Unpleasant truth about Sri Lankan politics is that since independence their has been a gradual increase in the extent of disparities between communities. Under one man one vote system the majority community was expected to surface to the top above the rest; in anticipation of that to safeguard the rights of minorities special provisions were provided in the first constitution.
Regrettably greedy politicians of all governments ignored these provisions and worked outside the constitution and later replaced it altogether with a New Republican Constitution that was referred to in later years as the Draconian Constitution which was amended nineteen times.
It was in this scenario, there were many uprisings from different minority communities against the state and with much international pressure mounting over the same period many lost rights of the minority communities were reinstated by the rulers into the constitution including devolution of powers. As they were never properly implemented these amendments were not to the satisfaction of the minority communities.
In the same period the effectiveness of the legislature was lost as the number of law makers in parliament were increased that brought to the assembly many low quality politicians. Effectively diluted the legislature with currupt politicians, who were non productive, with many earned additional wealth as development agents, while others just filled empty seats in the legislature and were like dead wood in a plantation.
It is now accepted that to achieve high productivity in the legislature, there is a need to prune down to half the present numbers and to be made up of quality law makers and reject the dead wood including those development agents disguised as law makers from all political parties. Also those who entered the legislature misusing the national list system, brought in to make the number, who in general do not contribute to the law making process.
If every community is to get fully empowered then as a priority all remaining issues of the minority communities must be attended to by the state for all remaining discriminatory treatment on them to cease. Only then the long felt unity will be a reality for this little island nation.
Thus a reduced legislature filled with quality representatives will be beneficial to the people with a productive legislature. These weeding out of currupt members is needed from all political parties represented in parliament, will give a win win benefit to the rulers and the rules alike.
President is committed for One Nation is capable of bringing unity and citizens for their part must identify the quality members to be retained and vote them in, while weeding out the rest, by not voting for them at the forthcoming general elections. This will then eliminate discrimination and country will get united once again as One Nation.
Northern Breeze 