By Kumar David –
Prof. Kumar David
How are some countries winning the battle to control corruption? Lanka’s lost fight against corruption
Sleaze, skulduggery and the purchase of officials, politicians and businessmen great and small is a cancer metastasizing not only in the less developed part of the world but also in powerful and rich nations as well. The latter is epitomised by Donald Trump. No US president has been as embroiled as this individual in scandals, investigations of wrongful collusion, sex-related indignities, hiring disgraced White House aides (five have pleaded guilty, one tried and convicted, and several still arraigned before the courts) and concealment of financial dealings. At the same time worldwide the fight against corruption led by people’s movements, journalists, brave prosecutors and political leaders who seem able to hold their head above water, goes on. There are winners and losers.
Sleaze galore in Mother Lanka
Sri Lanka, in the last five decades and at the present is a resounding loser; the future is bleak. Nothing will happen from now till the next election cycle; Yahalalana has in the three months since 10 February, made it amply clear that it is toothless. If the present lot, together or separately, win the next election cycle the paralysis will drag, nothing will improve; Ranil has no spunk, his leadership is tinsel. Whatever was left of Sirisena after his pulverisation in the LG elections was ground into dust the when his Chief-of Staff was nabbed collecting Rs 20 million – for himself or for his boss we do not yet know – in a carpark. When you rob, do it in style man! Gramasevakas don’t get it! If the Ranil-Maithri twosome is driven out, then what? God-forbid, Alibaba and the One Thousand and One thieves will return. It will be frying pan to fire, shit-hole to hell-hole. For the rest of this election cycle ending in 2019-20 and the end next in 2025-26, only brave souls see bright skies. If you are hopeful that public anger will slip the electoral leash and break out in direct action, well, not impossible but hard to prophesy though hopelessness leads to desperation –vide Palestine.
The leader of the JVP is quoted as saying:
“The president’s chief of staff has been arrested over taking a bribe of Rs. 20 million. The chief of staff of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was also arrested over a bribery charge. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chief of staff who was also arrested on a bribery charge is now released on bail. The international police are searching for two relatives of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa ― who were engaged in diplomatic service ― in order to arrest them. The prime minister is completely responsible for the Central Bank governor fleeing the country after the bond scandal. The prime minister is silent on that issue. All these fraudulent activities have taken place with the blessings of the present and former heads of state. While the leaders who organise these frauds remain free, it is only the middlemen who are caught” (JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake quoted in Verite Research).
[Verite Research in its May 7-13 Media Analysis Release summarises 11 pieces from the Sinhala press on recent big-time corruption scandals. Readers who do not customarily track the Sinhala press can benefit from the source].
The spread of corruption among politicians, bureaucrats and bureaucrats is epidemic all across the world. Previous windows in human history have gone down by names such as The Warring States Period, The Rise of Islam, The Enlightenment, Age of Reason, Industrial Revolution and Decolonisation; it is likely that the 50-year phase of the socio-political story in the middle of which we seem to be, will go into the books as the Aeon of Global Graft.
El Dorado of sleaze: Central America
The presidencies of Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras have been marked by crime and corruption since he first won in 2013. His campaign was fraught with embezzlement as he and his cronies siphoned off US$90 million from the Honduran Social Security Institute for the campaign against Xiomara Castro, wife of President Manuel Zelaya, a democratically-elected leftist ousted in a U.S.-supported coup in 2009. Hernandez stole US$300 million from the social security system while president of the National Assembly. Pakasa-clique larceny, comparatively, is diminutive.
Hernandez of course was re-elected in November 2017, despite (no actually because of) the grand larceny and a fraudulent vote which the United States blithely and routinely endorsed; “he is a bastard but he is our bastard”. Hernandez sterilised the judiciary, took de facto control of the attorney-general’s department and had congress defang legislation to investigate high level corruption, and castrated an investigative body that could expose his highway robbery.
In Guatemala president Jimmy Morales with the full backing of US Senator Marco Rubio is taking the stops out in a fight to disembowel CICIG, a UN baked agency that exposed his campaign financing malpractices. It is not for nothing that Central America’s ‘northern triangle’ of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala is famed for graft, drugs and rotten dictators. The proportion of people who paid a bribe in 2017 to access a public service is: Panama 38%, Honduras 33%, El Salvador 31%, Nicaragua 30%, Guatemala 28% and Costa Rica, 24%. (CentralAmericadata.com, Feb 2018).
