibilities, and leaving the grinding need of day-to-day existence up in the air. How horrifying if one is a parent from the masses.

                  • 1
                    0

                    Dear RTF,
                    .
                    There is much truth in your observation about the effects that the interview would have on the groups of people whom you have mentioned. Therefore, you may be able to say that Indrajith was not intelligent enough to see that.
                    .
                    With that much, I’m able to agree.
                    .
                    I hope that you have taken a look at what I had said in response to the article by the Air Force guy, Arun Kumaresan. His Sinhalese f-i-l and I spent many hours discussing affairs of all sorts. Chandra de Fonseka used to call himself an anarchist in the 19th Century sense of the word. Chandra, in retirement, tried hard to work at grass-root level with farmers, getting direct marketing by Bandarawela farmers to consumers in Colombo etc. He used to say that it was much more difficult to work at this level than the work he did for FAO in Rome, Bangkok etc.
                    .
                    Many believed him to be immensely rich. Could have been, had he been stingy. He wasn’t. He used to say that Indrajith (who wasn’t my bosom pal, although I had chats with him, and even more with Tara, who obviously used to visit more often) was a nice well-intentioned Boy Scout type, who would help any person in need. The house here was gifted to the Thai housemaid. The old couple were buried in the garden.

            • 2
              0

              On the other hand, RTF, I certainly don’t enjoy the prospect of Gota and the Gota-monks running this country. Right now, I grant that those are the front runners in the political races that are being run right now. I don’t think it fair to throw it at you that you are saying these things from the safety of the United States, because you do show close awareness of, and concern for, what is happening in Sri Lanka. However, I must tell you that for people like me, the prospects of Gota coming are scary, and we are running risks in campaigning so passionately for something different.
              .
              These, fortunately, are not the only monks whom we have in Sri Lanka. There are people who have the same benevolent attitudes as Ven Galkande Dhammananda Thero. Not many have had the same exposure to the contemporary world as he has had, but they are not for the persecution of the minorities.
              .
              https://www.kaiciid.org/what-we-do/kaiciid-international-fellows-programme/galkande-dhammananda-thero
              .
              What I have been saying is that we must wait until this confusing election scenario clears up.

              • 1
                1

                Sigh…..Edrisinghe,….you’re the kind of person who will maim or kill yourself to implicate Gota.
                *
                Gota is there to stand and fight for the rights of the majority, rather than to pander to overambitious parts of the minorities at the expense of the masses of all races.

              • 1
                0

                Dear RTF,
                .
                There is much truth in your observation about the effects that the interview would have on the groups of people whom you have mentioned. Therefore, you may be able to say that Indrajith was not intelligent enough to see that.
                .
                With that much, I’m able to agree.
                .
                I hope that you have taken a look at what I had said in response to the article by the Air Force guy, Arun Kumaresan. His Sinhalese f-i-l and I spent many hours discussing affairs of all sorts. Chandra de Fonseka used to call himself an anarchist in the 19th Century sense of the word. Chandra, in retirement, tried hard to work at grass-root level with farmers, getting direct marketing by Bandarawela farmers to consumers in Colombo etc. He used to say that it was much more difficult to work at this level than the work he did for FAO in Rome, Bangkok etc.
                .
                Many believed him to be immensely rich. Could have been, had he been stingy. He wasn’t. He used to say that Indrajith (who wasn’t my bosom pal, although I had chats with him, and even more with Tara, who obviously used to visit more often) was a nice well-intentioned Boy Scout type, who would help any person in need. The house here was gifted to the Thai housemaid. The old couple were buried in the garden.

                • 0
                  0

                  Oh, dear. Me, an English teacher, and not able to ensure unambiguous referencing. It may not be clear to some readers whose f-i-l was Sinhalese! Not the f-i-l of Arun Kumaresan whom I have never met, but of Indrajith whom I used to meet thirty years ago, but don’t now. He has more important work to do now.
                  .
                  Oh dear, RTF might now start calling me Uriah Heep again. RTF and I seem to have both responsively read Charles Dickens’ ” Hard Times.”
                  .
                  This is the point, dear RTF. We’ve both been a lot more fortunate than the sort of child whom I used to teach in my village schools up here. Indrajith has, perhaps, been more fortunate than either of us. Let’s allow him to do his job. As far as I know, he’s doing it pretty well, without allowing these politicians to dictate his every move.
                  .
                  I’m sure that there are absolute villains who have to be targetted. This man is not in that category. However, this has been an interesting exchange, dear RTF.

              • 1
                0

                PART TWO
                .
                These people have not piled up personal wealth. Chandra had a house in Melbourne Avenue, Bambalapitiy – sold. Indrajith had his parental home in Pedris Road, near Royal College – sold. Now he lives in a condo in Havelock city. Lives very simply. Of course, he’s stand out anywhere. Dresses will on formal occasions – only! Harrow-Cambridge accent, yes. His own father and grandfather were distinguished diplomats after all.
                .
                It’s the same sort of thing, I suspect, with Kumar David whom I haven’t met – yet. There’s a bit of Youtube of him speaking. It’s much, much easier to associate these people than with the political types that we have here. It is those fellows who would suppress all below them, if given the chance. Criticism of Indrajith and Kumar often stems from envy. Now not for a moment am I saying that such is the case with you.
                .
                You are sincere in what you say, and so am I. We may not have got everything right ourselves. Let us see how things turn out here. You ought to live here for a few months; I’m sure that it’ll mean much to you.

                • 1
                  0

                  Edrisinghe,
                  *
                  Coomaraswamy not intelligent? Now finally I understand the meaning of the horrible word oxymoron: Unintelligent CB-governor.
                  *
                  Nay indeed! Coomaraswamy is the personification of Hindu concepts. Cast system at its zenith! Masses are to treated with condescension, while the Elite who take over their wealth, dole out the benevolence.
                  *
                  Shocking set of concepts that the rest of the natural humans of the world cannot even begin to comprehend. But India is the huge global experiment! The rest of the world will use a Hindu place like India to do the subroutine work to create experimental robots, and caste-system India to see how far the AI technique can be used on human societies. And if their 1-billion population die off in favor of the 339million elite, then eugenics also would have been fulfilled for the White race.
                  *
                  For our ancient Buddhist Isle, natural human work belong to the Masses on the soil of their ancestors, and the time-honored wealth that they generate belongs entirely to them. It is the noblest of things.

