19 March, 2024

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Sri Lanka Now Needs Good Men & Women Of Society

By Chandra Jayaratne

Chandra Jayaratne

In the emerging environment Sri Lanka needs

    • 100  Good Men and Women of the Younger generation ( ie below 50 years) with Integrity, Intellect and Commitment, and
    • 1000 Good Young Men and Women leaders representative of all local government and village level (ie below 35 years),

selected with diversity and representation across the island

Accepting

    • the Oneness and Commonality of all and bound together only as citizens of Sri Lanka, irrespective of individual Ethnicity, Religion, Caste, Creed. Status, Empowerment, Wealth, Capability, Living Standards and Place of Residence
    • the equality of all citizens and their right to peaceful and harmonious living with equal opportunities to advance themselves economically and socially, sharing the resources and endowments of this country whilst assuring their sustainability.
    • Accepting the Right of All to Enjoy Freedom, Rights, Equality, Rule of Law and Justice and Good Governance
    • Making a new Beginning and Looking Forward with New Collective Hope and Forgetting the past injustices, Heritage, and  All Types of Negative Thoughts and Isms propagated, Rights of Origin, Purported Racial and Religious Bias. Superiority and Historical Injustices etc

     Committed to

  • Assure the Future Growth and Prosperity of the Nation and all its People and in pursuit of same willing to

RAISE THEIR VOICES OF ADVOCACY AND APPLY PREASURE TO CHANGE FOR GOOD OF THE SOCIETY AT LARGE AND THEREBY ASSURING EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY BEING GOVERNED EFFECCTIVEL, EFFICIENTLY AND WITH ECONOMY and MANAGING ALL NATIONAL RESOURCES HUMAN, PHYSICAL AND INTALLECTUAL

Examples of Issues and Challenges that should be taken by the Good Men and Women

1. If effective steps to address the promised Constitutional Reforms towards abolishing the Executive Presidency, Electoral Reforms and Empowering  the Chief Accounting Officers of Ministries to Function only under policy directives of Ministers and not under their Direction, Control and Oversight

2. If the 2015 election promises committed to measures to seek a long term solution to the ethnic conflict and effective and provide redress to conflict affected families are not implemented

3. If effective legal action is not taken against all those responsible for hate speech, rabble-rousing and creating ethno-religious disharmony

4. Where all promised relief measures and risk reduction measures announced following natural disasters, floods and drought are not honoured

5. If the passage of the Judicature Bill and other lawful initiatives to expedite and bring to justice, those who have caused Losses to the State, engaged in large scale Corruption, Misappropriated State Property, and have engaged in Large Scale Money Laundering, is seen to be blocked, delayed or not pursed with commitment

6. If effective steps are not taken to have Sri Lanka’s negative classification as a high risk jurisdiction by the Financial Action Task Force revoked

7. If the National Audit Bill is not passed urgently by Parliament, incorporating strong deterrent oriented surcharge provisions along with further strengthening of the independence, professional capability and  powers of the Auditor General and Audit Commission

8. If immediate steps are not taken to make offenses connected with the misuse foreign currency, wrongfully repatriating foreign currency and rights over national assets; along with these offences are not brought in as predicate offenses under anti money laundering

9. If effective steps are not taken to ensure that adequate resources are allocated especially by trimming wasteful and low return allocations, towards addressing the Urgent needs of the the  bottom of the pyramid Citizens in Rural Sri Lanka in meeting their basic needs, including;

    • education to correct the present inequities ( there is significant variation in learning outcomes among provinces) including the need to improve educational outcomes in rural and estate sectors and among students from the types of schools attended by low income households;
    • In war torn areas households without homes and female headed households without livelihood supportive employment or home garden cultivation options;
    • Villages, households and schools without safe drinking water, adequate competent teachers and teaching aides;
    • Villages without irrigation for cultivation and water for household consumption;
    • Fisher families with their livelihood options negatively impacted by development and external threats (e.g. Colombo Port City construction linked sand mining, wind turbines constructed in Puttalam, Indian bottom trawling incursions to Sri Lankan territorial waters and due to restrictions in high security zones in the north/east
    • Villages impacted by the Human Elephant Conflict
    • Villages affected by Chronic Kidney Diseases
    • Villages without easy transportation and access to schools, hospitals, administrative centers, markets
    • Villages regularly impacted by floods and risks of landslides and other natural calamities
    • Villages whose sources of water supply are uncertain due to droughts and supply systems, tanks and associated canals and rivers are not in an effective system of functioning

10. Failing to take steps to pursue and secure, full and effective control and rights over Sri Lanka’s National resources, including International rights over the Sea, the Continental Shelf, Mannar Basin and Other Energy Options Sea and Coastal, Fishing Rights, Exploitation of Sea based Mineral and Plant Resources, Space and Space linked Communication Rights etc, including Royalties, and Other levies that can be pursued

11. Failing to Restructure and Reform of the National Budgeting and Budgetary Control System that recognizes Peoples Aspirations and Needs and Sustainable and Equitable Use and Allocation of National Resources with Accountability and Post Audit Review

12. Failing to Introduce a Code of Conduct and Ethics for All in Public Life with Commitments to Act in the event of Non Compliance with Laws and Regulations

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Latest comments

  • 4
    1

    All grand ideas but they’re not going to happen are they? Even if a hundred good men and women are found, they are not going to have the power to carry out these tasks.

    • 0
      0

      Paul,

      You have just shot down the messenger.