In her book Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former finance minister explains how she discovered just how dangerous it could be. Her 83-year-old mother was kidnapped in 2012 by powerful criminals who objected to her Ministry’s attempts at reform – in particular a crackdown on fraudulent claims for oil subsidy payments, a huge drain on the country’s finances. The kidnappers demanded that she resign from her position on live television and leave the country. She refused, her mother escaped, and the program of economic reforms continued. Lanka’s journalists, Lasantha, Eknaligoda and Nayar were much less lucky.
All is not lost
Nevertheless the fight goes on. Hong Kong’s ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) is a model that Sri Lanka should copy; but of course it never will so long as legislation depends on the 225 coots who warm their backsides in Kotte. It is a paradox that the public despises every one of them, but the same public dutifully votes them into office; an inexplicable instance of mass schizophrenia. The ICAC has fearlessly pursued billionaires and the powerful. It has succeeded in putting a former Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang behind bars for five years. In South Korea three former Presidents have been convicted on corruption charges, one was impeached but not convicted and one was assassinated. Should one be overjoyed at the courage and independence of prosecutors or weep for a country whose heads of state are serial crooks?
A lady who has won great laurels is Thelma Aldana, the attorney-general of Guatemala who is just stepping down having completed her term of office. During her four years she put a serving president (Otto Perez Molina) and a Vice-President (Roxana Baldetti) behind bars in 2015 and 2017 respectively. Thelma, oh Thelma wherefore art though Thelma? Sri Lanka is in need of a man or a woman of thy calibre! Why are we cursed with prosecutorial sheep? Why is our judicial system an exemplar of what Dickensian lore calls the ‘laws delays’? Why is our PM bereft of willpower; why is our gramasevakeya, his siblings and progeny suspected of larceny? Oh unlucky Lanka!
Even Malaysia, a pit of corruption for more than a decade under the prime ministership of Najib Razak, may do better. Najib gerrymandered electoral boundaries, looted $680 million (a feat beyond the bravest Paksa) from 1MDB a sovereign investment fund, boiled the race pot and threw critics into prison. The electorate has given him his desserts; UMNO lost power for the first time in 60 years. His passport has been seized, his house searched and sacks of valuables and files removed and Najib been barred from leaving the country. He may be arrested by the time you read this.
I think it unlikely that Mahathir and Anwar will betray the public outcry for justice. The big difference is that Mahathir is not clay like Ranil, nor stained by ineptitude like Maithri. Mahathir has vowed to bring charges against Najib so perhaps the wheels of justice will grind finer in Malaysia – still fingers crossed, we have learnt much the hard way. Unlike the Mahinda-Maithripala incompetent jellyfish, Mahathir-Anwar alliance has promised not to cut a deal with Najib if wrongdoing is found in the 1MDB probe.
Populism has been on the march elsewhere earlier this month as well. I devoted an entire section of my 1 April column to the victory of neo-populism in Italy; 70% of Italians voted for the rightist Northern League or the Centre-Left 5-Star movement in about equal numbers. The split hindered the formation of a government, but they have now managed to get together to form a unity government. This is not a surprise; as I told at the time “modern neo-populism has no ideology”. The tension between the factions will impede corruption in Italy though it could not do so in Lanka because our politicians, personally, are of much inferior ethical worth.
Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s alliance won the largest number of seats (54 of 329 seats) on an anti-corruption, anti-elite populist platform in the Council of Representatives, Iraq’s notoriously fractured parliament. Sadr a nationalist is opposed to American and Iranian interference; his alliance includes secularists, the Communist Party and independents. The Hezbollah alliance won more than half the seats in the Lebanese parliament and will have to be included in the next government. These changes may lead to a little less corruption in Iraq and Lebanon, as after the switch from Paksa to yahapalana. In a context where Israel and America are determined on war if regime change in Iran is unachievable, these realignments are a harbinger of a much modified Middle Eastern calculus.
j / May 27, 2018
You have explained the problem. IT is very clear who both govts are.Now they are stealing in the open and try to defend it. Some say (BSIL) in silent, we served the country and we have a right to steal. So, what is the democratic solution fair to everybody,.