                  • 0
                    0

                    Dear RTF,
                    .
                    Now, today there are indications that the elections may not take place within the first ten days of December, 2019. All sorts of ruses are being used to put off this Presidential Election.
                    .
                    This link will not take you to where all these things are being hinted at, but it takes you an interview with Nagananda. I’ve made a comment – unfortunately in English, where I’ve tried to make it possible for an ordinary voter to obtain information about this man’s campaign. My First Preference will go neither to the JVP nor to the UNP. It will go to these guys. They don’t yet know whom they will finally present as their candidate for the Presidency.
                    .
                    They’ve overcome the ego obstacle at least to that extent. I’m disappointed that neither Kumar David nor you has told us what you think of their campaign.

                  • 0
                    0

                    “This link,” said I, . . . and there’s no link!
                    .
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwGij2zGscU
                    .
                    There it is. So sorry!

      • 2
        0

        Then you go behind GOTA or Sajith and find Nirvana

    • 2
      0

      Nalinda is good leadership material. I will be watching his progress with considerable interest.

    • 3
      0

      Douglas – Congratulations! You have hit the nail on Gotler’s head. There are several cases pending against the Rajafucksha’s. This bastard is anxiously waiting to become President by hook or by crook so that ALL cases against the Rajafucksha mafia can be put in the limbo of forgotten things. Ranilpaksha is also a contributing factor for these M.F.s to go scot-free.

    • 6
      0

      Hello all on CT take this:
      There’s no chance RW can get even 10% of votes this time. He should go gracefully now than later.
      He knows jolly well that if he carries on pandering to any one , a friend or foe to stay in power is the trick of the game.
      He also knows once he hits the ground after losing his Crown as the present day PM there will be lots of walks to the FCIDs , Crown Courts , and the Supreme Courts where he will be hauled to answer the questions why he was ” Party to all the crimes including the Bond scam , protected the criminals of the past and present government and so on.
      There are millions of cover up he had done during the last 4.8 years while he was in power as the PM.
      Before being made naked he should leave.
      Then SL is a country with Jungle Law unlike the other countries even the Presidents and Prime Ministers have to answer questions and Punished by the Judicials of the country.
      Srilankan Law is too Low and gutless. Criminals are allowed to become even Presidents and PMs.. It’s the sorry state of our Law and Order.

    • 3
      0

      The aspect of ” a huge load of Criminal cases” can be adequately spelt as the ONE reason he is contesting – not only to save himself but his
      extended family and cohorts. The Law Courts are “frightened” already, as the AG`s activity is all suspicious. The deals between Ranil-Gota and
      MY3 -Gota are all related to his Cases and not Policy issues. None of
      the 6 major Cases will go forward as postponements are arranged
      tactically as arranged by millionaire black-coats of Gota.

    • 4
      2

      Douglas,
      whoever whatever being said to those who have already been caught by brainwashing mechanisms of Rajapakshe goons, it will take lot more time to turn back and see it right.
      Derana and Hiru Television network have all along been working for the image polishing of Rajapkshes. They dont necessarily spread truthful information about anyhing as the country/state would have no media ethics. Just imagin that Dr Safi Saga, BMJ has openly made remarks on the issue that neither 8000 or 4000 of such surgeries could not have been performed by that doctor. In the same time, they had been arguing how could one single today stay keep pressing the falopian tubes of the patient that in that moment is under the knife….? The kind of stories according BMJ are just myths that support the extremists groups in the country.
      But all these myths were in each and every coverage of Derana TV newscasts.
      To the very same manner, now they have let some astrologists to spread that Rajapakshe would be the saviour of this nation. I know Dilip Jayweera the owner of Derana TV was then a silly boy during our days in Galle.
      For some reaons he has been made permanent servile to Rajapakshes family.
      Rajakashes stolen wealth had been distributed to their close men, that way only Dilip to have raised his head.
      He does not come from a good family.
      Bugger has been abusinglanken TV frequencies, as if his channel would have it above the law.
      If anyone would make this clear with Media Dept would and could bring us in calm and quiet.
      Longer we wait, more will belong to the fully BRAINWASHED specially in Rural Areas :

  • 14
    1

    Ranil faces a defeat within his party. He must be named and shamed now for his defeats . His name will go in Guinness book now.

  • 7
    7

    My respect for Kumar David is slowly dissipating. Kumar David is primarily an Engineer; Professor at that. Since of late, he is churning out article after article predicting the outcome of the forthcoming Elections, yet to be even announced!
    .
    His knowledge of mathematics is excellent. Wouldn’t he know rudimentary probability theory? He would. Why is he spending so much time on the permutations and combinations on the outcome of the elections.
    .
    Our people have a herd mentality! They sway with the crowd. There is no probability theory to which their impulsive voting patterns subscribe.

    • 5
      2

      Thappu,
      Agree with you on KD. However, on probability, I have to respectfully disagree. The conditional probability may provide the answer. As a matter of fact, many internet services & advertising companies use historical data on public interest to predict future behaviors. Internet companies these days make fortunes by selling their customers’ personal interest data to firms that take contract for election campaigns.

      The issue boils down to the complex subject of rational behavior. It is a well known fact that human decision making are almost always influenced by existing biases as well as the nature of evaluation risks; not by most logical & rational reasoning. This is true for science as well. This subject is now a major field of economics as well. Last year’s Nobel Prize for economics went to a study on this particular subject.

      Why Kumar David favors utopian politics can be explained by his unconditional commitment to Marxism. We can easily expect him to be so elated every time he sees a big crowd dressed in red waving red flags. He himself admits that he has been doing this since 1963! Most people with intellectual interests won’t do such things more than once!

      • 1
        3

        Nothing is 100%, but Gota will win by a wide margin. Kumar David is desperately searching for alternatives, last week he was pushing the JVP, this week PP. Kumar is right that people are finding new ways to do things, but that is mainly in technology. They are finding news to replace human workers with robotic machines that are capable of deep learning. Unfortunately this means very little for existing political structures, many of which are built on dynasty or reputation as opposed to efficiency. The new dynasty is “Rajapakse” and they have MR’s reputation behind their name.

      • 0
        0

        Why Kumar David favors utopian politics can be explained by his unconditional commitment to Marxism.
        Nonsense,
        KD supported Sarath Fonseka, the US pawn brought in here to play the same role that General Pinochet played against Alleande. But unlike Alleande, MR won. But MR lost in the second round to Gamarala who the West and Kumar David types thought will rule for 3 months and go home as he said. How naive!
        How did KD and other so-called revolutionaries and ultra-right US puppets find themselves in the same boat? Dialectically, positives evolve to become negatives and in the case of the Marxists of the 1960s, they rapidly aged into neo-right activists who nevertheless continue to quote Gramasci or Rosenburg like zsombies as they do not know anything else!