      The need of the hour is what Chandra J has articulated. Whether it eventuates or not is another matter.

      To be cynical and sarcastic instead of being supportive and encouraging of a good idea, is far worse than perpetrating what is immoral and wrong.

  • 4
    1

    Mr Jayaratne, good ideas that need to be supported.
    But, you say forget past injustices. Not a good idea. Accountabiity promotes deterrence of future sins. Also, it will prevent the militarisation of the society, particularly of the North that has taken place. All international norms have to be implemented, war criminals punished, lands returned, missing persons accounted for. These are not past injustices but ongoing present ones.
    You are also soft on corruption. You must include banning corruption and restoration to the people of corruptly acquired wealth a priority.

    Otherwise, your ideas are most commendable.

  • 1
    0

    Dear Mr Chandra Jayaratne,
    .
    Wonderful ideas, which a re floated by all sorts of people at all sorts of levels.
    .
    I remember one three-wheeler driver about a week ago. He, too, had in mind this same cut off age of 50 years. You, like me, appear to be way above that.
    .
    Unfortunately, the tuk tuk guy then came up with his example of a good young leader: Kim Jong-un
    .
    You know the guy:
    .
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-un
    .
    Not a good guy in my book, but the tuk tuk guy was ready with reasons for that being his hero – standing firm against the entire world etc.
    .
    The thought is a common one: a really strict and honest military man, who would get everyone to work. Well, we had our regular contributor, who has been silent for some time:

    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/food-for-thought-for-constitution-making/
    .
    Many articles by him, and he’s announced that he’s a caniddate for Presiedncy in 2020. I’m sure that he will be good and honest. Yes, in many senses what we need.

  • 1
    0

    Good ideas don’t happen automatically. Strong unbiased leadership not with politics but right one mind thinking is needed. Must complete solutions to this insane society we have all created together. Grabbing must be replaced by giving whatever it costs. If one ethnic group or one religion tries to eliminate others, we can cry till the cows come home, but there will not be peace and reconciliation in this nation. There is a govt. and a kingdom ruling this world from a throne of righteousness and justice which keeps increasing as the evil occultic wicked spiritual forces come against it.

  • 0
    0

    Chandra wants 100+1000 = 1100 honest and intelligent people. Apparently he has attention to and doesn’t want the labels like “Gamarala”.

    Constitutional Reforms towards abolishing the Executive Presidency, Electoral Reforms and Empowering the Chief Accounting Officers of Ministries to Function only under policy directives of Ministers and not under their Direction, Control and Oversight
    …………………..

    Nagananda was leaving enough space for the guessing of his standing on presidential election. Then he called for intelligent sons of mother to come forward. Then he said he was appearing in defense for a money Launderer because defending a Launderer is the good way to fight out against the Foreign Exchange Fraud Amnesty Act.

    There is no need to eat Appa the day before or defend the JVP Girls and go to UNCHR; If Chandra tell which election, EP or PM, he plans to stand, then we take care of it.

    ” New Collective Hope and Forgetting the past injustices, Heritage, and All Types of Negative Thoughts “Ranil and Tilak has better way, just quit the UNHRC!

  • 2
    0

    Are there 1000 Good Young Men and Women leaders representative of all local government and village level (ie below 35 years) in the whole Island who can read, understand and appreciate this article written in English?

    • 0
      0

      Now, now, that’s a red herring, dear Estate Labourer.
      .
      It will be very wrong to disfranchise those who can’t use a foreign language.
      .
      Sinhala & Tamil are our languages. Interaction between speakers of the two languages is very necessary.
      .
      We must start thinking clearly, get our priorities right. Once that is done, by all means teach English. I’ve been doing it for fifty years.

  • 1
    0

    Mr. chandrarathne: what you say is contradictory what your own extended family needed. Think If what you are saying is implemented How many sons Of D-M. Jayarathne can be in the parliament.

  • 0
    0

    Mr.Jsyaratne.

    The good men & Women, Most of them ,especially among the millennial have already said their goodbyes to Lanka , the Good Men &Women among Gen X , baby boomers and Linksters to will do the same .

    The good are educated ,well informed ,very pragmatic when dealing with any situation ,race ,religion ,economic ,political stand ,name it .

    So they are far above the average to hang around and waste their lives in a Country that has a system in place to let the Politicians ,their families ,and etc etc etc ..Thrive .

    Until real people can take control of the government and not puppets ,no sensible educated young Men and women will want to hang around and ruin their lives here..

    I too misunderstood Ranil many a time ,but I admit I was wrong ,yes he is our final hope ,if he is not able to change the system to a people power system ,we are all doomed .

    So let the good among the young men &women leave until we see that change .

    What can we do , In Sri Lanka more people are self centred , so like the saying goes birds of a feather will flock together.

    For them the resources ,the environment , the unity of the people ,eliminating poverty , all these do not exist in their tiny minds ,What matters is I an okay , who cares , who is destroying the environment ,when earth. Quakes and Tsunami cones let’s see what we can do, what matters now is my pockets .

  • 1
    0

    You are dreaming. Here are the facts, some examples of the ages of current and alternate leadership.
    1. Maithripala Sirisena -70 years
    2. Ranil Wickremesinghe -70 years
    3. Mahinda Rajapakse – 7- years
    4. John Amaratunga -75 yeas
    5. Dinesh Gunawarden – 70 years
    The rest of the cabinet -Average about 65 (too boring to count)..

    You think these ‘perethays’ will go, leaving the gravy train to young people. Bullshit!

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