/
disperate sinhalaya / May 27, 2018
The experiment revealed almost everyone in lanken politics are more or less horu/highly corrupted personalities.
So, if one would want to go radically against the case filed by JVPrs or others, president men stand on the way and blocked it.
Best example sacking former FCID commissioner who bravely interviewed all the high men that were alleged to have gone all the abusive acts.
After the lady was sacked, President himself narrated stories high about his NATURE, but did not do anything right.
That is almost 1.5 years ago.
Then again, looking back the way president acted UNP bond scam burried all the investigating Rajapakshe multibillion state fund grabs.
Even today, media men hyped up nonly Bond scam on the order of EXECUTIVE president in power.
Sirasa did it for him, having bought FREQUENCIES- that alone was very unfair.
There, I believe, this president would not do anything or would not allow RW to go radically against anything.
For what purpose they have further been in the coalition is the MILLION dollar question.
Today, what is becoming clear is almost every member of giant parties took part in COPE were bribed by arrested company holders. But until today, nothing came up in that regard. All these are just attacking rival and leave away from people s problems.
Let s get a PENIS – ARTIFICIAL one implanted to EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT so that he could have the power to work as a president… bold president.. his mouthpiece is blocked by former vicious men – and get the pledges done as promised – shold be the next step by CIVIL society groups.
/
Jim softy / May 27, 2018
Now the CLEAN MAN RAV I KARUNANAYAKE has sued CIABOC. So, he may get Comphensation plus his fiancial minister post. Maithripala Sirisena would say, Yes I am watching it (until the election comes near). Dayasiri Jayasekara’s banoaccoutn, they saym it is not one million, it should be three million. I think he got a house too. Ranil says, I GIVE DIVULAPITIYA TO HIM ONLY IF HE LISTENS TO ME. (EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT, that is keep your mouth shut). Because Maitrhiapal Will take Ranil back after all.
/
paddy / May 27, 2018
Very misleading caption. Lost Fight Against Corruption? There was no fight to begin with. It was just a continuation.
/
Jim softy / May 27, 2018
Protestant struggle continues since 1933 some says, others say it was there even in 1948. The need is a DEMOCRATIC solution WHICH IS FAIR TO ALL. JVP says we present the 20th amendment to abolish the executive presidency. Why Protestants are silent ?
/
Native Vedda / May 27, 2018
Paddy
–
I agree.
/
Naman / May 27, 2018
Aren’t we all very happy with the wealth we got and still free!
/
Sarrij / May 27, 2018
K D./
Good write up; al round stupidity seems to be the main problem and the whole country is in a state of slumber. Dumfounded for a solution.
/
Jim softy / May 27, 2018
Paskaralingam is still a advisor for the PM of the bankrupt govt. HE was supposed to stolen from the Treasury when he was in the R Pemadasa govt and bought houses in the west. He is saying that FCID is a problem for Beaurucarts. did FCID jail anyone SUCCESSFULLY AND RECOVER THE LOOT.
/
K A Sumanasekera / May 27, 2018
Wonder why this Doctor calls Dr Ranil all Tinsel.
To me, Tinsel is the Trade Mark of the Men in Rio and Sydney when they come out every year to celebrate their Mardi Gras.
These are the same Doctors who bragged,t how their Whiter than White Mr Clean , Dr Ranil will chase the Baiyas away and make Lankans different to Honduruans.
What happened?.
Now the same Doctors call Dr Ranil Mr Tinsel…..Cruel ..Isn’t it…
/
Native Vedda / May 27, 2018
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
–
“To me, Tinsel is the Trade Mark of the Men in Rio and Sydney when they come out every year to celebrate their Mardi Gras.”
–
To you it could be anything.
As usual you are trying to blabber your way out of which you really do not have a clue.
/
Douglas / May 27, 2018
I do not write here to comment on the contents of the article; but my attention is more on the “Picture” attached to it. In the olden days when “THIEVES” having finished the “JOB” of a “Robbery” they have a “Get Together”, in an “undisclosed Location”, to have a good drink and talk “HIGH” of their great success. In this “Digital Age”, they – the “THIEVES” who are very “Competent” in “High Tech Technology” in robbing the National Assets, do always make use of a “Royal Invitation” to have a “Chit Chat” in a “Five or More Star Facility”, to stage an “ACT” to display their “GLORY” in doing their “JOBS” with great “SUCCESS”. This is comparatively same “SHIT” ; but of “DIFFERENT COLOR” and certainly of different “STYLE”.