        • 0
          0

          Doric,
          It was JVP that set the background for Gen SF’s candidacy. But, Gen SF didn’t get much of the so-called liberal support b’cos of the euphoria of ending the civil war worked in favor of MaRa. Gen SF was no Pinochet; he is a honest man who believes in democracy. It was actually who became a Pinochet.

          I’m surprised to see you still using dialectical model and meaningless terms like neo-right. Human society is so complex that almost no social relations can be explained through dialectical model. Marx copied the model from Hegel who used it to describe the progress of human knowledge over time – thesis -> antithesis -> synthesis. Hegel said that the antithesis face is dialectic. But, in the real world, we see several conflicting ideas on any given subject existing at any given time. Even if there is a progress, it is rarely linear as Hegel believed; rather, it is very haphazard. Marxism itself is one such “blind alley”.

          Your problem seems to be the same as KD’s, I guess!

      • 0
        0

        DP
        What you say say about human decision making process and the part played by the internet advertising companies in influencing human decision making processes cannot be ignored.
        But it is not always true that they will coincide with the projections of such companies when it comes to electing a President in SL considering the current political, economic and social problems that people have to cope with on a daily basis, with escalating food prices, shortages in essentials, corruption, deteriorating living standards when it comes to transport housing,health, schooling, etc.etc.
        They cannot be always dismissed away as Marxian utopia and red flag savings.

        • 0
          0

          Uthungan,
          What internet companies do is picking up our opinions various matters through our conversations like this one. Only difference with blogs like TC and companies like Face Book is that TC don’t have our personal data while Internet companies do. But, blogs also can be used to get a fairly good sense of public opinion on matters of interest such election candidates.

          By the way, I don’t agree with your notion that living conditions have fallen. On the contrary, if there is any frustration among public, it is b’cos of the relative inability to cope with the rising living conditions. For example, unlike four years ago, today nearly every home has a vehicle, more than one mobile phones, electrical kitchen appliances, TV & CD player. Also, many families now visit private clinics. The problem is the cost of all these expenses barely matches with monthly income.

          These trends are not necessarily bad b’cos it is the consumption that works as the engine to drive economy. The problem is the huge imbalance between imports & exports. The only way to come out of this situation is to increase export. That is why JVP’s resistance foreign investments is wrong!

      • 2
        0

        DP & Mr Wrong
        Kumar D is not making forecasts, but making comments that seem to be throwing a wet blanket on those who see a messiah in Sajith. It will make more sense to pint out where his sums are wrong rather than make personal remarks.
        *
        More importantly, he is proposing a third option; and proposing ways of making it effective. There are several ifs and buts, but the idea of a third candidate who will deny the two big parties of corruption, chauvinism and oppression the chance to get there on the first count is a positive move in the context of a hopeless choice before the people.
        There are those who see that in the JVP candidate, who briefly seemed a temptation to Kumar D.
        The herd mentality is not the monopoly of the masses as one may claim. A look at the comments here on sensitive subjects will show several examples of herd mentality

    • 2
      1

      Dear Thappu,
      .
      Now you are disappointing me. Yesterday, you pointed out a strange typo by me, and we commented playfully on that. I saw this article at 2.00 a.m. but didn’t try to get the first comment in. What can I do but repeat ad nauseam, One for the Nagananda Kodituwakku-Rohan Pallewatta Group, Two for Anura Kumar Dissanayake, Three for the guy likeliest to defeat Gota. Do that, and you have not wasted your vote?
      .
      Please study carefully what Douglas has said in the very first comment. We are fighting to save our reasonably civilised way of life.
      .
      Coming to Kumar David’s engineering – it’s not only brilliant, but he has qualifications that place him at the very top in the field of Electrical Engineering. Note this “qualification”:
      .
      Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
      .
      As far as I know, there are only two Sri Lankans who are Fellows. You have to earn that. It is clearly explained here.
      .
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_of_Electrical_and_Electronics_Engineers
      .
      “423,000 members in over 160 countries” – even for that, it’s not every guy with a BSc in engineering who can join – on payment of a fee. Below that level, there are “Student Memberships” etc.
      .
      This is what they say about the Fellowship:
      .
      “The Fellow grade of membership is the highest level of membership, and cannot be applied for directly by the member – instead, the candidate must be nominated by others. This grade of membership is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors in recognition of a high level of demonstrated extraordinary accomplishment.”
      .
      It is Rajan Hoole, my classmate, who “sneaked” on this Fellowship, which only Prof. Jeevan Hoole, his brother, and Kumar David have. As for Rajan, . . . tbc

      • 0
        0

        You get two of your buddies to propose your name for the fellowship, and canvass support, and you get it if you have (a)produced a few papers (b) produced a few post grad students (like even MSc). It the
        academic types who get it or go for it, as becoming a fellow is near useless for a professional engineer.

    • 0
      0

      PART TWO
      .
      As for Rajan, he was brilliant at Maths even as a student (we knew that his mother was “pretty good” at it – she was a Mathematics Lecturer at the Palaly Teacher Training College. That was probably all that circumstances afforded her – the potential for much more was probably there – and she had many, many children – at least seven? What I have been told by other Jaffna people). Anyway, Dr Rajan Hoole, he did get a Second Upper for Electrical Engineering, but when I asked him what virus guard he uses, he didn’t know – “his wife knows”. He now shuns all technology, can’t operate an electric kettle. He had thereafter taken to Mathematics, got a First Class for that and an Oxford PhD for Mathematics. At a certain point Mathematics melds with Philosophy. In those things, he’s first rate.
      .
      There’s no point our trying to understand Kumar David’s achievements in engineering. He has reached the point where qualifications, background, and social status just don’t matter. The only problem we may encounter with the man if we call him “Kumar Sahodaraya” may be that he will tell us to first study Marx, Engels and Trotsky – all of which I won’t bother with. Think also of his grasp of other subjects, and also of his scintillating English.
      .
      No, we are of humbler stature. What we must understand that life on a planet is a rare phenomenon – but there is a high probability that even intelligent life is out there. We just don’t know the size of the Universe! So, we have to be protective of the amoeba, of mosses, of plants, of animal life, of mammals, of primates – and of man. tbc.

    • 0
      1

      Professor KD is trying hard to apply “Game Theory” to change the outcome of the election results. Good Luck with your effects Prof KD.