/
Dr NAS. / May 27, 2018
All are big thieves?
No exception except JVP
/
Jim softy / May 27, 2018
DR NAS: Why JVP is silent on PCOLI report which was presented to the parliament and should be in the library. IS it becuse JVP got cash loan from UNP ? Some say it is MCC who gave money.
/
Percy / May 27, 2018
What nonsense is this. There was no fight against corruption. The Yahapalana mob came in with one objective to rob,to loot and plunder the resources of the country..These buggers care a tuppence for Sinhalese, Tamils, or Zmuslims and their cultures. They have come in with one purpose to rob. Karma has already dealt a blow to one of thieves Sobithaya whose medical bills amounting to millions of dollars were paid by the YAHAPALANAYAS as a reward for bringing them in.The one eyed monster is now complaining that she can’t get a word in as the MOB is busy robbing.This is KARMA in full operation.
/
S. Palendira / May 27, 2018
“It is a paradox that the public despises every one of them…..”
The question is what percentage of the public desises every one of them?
It will hardly exceed ten (10) percentage!
Therein lies the problem!
/
Mallaiyuran / May 27, 2018
The mistake was on CC idea. In Lankawe CC ended as Common Criminal. The Single idea was corruption. Otherwise by now, ICC would have put those 42 on the electric Chair, including Ranil for his Batalanda.
/
K A Sumanasekera / May 27, 2018
Here is some sensational news folks…
There are more Hernanadez in Yahapalana Government than in actual Honduras.
In fact there are 118 Hernanadez among the 225 in Kotte.
And I want to find out who the non Hernanadez are.
Wonder whether the Yahapalana Suckers who protect and promote Dr Ranil and his Elite, Anglican Wellala, Wahabi and the Diaspora Faction here will help name them.
I like to mention a few myself.
Really I couldn’t think any, other than that UNP Maharagama Bloke Dr Rajapaksa.
I believe he didn’t sell his Car Permit either..Not sure whether he applied for one.
/
Jim softy / May 27, 2018
IT is Ranjan Ramanayake who said there 175 Drug dealers in the PArliament, they had sugned for Drug consignments to come in. some say when the team came all 14 suit cases had drugs, these are politicians. some others one very prominent politician now who is nothing much now, import drugs even todate. Another very prominent politican says, YEs I signed to drug consignedments came in containers I asked customs not to open it because they say, that foreign country said it is our stuff do not open. After few releases like that I stopped signing for those.
/
Leonard / May 27, 2018
Fight against corruption in Sri Lanka ?
The head line should be “Sri Lanka achieved legal status for Corruption in every level.”
Slogan to go with
” If you think you uncorrupted come to Sri Lanka we will corrupt you as you enter the country if not we guarantee to return your bribe”
“This is paid advertisement approved legalize by %98.9 Sri Lankan politician’s”
/
Kumaran / May 27, 2018
We just celebrated the “welasaa rebellion. So we kicked the Brita out and achieved Independence. Big deal!!
/
The Oracle / May 27, 2018
It’s no secret that the country is being governed by the mob today . We the people , carry on regardless and are sitting ducks.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 27, 2018
We did what we could in January 2015. Now we are being let down by those we elected.
.
If these people have any concern for the society they live in, they will hand over to other, younger people. If they don’t, what can we do?
.
I see on this page a few other articles, highlighting the problems, such as this:
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/contempt-procedures-initiated-to-silence-me-says-nagananda-appeals-to-commonwealth-secretariat-for-support/
.
and a very brief highlighting of a problem that persists in Jaffna University. We have to keep telling our “leaders” that we don’t find them acceptable.
/
Native Vedda / May 27, 2018
Sinhala_Man
–
“We did what we could in January 2015. Now we are being let down by those we elected.”
–
The state of the state reflects the people’s collective morality. As long as the individual receives benefit unethically that particular person is contented but then the same person might or often object to others befitting unethically. That is the moral standard we are accustomed to. Being corrupt is a virtue anymore and not a vice in South Asian (India/Sri Lanka) context.
–
If you challenge the status quo which means you are asking for trouble.
Think how notorious Rajabaksa clan is still popular and seems to control the island’s wider agenda and future.
Think how the clan retained its notoriety and popularity at the same time.
Think how the clan cater for the bigots and racists despite its notoriety.
–
What are the connections among massacre of innocent civilians, false claim of single handedly winning the war, patriotism, go getter title, ……………………. the Sangha and Colombo Uni bestowing various titles, …………. and the entrenched/embedded racism in the main body politics, …………
–
Patriotism is a good place to hide, smart patriotism is even better. All elections have been conducted on Competitive Racism and winners take all, including dignity, opportunity, safety, security, liberty, ……………………….. of most of the people.
/
Buramphisincho / May 27, 2018
My dear Sinhala Man,
where had you been ? I missed your thoughts all these days. I sometimes log on myself to read good comments your and FEW others only.
Good luck never allow Mathugama Edwin to abuse this page.
Thank you.
/
edwin rodrigo / May 29, 2018
It is your shit that abuses this page. Please take professional action to clean it up and never to spoil it again.
/
Siri Gamage / May 27, 2018
Dr. David,
Before last election, you proposed the concept of ‘common candidate’. What do you propose before the next Presidential election as an alternative to address the evolving situation? Can Sri Lankans imagine of an alternative without corrupt and failed political parties? what should be the mechanics of organising an alternative?
/
Mallaiyuran / May 28, 2018
Lankaweb has two parts essay as “SRI LANKA NEEDS A PARTIAL DICTATORSHIP FOR EFFICIENT AND CLEAN ADMINISTRATION, by one named, EDWARD THEOPHILUS, may not be a Lankaweyan. He proposes to bring back Old Royals. He sees, like us many times advocated here earlier, Universal Franchise is too advanced for Lankaweyans and so failed to deliver justice or democracy to the underprivileged- impoverished society. It was easy to ridicule Sir Pon Ramanathan and others of 1931 as Castiests, but the Authority failed to take a deep look in their talks and understand the problem.
Edward Theophilus sees a dictator is the need of time to fix the problem. Here are our differences in our ideologies. He thinks UF election is curse and wants a dictator to solve it, but disappointingly by an UF election. Instead, we have been advocating that UN to take control, bypass the election and let a democratic country like America or India or Germany or UK or Japan running the country for a fee. The responsibility to assure the quality is for UN. It was contended that UN may not repeat once again what it did during the “War without Witness”, during the 2009, in Mulli Vaikkal. Because UK has booted out it, going back to colonialism is not an option any more.
/
Mallaiyuran / May 28, 2018
Designing Mechanism may not work in Lankawe; but Prof. Kumar’s efficiency is in designing mechanisms. He views the human affairs as natural forces’ interaction. His idea of Single Issue CC in 2015 was just a dream of how to trip Old Royals from the throne. He failed to see behind the problem; the deep rooted 2500 years culture – The Sinhala Buddhism. A revolution with Leninist or Marxist idealism is no prescription here. American labor movement is still far away from distributing the profits within this society. People need to be educated for another 100-150 years, to recognize them as species with logic and to feel abound by rules, not chaos before bring back the UF. Old Royal never fell but slipped a bit, by the oil thrown by Prof. Kumar underneath their feet. They regained their stature and are now back. If this had been foreseen by him, he might have proposed “Single Issue Double Time CC” to cover the up the 2019 debacle too. In his arguments, during “Single Issue CC” campaign, he saw the country as a test tube; and his proposition was only for the Election Day; it was not a solution to out-lift the country from the quagmire it has fallen in by the UF. He never provided a solution of what to do if his CC not acting as he was designing, within 90 days. We suggested CV to CC as insurance against cheats, but Prof. Kumar sided with a “Sinhala Buddhist”. He is no different from others who targets elections, though he with a PhD. He failed to see the Sinhala Buddhism as the problem, so he misfired by using a thorn to remove a thorn. Now both thorns are in the muscle and the pain is doubled.