  • 1
    0

    Prof David
    In the article dated 20th August 2019, you have said: “The JVP has gained popularity and the PP alliance may, for arguments sake, poll 10%”. – https://tinyurl.com/yynb7awh
    ~
    What is the point in fielding a Nation People’s Power (PP) Movement candidate who is likely to poll only around 10%? More importantly, by fielding a candidate with such low prospects (by your own admission), PP might complicate matters for the voters at the poll because in the same article you have said “Since PP is strongly anti-Gota, the portion that does not abstain from marking a second-preference will decide the outcome”.
    ~
    I have this fear that PP is taking an unnecessarily high risk strategy by fielding a candidate with such poor prospects, and should that actually turn out to be the case at the polls, then this may well result in bringing about the very situation that PP is trying hard to prevent – namely, Gota becoming the president. I don’t get it!

    • 2
      2

      The real reason Anura kumara contesting is to prevent dissatisfied UNP/JVP votes from going to SLPP.
      Even if it goes to the second preference count Gota will be too far ahead to catch up with JVP’s second preference votes.

      • 1
        0

        Dear NAK,
        .
        You are quite right. Are you really so pessimistic? Have you given up this early?
        .
        If “dis-satisfied UNP votes” actually go to the SLPP? Do you think that likely? Most unlikely. That they will stay at home is a dangerous possibility. They may come out if you assure them that their effort to get to the polling booth will not be wasted. They can get the UNP elected after making them clearly understand that we do so without enthusiasm.

    • 1
      0

      Dear Kumar Paran,
      .
      I’m sorry to say that you are not thinking clearly. Do you know a guy called Udaya Gamampila – one the guys we want to see disappearing from public life? One of Gota’s key supporters.
      .
      He was saying that “NGO karayas” are going round telling people that “it is compulsory to cast Preferential Votes this time.” So they are scared! What more proof do we need than that?
      .
      Obviously, it is not compulsory, but I’m afraid that you have not understood the system. All this has been sufficiently explained by Prof. Kumar David in his earlier articles – four of them, I think.
      .
      If one writes articles that are too long, many don’t read them. Some of the comments by many (I think that “shankar” was one) have tried to explain them in greater detail. I have also done my bit. In my case, I’ve suggested Nagananda as the first, with the JVP second, and the UNP third. That is what I do on CT. Here most know my name. If you don’t, just indicate it. I reveal it whenever I’m asked.
      .
      It doesn’t stop there. I speak even to strangers on the road, if they return my smile. However, there I don’t reveal my Preferences, even if asked. I explain the system, and ask them to think it out. That is likely to win us their respect. After all, none of us is doing this expecting any reward except the country getting a better government. This is what I have decided is the most useful contribution that I can make.
      .
      By the way, while typing this in, I’m listening to the video.

      • 1
        0

        Dear Sinhala_Man
        .
        I too have listened to what Udaya Gammanpila has said in his recent media address as contained in this video
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLY09sseO_s
        .
        Among other points, Udaya Gammanpila makes two claims:
        1. In the 2015 Presidential Election, JVP supported the UNP candidate. Since JVP has now decided to field its own candidate, this decision by the JVP is likely to cost UNP around 700,000 votes.
        .
        2. By and large, voters in Sri Lanka don’t indicate their second and third preferences on the ballot paper.
        .
        If one is prepared to accept these two claims as reasonably valid, it goes without saying that the best and certainly a safer route to try and beat Gota would be for all the anti-Gota forces to unite behind a common presidential candidate, just like what happened the last time which resulted in the defeat of Mahinda.
        .
        Any reasonably minded person would say that the JVP candidate has little or no chance of becoming the President. Prof Kumar David himself has said the JVP candidate is likely to poll around 10% of the total votes. If so, my key point is this. What is the purpose in JVP fielding a candidate with little or no prospects of becoming the President and in the process rely on how and whether voters use their second and third preferences on the ballot paper to defeat Gota? I would be interested to hear from you and Prof Kumar David the responses to this key question.
        .
        I am afraid JVP’s decision to field its own candidate is a dangerous action fraught with high risk as it could result in the very outcome it is trying hard to prevent – namely, Gota becoming the next President of Sri Lanka.

        • 0
          0

          Thanks, Kumar Paran,
          .
          You’ve been more conscientious – and fairer – than me by providing the link to Gamampila’s important 3-minute video in quite good English. In other words, all readers here will be able to understand it.
          .
          Whether Gamampila is right in supposing that it is those normally supporting the UNP who will vote for the JVP, I don’t know. I feel it will be SLFPers, but the dismal prospect is that their Second Preference will see them reverting to their base.
          .
          Gamampila is right in all that he says. Sri Lankans don’t mark preferences; what he doesn’t concede is that the two major parties have been keeping them ignorant of the possibility. It is correct that in the event of neither candidate reaching 50%, the leader will be elected, even with less than half the valid votes.
          .
          There still are many unknowns. The UNP has unhelpfully allowed individuals to have their own agenda, but then there are fissures even within the SLFP. Kumara Welgama is not a force to be scoffed at – although he can come nowhere near winning. Nagananda-Pallewatte aren’t yet impressing, but they may.
          .
          However, this much is true. Given that there are likely to be many significant candidates the more who mark Preferences, the better.

    • 0
      0

      Kumar Palan,
      To understand the meaning of fielding a candidate by JVP you need to be familiar with political strategy of Marx himself. Marx supported the waves of 1848 revolutions in Europe knowing perfectly will that they were not the type of working-class revolutions he had in mind. His intention was gain democratic reforms as many as possible. He specifically instructed not to include the demand of abolition of private property fearing that such a demand would cause back lash among small land owners and shoppers.

      Everything the “cold” JVP has been doing follows the same pattern. For example, AKD explicitly stated that their support for 100 day Gvt was to push their agenda on democracy as much as possible. Until today, they haven’t waived from this goal while doing everything possible to block Gvt’s economic plans.

      JVP knows perfectly well that NPPM is not their final stage, but only another weighing station b’cos the vast majority of non-JVP leftists are not 100% with JVP’s full agenda. Therefore, from JVP’s point of view, 10% of the total vote is a huge boost. Lal Kaantha was very explicit about it.

      It looks like that JVP somehow manged to change the earlier position of forwarding a successful ex bureaucrat with intellectual background and, instead, to slip in their own man as the candidate. Was it a result of successful conspiracy from JVP’s part or not, I don’t know! I won’t be surprised at all, if that was the case. That is b’cos, except for giving up “fire”, it is still the JVP!

  • 7
    0

    Prof, an interesting write-up.
    Ssdly our people seem to be so old fashioned/ conventional or dull that most of us are resigned to out fate of having to choose from the same old pile of shit.
    If only Sri Lankans could be a bit more positive and hopeful that we would take a calculated risk and choose a good guy from outside the box!

  • 6
    1

    Consider the Independent option: NO mainstream political party. My hope that the UNP, SLFP?UPF, JVP etc will garner less than 30% of the votes.

  • 3
    0

    Very good analysis .
    now A important minister claims we are at the brink if bankruptcy by sep 2019..
    How heart breaking ,is this why most for us voted for Yahapalana ?
    Now we are also to pay for the repurcusion of all cheap and unethical political games from political revenge to all forms of terorrism using hate and nourisng KAWARIJISM ISLAMIC TERRORISM which has revisted to traumartise and inflict suffering on all people since last it ended hundreds of years ago .
    Worse is the entire Muslim and other political world powers who have purposely created a bogus term Wahabism which can be proved has nothing to do with The present Islamic Terororism’s ideology and its ideology began even long , long before the birth of the socalled boggeyman ( his real name) Is Muhhamad Ibn Abdul Wahab and not Abdul Wahab or his Father abdul Wahab and his Puritism of The School of Imam Hanabal has nothing to do with modernday extremism or terrorism.
    Its utterly shameful to even listen to such respected men like Yusuf Hamza and Shiek Imran Hosssian one from the ahel.Sunna sufi sect and thee other from the puristic orthodox Salafi sect , who continue to use the term Wahabism trully a fake term purely to counter politically connected religous rivalry (fullfil personal Agendas ) .
    While covering the truth of who The terorists are for real, what is shocking is to see someone like Sheik Yusuf Hamza taking a U turn after having being the first among the Muslim clerics to Expose The ISIS as the rebirth of the supressed Khawarijism .
    Sri Lankan Sunni Muslims have just one last hope and that is to as fast as possible distance themselves from The( Al- Saudism) hanbali Reformist Islam which most exteremists follow by misinterpretating the Quran and return to The previous

    • 5
      0

      Further more , today in Sri Lanka there is not a single mosque that has preserved the origninal moderate Sunni Islamic Schools Shafi and Hannafi which prevailed and promoted peace and harmony before 1975 , not one Mosque for moderate Shafi or Hannafi to attend a Jummah that addresses The suffetings of The common Muslims , its all about politics and anger you hear in sermons and enforcing new ultra orthodox culturalism.
      lost cause .
      Common Muslim.have become pawns of political Islamists .

      • 0
        0

        Well said Fahim.

  • 3
    2

    Dr Ranil shafted not only the the UNP Kid from Keselwatta ,which produced the only Dalit President of the Nation, but Dr Ranil also shafted Uncle Karu for helping Mahinda Rajapaksa to save the Nation from Tamil Terrorists.

    Uncle Karuu then bent over to Dr Ranil not only to become a Speaker , but also now is in the process of shafting the Dalit President’s dear son whom Karu adopted even coming as a Presidential Candidate from the UNP. let alone the President.

    I don’t know what this PPs Economics are iwhen the Country is in the Ditch, thanks to Dr Ranil and his cohorts Santhosam Economics and BS Development which resulted in a 11 Billion Hit to our inhabitants Super Funds and free lands to UNP Mates both Local and Overseas.

    Pressing issues facing the inhabitants are how to get a job, send the kids to school, eliminate Terrorists, and console the distraught His Highness Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith who is crying out loud for Justice for his deceased and maimed flock at the hands of the Wahabi Terrorists.

    And prevent Dr Ranil and his Cover UP PSC burying the truth, just as they did with Batalanda Massacres.

    • 2
      0

      Why can’t we think of outside the main two political parties? Everyone knows that both the previous government n the present have robbed the country n the general public are the loosers.So why not think of a new system headed by some learned people who really love the country n not seeking power for their benefit? I will go for the movement spearheading by Naga n Rohan n the group.

  • 4
    0

    ” One day we will learn that the heart can never be totally right if the head is totally wrong” – Martin Luther King Jr.

    This applies to many Sri Lankans. Good luck with your presidential election.

  • 3
    0

    Is there any good one to take the country forward!

    Everyone thought 2015.was the turning point,they had so called 100.days program.

    • 3
      0

      How can we find good politicians in a umcertain world where no man can be sure fullfing what he promised as the curcumstance may not sometimes give him a choice to.

      We need to stop looking for Mr
      Perfect politician , which we been doing for the last 70 years and look what we endedup with …
      cont…

  • 2
    0

    Kumar David,
    Fine argument but what are the specific proposals to improve the prevailing conditions? Is there anything to be done on the democratic front other than removing the position of the Exec presidency? What would be situation of 13 A without the Exec presidency?

    How is the third force planning to eliminate corruption? Is it by creating more bureaucracy which may lead to even more corruption as happened in 1970?

    Most importantly, what kind of specific plans your third option has to cut down budget deficit & the dependency on foreign loans? More specifically, will they follow NM’ s ’70 model and ask the public to “tighten their belts” by cutting down imports forcing the public to run to queues early in the morning to buy bread, sugar and infant food?

    Dreaming about third options very easy but when it comes to practical solutions, they would be worse than a rude awakening. This is the unmistakable reality of the history from all over the world since 1917. So far we’ve seen only two exceptions to this rule: China & Vietnam but they both achieved economic progress by sacrificing democracy. I have a name for such strictly planned economic systems: ANIMAL FARM ECONOMIES! In other words, the so called third party will have no choice but to become worse than GoRa and to abandon their most precious goal of liberal democracy & demolition of corruption in order to bring rapid economic progress. In worse case scenario, we must recall the memories of Cambodia as well!

    • 1
      2

      D.P.

      Good points.

      “ANIMAL FARM ECONOMIES!”, Funny name, but Reality. If State Controlled Economy is success, then it is like taking the horse to plough to the field in the day time and feeding it at stable in the night.

      There is no point in making Anura as rebirth of Lenin, because Lankawe failed for 70 years. Everybody understands the reason for failure; the corruption, which led racism, which led corruption, which led racism, which led corruption………………………..

      Tamil media is reporting that there is massive preparation is going to enact the Drama of “Kottiya Avila”. Many thousand Tamil boys and girls are about to put be under PTA prison & execution by Yahapalanaya. They feel that is a sure strategy to camouflage the country’s crime and poverty from the eye of Sinhala Buddhist and to win the election with only patriotism. This is hide the fact of the worlds most accused criminal is in this election. Yahapalanaya saved the Old Royal family from internal – external accusation. They want to restore the Old Royal family at the Temple Tree House, before Ranil leaves. Ranil’s pact with Old Brother Prince should have meaning!