/
Thiagarajah Venugopal / May 27, 2018
Thank you for the article and is very comprehensive in capturing the ‘other’ who are all guilty of many things. The so called wrong doers are not from any other planet but from the same communities/societies/countries/planet earth. What I have noted for all our problem irrespective of the countries is the “morality/ethics” of each and everyone of us is seriously questionable be at family level…community level……..national and international level…hence we produce all what you captured in your great article. Yes I agree there is a think called “innocence” segment in all our forms of existence locally/nationally and internationally. However the failings have always been and will continue to be due to the fact “I/we do not treat others we want to be treated” is what is missing..so question is how could we get there….all the books did not help/so called education did not help/religions did not help (if I am the God I will resign from my post looking at the pathetic decibels for sure)/now the technology and access to information does not help..just me..me…me crown who are basically unruly in every sense of the word. The countries you did not mention but the so called custodians of the democracy are all evil too when it comes to their foreign policy..21 million people in SL can not even mourn their dead children together so where we start the journey for a better tomorrow. The “monetary” and “non monetary” corruption that is so rampent since 1948 amongst us all due to immortality due to genetical defects is epidemic and is not curable indeed.
/
K A Sumanasekera / May 27, 2018
The latest news in Colombo is alarming for people who have at least a bit of honesty and integrity in them ..
Ex Yahapalana minister Dayasiri took LKR 1 Million from Aloysious on 13 July 2015.
That was well after Dr Ranil’s mate and Aloysious’s FIL, fixed the first tranche of Yahapalana Sovereign Bonds to the tune of LKR 11 Billion to go in to Dr mahendran’s Family Trust. aka Dr Mahendran’s Family Company Network.
What the Minister of Yahapalanaya then, Mr Dayasiri in fact took as Santhosams was the Money Aloysious skimmed off poor Lankan Inhabitants Super Fund .
Put simply it is Money robbed from Lankans Pension Fund..
Absolutely disgusting..
Wonder what the long suffering EPF members would say to these disgusting pricks. .when they come to ask their votes again soon ?.
And it is no only Dayasiri, but there are 166 off them in Kotte right now , not 118 as I mentioned earlier.
My apologies….
/
Ben Salam / May 27, 2018
The Sri Lankans love their corrupted leaders. Why go against the popular demands?
/
Ajith / May 27, 2018
Ben
You have correctly explained the thesis of Dr. Dayan Jeyatilake. Mahinda Family has popular on corruption, crimes, violation of human rights, and still popular within majority Buddhist Sinhalese (Other Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and others are not Srilankans) and therefore all should support them.
/
edwin rodrigo / May 27, 2018
Condoning Corruption: Dear Sir, in a previous article, you tried to justify the biggest ever fraud perpetrated in Sri Lanka, the CB bond scam, as better than having MR back. How can a person who has made such a statement in CT now speak about corruption by others, mainly about other countries? I have been a student of you and always admired your honesty and integrity. But this changed my opinion completely. Today, I am ashamed of you and I am ashamed of my gullibility.
You guys, the so called intellectuals are the same as politicians as far as corruption is concerned. You condone robbing the ‘putijjana’ with no remorse and disregarding all humane limits and now you mention the Ali Baba who carried out the bond scam indirectly as a quote from JVP. Come on, Sir, you have no right to speak about corruption.
Leaving my emotions aside, and coming back to something we both understand, namely, the electricity system in Sri Lanka, I like to make a prediction. The recent rains have filled up all hydro reservoirs. But wait and see, very soon CEB will say that there is no water in these reservoirs and they will have to start thermal generation. The commissions will flow in while the water flows out.
/
Hatharabirikatharina / May 27, 2018
You are a man in 70ties, most vicious CASTE and CREED concious stupid man from Mathugama.
Not longer than 2 more decades would be there you to stay with us at maximum.
But just taking you as an example, alone proves that our people so called seniors seem to have no overall knowledge about what is being said and done. Thanks god you did not have th echance to cheat lanken folks since Arab sodomy holders never allowed you to get back to the country (mathugama/kaluthara). On one hand that was an advantage to lankens. ALone the manner from what you add to this valuable page – I feel, you are not appropriate to sweep the floors in maradana area. Being vicious and malicious as no other, we can bring anyone forward. The entire folks is caught by Rajapakshe mafios. You can talk to them about facts, but there you would get it clearly, if your domestic dogs would have been fed with them, could atleast have some fun with them.
Lanken folks, are rotten by corruptoin and abusive nature in many fields. We dont need to attack the leaders at present, they hav edone atleast something in the line of getting them to discussion rounds. Justic system is highly corrupted as got revealed lately as no other like minded countries in the region. So, just 3 years would not be sufficient to crush it and rebuild the nation.