      (So far the comments are sticking to the essay. Interesting to read)

      • 1
        0

        Sri Lanka failed for 70 years because of Tamil tiger terrorism, not corruption. During the British times, a few Jaffna Vellalars had access to English-language schools. After Independence, these Vellalars wanted to keep their privileges, especially working in the civil service. Their political party, the TULF, hired the LTTE to do the dirty work. LTTE finished off the TULF, then started a war with the Sinhalese. A war which the LTTE had no chance of winning. Sri Lanka does not need Tamils to succeed; most Tamils are average intelligence. A few Brahmin Tamils in India display a very high intelligence, but they are in India. TN has millions of slum dwellers, this shows you that Sri Lankan Tamils are better off living with Sinhalese than in a separate state.

  • 1
    1

    Even people like Prof KD has still not understood that whatever P comes to power, with the present system (225 parasites) no major changes would be possible. 71 years (especially the 41 years after 1978) had not been enough for us to learn it.

  • 3
    0

    Today Politocal Islam plays the major role in world politics .

    It all started in late 70’s , When Shah ruled Iran , he was known as the Policeman of the Persian Gulf , actually not just persian gulf , but he was for the entire Gulf .
    In the face of Shah’s militry might the Al-Sauds were extremely meek.
    It was none other than The Sauds who arranged to overthrow Shah and bring in Khomeni from Paris.

    While Khomeni did not hide his interpretstion and ideology of Shia Tweler ultra Orthodox self instituted version , the Sauds were already brewing their version of Ultra orthodox Sunni Hanballi version , but the difference was Iran’s Khomeni being a Imam., spritual leader was only concerened to establish a strict Shia Islam and while doing so he also tried to work hard to reconcile with the Sunni which was ended by Sadam’s war against Iran .
    which also desyroyed both nations and killed hundreds of thousands of people and only for the war to end in a stalemate..

    cont…

    • 2
      0

      Political Islam and its effect on world politics ..cont…
      The Sauds , just like what The Hashims did to the Turks , They helpped to induce the rebellion against Shah and facilitated behind the curtain for the return of Khomeni to Iran.and once that happened , Khomeni played right into the hands of the conspirors .
      He began to take revenge against some of the world’s best trained brilliant Army Chiefs by locking them up , now as the old the turky bazard patiently waited until the time is right to feed on the carcasas of its victim, Khomeni’s emotional based revenge and actions saw the detiriotion of its one time mighty Army and a new proxy was slowly being prepared in Iran’s next door, The Sunni Islamic Bahathi Sadam Hussain , huge arms supply and a one million man army was created , but poorly trained , the purpose was not for Iraq to win , never ..it was meant to sacrifice Iraqi blood to completely destroy Iran’s militry capabilities.
      Once that was gained the plan b and c were simple.B to.get.rid of Saddam and C to establish Allied forces bases all over the gulf for protection .
      cont 3.

  • 2
    0

    Political Islam.& its effect on World politics cont 3

    Once Khomeni died , Iran was forced to take a Political Shia Islam turn and they turned to Russia as their Ally .
    ultimately what we need to understand is the bottom of all.this is black gold- OIL -.
    Today human blood of the innocent among all races , religions and largely of the common Muslims are spilt with no compassion at all by the giants engaging in proxy Wars.

    I hear Sri Lanka has singed and even handed over the title deed of our Ocean to a foreign entity to explore for oil and gas ,but no common citizen or the nation is going to gain , if a country that has been battered by a 30 year war can be mortgaged and the money borrowed on high intetest can be pilfered with zero concience , can you imagine what they will do with oil.& Gass money? , the danger is what will follow after finding oil & gas , every giant will then create a proxy to maintain.their grip.and.that is why the People should refuse all elections before a new Constitution is passed that will have a people elected Senate with max period of 2.5 years with re ellection every 2.5 years and a strong lower house where The president , PM , even the Provincial members can be held accountable.
    The people should stop playing into bogus religous hate encouraging to boycott each other ,this is a politocal twist to.keep.the people divided filled with hate and diverted to.fullfil political agendas.
    Stay awake as Sri Lankans !

  • 1
    3

    “Isn’t Sajith said to be dumb ? Isn’t he too dumb to be president? These factors will weigh against him”
    Exactly!!.

    • 6
      2

      I do not agree , Sajith is not dumb ,
      what people in Sri Lanka generally classify as being capable , smart , intelligent is anyone who
      is cunning and takes the short cut with no Guilt or concience.

      Sajith is a hard working man , he is extremely a devoted buddhist and he only wants to do things straight and that is not being dumb , its being Noble.

      What we need is a people power constitution with all avenues opened to question and punish anyone without impunity and once we have such a constitution you will know the honest politicians and a very happy and prosperous Sri Lanka .

    • 2
      1

      Daham
      Are you the real man the brood from the MS clan with a nic name called Dumb ? Please don’t change your nic name mate! It’s yours no one else can take it.

    • 0
      0

      Sajith’s one big liability is also what seems to be his asset: media promotion by the Maharaja Organization for much over a decade.

  • 2
    0

    Patali says Lanka will be bankrupt within months. I guess that is NEWS for many and 1.5 Billion cash has disappeared from Central Cultural Fund.(this is not news for most ). If true, (if someone has looted that much of cash from a trivial CCB fund ) Imagine the the rest of money looted day after day by our crooked politicians. If we are not bankrupt by now, it will be a surprise.

  • 0
    0

    Paw Da: National candidate project is bringing new projects and new hair splitting – theories. But, it looks all will fail. What is this cultural fund. Is it US dollars, or Sterling pounds or Saudi arabian dollars or Dinars ?

  • 1
    0

    Jvp alliance may not make much impact. look at 2015 general election, they came up with a similer campaign targeting floating voters but it failed. They don’t have a clear cut policy about how they are going to generate income for the country. Already 50,000 gov jobs in 2004 policy by jvp, 10000 salary hike policy of jvp done via new gov had destroyed the economy n put heavy burden on general public. Only way they may do is increase taxes, if power is given ).
    Probably kollonne’s alliance may attract some floating voters..
    Sajith should come out of unp and form a new alliance. Because unp is getting more and more unpopular with ranil (unless he retire completely or die ! ). Leaving him out will make unp more attractive among floating voters.
    Generally the fight will be between sajith n gota. Under no circumstances tamils will vote for gota. Muslims may not vote either.
    Floating voters will consider following when voting;
    1) People voted for a person with 40 years experienced politicians but he has become a joker unfortunately. What will happen if they vote for a person like nandasena without any political experience in parliment level ? He will become worst that sirisena.
    Sajith has experience, has done many projects individually without anyonce guidence. So sajith scores high here..
    2) So many legal cases against him but staying away as a coward from them without clearing his name (abduction cases, funding extremists, weapon deals, mismanagement of gov funds n using them for personel work.
    So nandasena fails here..
    3) Remember how nandasena treated senior police officer verbally at the protest near un embassy and how panikkiya physically assulted the officer (thanks to ranil, no action )
    4) Nandasena is a Person without a proper citizenship. If usa wants to get anything done in SL,

    • 2
      1

      A person who can upset a gota vs sajith fight is sirisena.
      This is what potentially he could do;

      He should submit nominations too.
      After nominations,
      Speed up legal cases against gota n get him setenced ( if he gets more than 6 months atleast ) so he will loose his nominations automatically.
      Rajapaksa’s election campaign will be in jeopardy. So mahinda may ask his voters to vote for sirisena.
      So fight will be between sajith n sirisena. Sajith will still win ..
      ( also it may open a path to kollonne’s alliance to make a major impact. It will help them to get more seats at general election)

      • 5
        0

        Amila,
        The very same judiciary which gave long bail to Gotabaya will NOT speed up the cases against him – they await promotions if he wins and, the cases will “disappear”.

      • 2
        0

        Kumara Welgama may well do that. He is for Mahinda Rajapaksa, but against Rajapaksa family rule.
        .
        Some months ago he was suggesting that MaRa should submit his nomination. If rejected they could find a way of going to courts over the rejection. If the Supreme Court took it seriously, it would delay the election, which the Elections Commission fear would result in everybody cursing them.
        .
        On the other hand, if Mahinda contested and won, no Court would dare unseat such a popular result. That was Welgama’s reasoning.
        .
        Welgama is formidable in the Kalutara District. He is rich enough to be honest.
        Estates and Transportation. 68 years old. Educated throughout at S. Thomas’, Mt Lavinia, so must be very fluent in English, but in public speaks only in Sinhalese. Usually in National Dress. His brother is married to Upali Wijewardena’s widow. So they control newspapers and, I think, a TV. station.
        .
        After the Gota nomination, he has been on anti-Gota platforms. He may even contest himself

        • 2
          0

          Good point mate. kumar welgama would be thounds times better than sirisena. If by any chance, they can get the amarican candidate out of the race at the last moment.. Welgama may get most of those pohottuwa votes, higher no of votes in Kalutara (just like sirisena in 2015. One weak point of sajith is that he does not
          have stronger support in his electorate due to work done by rajapaksha since 2004 and weak unp leadership. It is a key benefit for welgama
          ) and probably will get more floating votes too. Sajith will loose the race in that scenario …!

        • 2
          0

          Sinhala_Man, Your Description:-

          ” Welgama is formidable in the Kalutara District. He is rich enough to be honest. Estates and Transportation. 68 years old. Educated throughout at S. Thomas’, Mt Lavinia, so must be very fluent in English, but in public speaks only in Sinhalese. Usually in National Dress. His brother is married to Upali Wijewardena’s widow. So they control newspapers and, I think, a TV. station.”

          Sounds Unbelievable, even by Sri Lankan Standards!

      • 1
        0

        Dear Amila,
        .
        Every SLFP vote taken away
        from Gota helps, but I don’t think that My3 will contest. He will realise that he has no following.
        .
        But we can’t be sure. I feel that he’s off his nut.
        .
        But here’s something different.
        .
        I think that by now you know that Rohan Pallewatte has teamed up with Nagananda Kodituwakku. What they say is that the final candidate could be somebody else. I expect this to be a formidable team, although Prof. David has not given them any publicity.
        .
        Note that Pallewatte surname. Some people used to make fun of My3’s full name: Pallewatte Gamaralage Maithripala Sirisena. It was clearly explained on a Youtube by Rohan: his grandfather and My3’s father were brothers. So he is nephew to President My3.
        .
        I don’t personally expect that this will be significant in obtaining votes. However please check on Pallewatte. I first heard of him more than a year ago, in a CT article by Dr Wijewardena. Since some who are not Internet savvy may not be able to find this, let me tell you that you needn’t try to navigate through the website for old articles. To get this one, enter the following details in your Google browser: Colombo Telegraph, Rohan Pallewatte, Dr W.A. Wijewardena, Toyota, Japan.
        .
        You will find there a 45-minute video, Sinhala song, followed by him speaking in good English. He has done a Special Degree in English at Kelaniya University. Standards are high there; Ranil Wickremasinghe’s wife is a Professor there, and they had Manique Gunasekera. More Linguistics than Literature in Kelaniya.

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    There is no need of expertise and mastery to predict the future of ” Empty Lankan Politics.” Seventy years of “family politics” which seems to continue without interruptions.Lanka is like an onion. More you try peeling , you will be left with teary burning eyes and nothing else.

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    no good one ….
    reply cont.
    while democracy paves the path to gain power& go about establishing political agenda, constitution imposes a premium on the method of governing.

    This is why the need for a peoples power constitution where nobody from no institution is above the law is needed to hold all accountable before you decide on the leader and his party to handover the nation
    cont.. on 3..

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    No good one – reply
    cont 3.
    Fealty to a constitution is never something you can hope to be blessed by those in power, rather it is always what is aquired from that which vigorously flourish in Peoples’ hearts .
    That is why it is a must that the people must decide on the future constitution before they select the leader.
    Quote: Doug Larson
    Instead of giving the politician the keys to the City , it might be better to change the locks
    ———
    unquote;
    It matters zero to me who becomes the next ruler , what bothers and worries me is who is going to govern umder the same corruptted constitution that has been patch worked with illusive ammendments , even a honest man will be easily lured into temptstion by this corrupt constitution with somuch of impunity , that there is nowway of holding anyone of high office accountable.
    another election and another waste of borrowed funds of which the burden the future generation has to bear.

    • 2
      1

      This is truly democracy. A lady is also entering the fray. As time goes, even Kalaveddahs may follow.

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    Only now I knew Kumar was a brilliant electrical engineer. Kumar, please give up your Marxism, writing and retirement and become Secretary Ministry of Power and Energy and Chairman CEB. When we have such a brilliant and honest man, why can’t the Yahapalana or any government use his brilliance and integrity to ensure electricity is sold to customers at reasonable prices. If Lee Kuan Yew was President /Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Kumar David will be Minister of Power and Energy. Once again, Kumar please make yourself available to the government on the condition that you must be given a free independent hand to solve our power crisis. Your contribution to our power crisis will be more valuable than being a critical political analyst. You will help 21 million people to reduce their cost of living.