It is like a cancer grown to the level of METASTASIS – the corruptoin is ramphant in the country. Ballige putha Rajpakshe and his nature of politics should first be accoutable for that.
If our country was blessed with Sharia law, for sure, Rajapkashe men shoud long have been beheaded including former first lady for all the high profile murders they themselves prepetrated.
/
Simon De Silva / May 27, 2018
Hello Edwin appuwo.
long time no see. I thought Kekuleganga flooding took your life. Or any house maid you were dealing with being caught in Bahraine or the like open prisons finally damaged your life.
For what you have done sofar, not even guest workers in that region are good with you – that you yourself shared at the time, late IH and Dr Rajendran were with us.
However, you seem to be there unturn even licking the corruptoin promoters in the country – even more than had ever been in the past.
Just elaborate please why you cant yet sense them properly.
Either your brain cells ahve been filled with prions as was the case with mad cows few years ago in Europe or you are born stupid…. as gulliable folks in our home country.
/
edwin rodrigo / May 27, 2018
Oh Hi, 4 Bee- Cathy and Ang Nethi Gon Samsung, Sorry, but I cannot read your comments today because we are having a party (despite Ramadhan) to celebrate the signing of our new contracts. I got an increment of about US$ 500 (SLR 80,000) that brought my salary to – no, it is not a good idea to reveal what my salary is with all those green-eyes glaring.
Consider visiting us around Eid holidays (starting around 17th June). I will stand all expenses of the stay. But you will have to buy the tickets. Of course, you know that you will have to travel in special cages. I don’t know whether they have double cages for couples. If you manage to get a double cage try not to screw yourself during the flight. You are prone to do that because Kathy and you are one and the same.
Give my loving kicks to the other dogs and bitches!
/
edwin rodrigo / May 27, 2018
Ang Nethi Gon (Sam Sung), I just casually saw this “Just elaborate please why you cant yet sense them properly” Of course silly, I cannot sense them because I am not a Ballige Putha.
.
/
sach / May 27, 2018
Why did Sri Lanka lose the fight against corruption?
Because those who behind the fight against corruption needed to restructure Sri Lanka in a manner it is divided and to use Sri Lanka for their liberal peace building field’s transitional justice experiment. So it rightly failed.
/
Native Vedda / May 27, 2018
sachoooooooooooooo
–
“Why did Sri Lanka lose the fight against corruption?”
–
Sri Lanka fought to keep corruption.
It should have been made legal, declared for tax purpose and taxed appropriately.
The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue could provide Tax Planning (cooking the books) advice.
–
It is as simple as thet.
/
Babansincho / May 27, 2018
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
/
Lankan / May 27, 2018
If Sri Lankans have any intelligence and self respect, they would be out on the streets protesting and demanding action. Or they would back a different party in the elections. I don’t think Sri Lankans have it in them, unfortunately. So they deserve what they get.
/
K.Pillai / May 27, 2018
The ‘fight’ never started! So no one lost except for individuals like Naganda Kodituvakku.
We now have a real ‘fight’ in our hands. Corruption/nepotism/impunity are being respectified. This must be bridled before it reaches ‘patriot’ stage.
/
kolla / May 27, 2018
There is no doubt about how corrupt our society is. It stinks to heaven.
The guy who talked a lot about Rajaakse corruption is Ranil. What about him ?
He is a serial election loser who has brought down the UNP vote from 48% to 28 %.Yet he has remained leader of the UNP for 30 years . How ? By drafting the UNP constitution in a way that he cannot be removed unless he resigns ! Is that not corruption ? He is draftng the law to benefit him !
He then convinces the foolish UNP supporters that the English speaking Colombo crowd( of whom Ranil is the best product according to this theory) are special and they they don’t rob or commit corruption.
He brings in his life time partner Mahendran and within 2 weeks commit the biggest fraud at the central bank. He then appoints a UNP lawyer to investigate his crimes ! Finally he appoints an old Royalist Jayawardena to conduct a Commission against the bond scam. The Commission does not even cross examine Ranil. They put the entire blame on Mahendran who is now safe in Singapore.
Meanwhile Ranil realizing the winning formula appoints old royalists to all the positions in the UNP. Next elections- will Ranil get 20 %? Eve the leader in waiting Premadasa is a old Royalist !