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    KD, See what is taking place in Pakistan. Public picked Khan from “outside the box” who is educated, matured,smart and fairly decent(from what we know as cricketer). He is filthy rich and not like our Lankans who were average to start with and became rich after getting into politics. The poor guy is struggling on daily basis to keep his ,country from going bankrupt. The reason is previous politicians left him with empty treasury. Pakistan has had so called strong leaders including military , who were labelled as “strong” and vouched for national security. As in Lanka their politics is strongly influenced by religion and military. (as Lankans prefer with Gota). In between, just like in Lanka they had family politics (Bhuto,Sheriff)) But end result they were all corrupt, cheated the public,emptied the treasury, became international Paraya who aide terrorist, further antagonized relationship with India and the country is now in limbo and bankruptcy. .Sounds familiar ??? Lanka is just like Pakistan , beyond point of no return.

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      Chiv
      You missed one factor that helped Imran Khan was the Army, which controls a good slice of the wealth of Pakistan.
      Besides, Pakistan’s economic problems are the result of decades of political and economic mismanagement, in which the Army had a big role.
      ZA Bhutto was the victim of a combination of US interests and an Islamic fundamentalist General.
      Benazir entered the scene some years after the legal assassination of her father.
      *
      I would not oversimplify Pakistan’s relationship with India, which has been harbouring hegemonic ambitions in South Asia from the 1950s, which were escalated under Indira G.

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    From 1948 onward ( Ceylon ) and presently Sri lanka was never a beacon of hope for the minorities and it will never be a beacon of hope. Politicians will come and go filling their pockets and the pockets of their henchmen and upgrading their status in life. The masses ( grass eaters ) will be kept in limbo as long as life is in them with meager handouts once in a while to prevent them from falling down so that they can stand in line election after election to vote their masters into power. Their will come a day when all the minorities will cease to exist and the last traces will be wiped clean. Even people with intelligence and common sense who know that politics is a filthy way of life will gradually be forced to turn their thinking or face the consequences.
    Rajapakasa’s, Wickremasinghe’s, Sirisena’s, Premadasa’s, Gamanpilla’s, Thera’s, Ratnayaka’s, Samarawickrema’s, etc etc will come and go and Sri lanka will go from bad to worse and finally no return until the minds and mentality of all the rogues, cheats, conmen, swindlers, thugs, drug runners is subject to a full and complete clean up. This clean up is not easy and extremely difficult to put into action but if there is a will there is a way and one needs a iron fist to achieve it.
    If there is a iron fist lying idle somewhere lets hope it will spring into action for the good of the non corrupt and the end of the corrupt.
    In the process of Chemotherapy for the cure of cancer, along with the cancerous cells the good cells also get wiped out but in the end the cure is a success.

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    “While the arrogant ones extol their own courage they degrade the excellence of truth.”

    St. Thomas Aquinas

    April 21st explosions were to show the arrogant ones are the only saviors but Zaran had other plans.

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    I invite all the youth who will benefit from the new culture of governance to support Naga n Rohan group

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    The Acid Test –
    First time since the Broken promise of Abolishing Executive Presidency has been proposed to be excuted publicly .
    (Excutive Presidency The Enemy of The People )
    ——‘———————————–
    The most desperate need today is Abolishing the Excutive Presidency …
    It will end the dreams of those with power hunger and have only secret agendas to fullfil personal interests and never the people and Country
    —-‘
    This will end all the present political mess.
    The most sincere thing for The President to consider right now is to fully support to abolish the excutive presidency and be willing to become the Cerimonial President , which will make him the first President and only president to have fullfilled the promise , we must admit after all he is the only President who was willing to let go alarge part of the Presidency power , we must be fair in willing to give this due to.him

    By abolishing the Excutive Presidency will pave the path for a full democracy , it will restore full accountability , only those who do not want to be accountable will oppose it .
    It will benefit The Country , people , The entire cabinet including the Oppesition and their leader and it will save a lot of financial waste.
    The President and whoever supports and do all they can to abolish the excutive Presidency will be well remembered through out history with gratitude and honour.

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    Excutive Presidency or Legalised Blackbeard ?
    Loots are mine , The law is mine ,The soldiers are mine and no one dare to question me , as for those who know about Blackbeard, will know the most cruel thing he did to someone who was so vulnerable by gender and tender age , someone very close to him , the crime was only wanting to reform him.
    This is the danger with unlimited power , while it can even corrupt the mind of a saint ,it can be disastrous if it is given to someone who not necessarily evil but it may trigger any human weekness that may be dormant .
    Just look at the greed for the position today ,, somany want it and they want people to believe Wolf in Sheep cloathing will save the lamb..must be joking .
    .for The Excutive Presidency is exactly that.- Wolf in Sheep cloathing .
    This may be the only and final opportunity for the people to change Sri Lanka for real , strengthen the house 100% and make every individual accountable.
    If you miss this time , remember no matter who wins the curtailed excutive powers by President MS will be restored and none of us will ever go to sleep in peace ever again.

    If you become sheep, The wolves will feast on you.
    Stay Awake
    FK

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    The people must vote wisely at the next general election and make sure no party gets landslide.

    for those who know and those who witnessed it and for those were not born then ,
    To those who know but have forgotten and for those who do not know and were not born then.
    This is a very important reminder of the blunder our eligable voters made in 1977 .
    By voting and giving a lanslide victory and almost absolute majority for one single party tied the hands of the people , chained the feet and sealed the lips.
    It gave freedom to legalise dictorship , placed a week minority as oppesition , it gave rise to separtism , natured hate and racism , permitted to competely destroy a very important balance check national party and punish a great leader who was a internationally respected lady with utter ruthlessness and thus denying the important presence of a strong oppesition with representatives from the Sinhala majorit ( a must) and others .
    Final result a 30 year war ..is it over for real ?
    ask yourselves .. the new arrest of a who is suppose to be LTTE regroup member and The birth Muslim terrorism .
    People must come together and
    consult among themseleves and distribute the votes in a manner the house is represented proportionally and making sure no party or alliance gets tomuch power but just enough to form a government and govern , with a very powerful oppesition
    Stay Awake
    FK

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    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/abolition-of-executive-presidency-becomes-imperative-following-easter-sunday-attacks/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjVh8mw1KfkAhUS3o8KHa7jBFkQFjALegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw2Q2m6l1DbPuAimIIcQfALL

    Its time now that everyone supports to abolish The Excutive Presidency .
    So far we must be thankful to all the former Presidents and the largest share of that apprecition goes to President MS.
    So far either we were lucky , blessed or both.
    All the former presidents steeped down for the peoples mandate and the current president walked a few extra miles for tye people and few more steps he would be the first and only President to honour the pledge to the people .

    Wait and hope two great words !

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