/
Ad / May 27, 2018
J
The hands of corruption has managed to grab big lumps, now the hands cannot e withdrawn. When the values of the lumps fall, hands will just slip out. Only citizens can do it.
/
Rajash / May 27, 2018
Lanka Politicians never fought corruption…..they encouraged it
/
edwin rodrigo / May 27, 2018
How to End Corruption: The way to minimize corruption at a governmental level is not by changing personalities. Almost everyone is corruptible. The biggest problem is that if you are 100% honest, you will soon be removed from power or may even be bumped off. Such is the formidable power of the ‘mafia’.
The only way is to have controls. One of the best controls one can have is to make it mandatory for everyone in power to declare their assets. These declarations should be accessible by anyone under mechanisms such as the LTI. If anyone is found not to have declared any assets such assets should be taken over by the government and then sold off in a public auction. Part of the proceeds should be given out as reward money for genuine information provided by individuals or organizations.
Our legislators are supposed declare their assets at nomination time. As we know there are many who have not done so, even after 3 years of being elected. Of course not all ill-gotten gains can me discovered this way. People can still convert them to black money.
Block Chains: High tech methods are available to ensure that such hanky-panky would be completely impossible. One technology with great promise is Block Chains. For example, if everyone has to enter his/her earnings in to a block chain system then the information would be tamper proof. All links in a block chain are coded and time stamped and not even the one who enters such data can do any changes.
As an example of the integrity of block chains, if we are required to enter all property deeds in a block chain, no one would be able to make illegitimate property deals.
/
Jim softy / May 27, 2018
Declaring assets alone does not make sense. for example, for Maithripala sirisena the accounts are rich for the daughter, son and wife. EC does not ask their accounts. They take contracts in theri wives and relatives names. Asset declaration doe snot ask those. THERE IS A PRESIDENT FUND. IT IS PEOPLES MONEY THAT GOES INTO IT. BUT PEOPLE AHVE NO RIGHTS TO KNOW WHERE THOSE MONEY IS SPENT.
/
Paul / May 27, 2018
‘Lanka’s lost fight against corruption’
When did any Sri Lankan government fight corruption? The most that any of them did was to jail their corrupt opponents, while they looted the nation themselves.
/
Thondamany / May 27, 2018
“Why did Sri Lanka lose the fight against corruption?”
because of “SIR”…………………. We say …. ‘ SLAVE I REMAIN” – SIR
Yous Truly,
the masses.
/
Native Vedda / May 27, 2018
Thondamany
–
“We say …. ‘ SLAVE I REMAIN” – SIR Yous Truly, the masses.”
–
We turn a blind I and we want our masters to look after us. The masters cannot share the resources so that they keep the best part and share the crumbs with a handful of his b***s carriers like yourself, somass, Percy, sachooooooooo, …………….
–
/
Eagle Eye / May 27, 2018
JVP talk about corruption but have they mobilized any public protest march against corruption. They use university students to protest against SAITAM but not against corruption. SAITAM affects only 0.0001% of the people in the country.
JVP has turned into a company in which CEO is AKD that undertakes contacts on behalf of clients. Their clients include RAW, Tamil Diaspora, TNA, INGOs. 20th Amendment is an outcome of one of those contracts.
/
Citizen / May 27, 2018
Ranil is a slimy person with questionable honesty. He appointed Mahendran to the CB and made a mess of it. He appointed Ajith Dias, again a colossal failure. Only qualification they had was that they were Royalists. Sirisena appointed his brother as Telecom Chairman at a phenomenal salary. All these are crooks. A minister appoints his son as the head of a corporation under his ministry. Another former minister accepts a bribe to help Alosius in the bond issue. There is no hope for Sri Lanka with either the UNP or the SLFP , including SLPP.
There is an alternative for us to try even if it goes wrong. That is to give the JVP a chance at the elections. They are the only ones who have been honest up to now. COPE chairman was approached by interested parties to soft peddle the Bond issue but he flatly rejected the offers. We have for long admonished them for their sins during their rebellions. This is mainly due to the influence of the two major political parties who keep on saying things which happened in the past.. This was nearly 20 years ago . During the brief time they held ministerial portfolios earlier, they did not tarnish the image by resorting to various wrongdoings. Cannot we forget all this and give them a chance?
/