When Irish eyes are smiling…

none. But I got to be careful in saying these things to a politician otherwise I’ll get my ‘head’ chopped off. (roaring laughter follows)

Turn the page and here’s how not to do things. Among other matters, government politicians are seen speaking out of turn or ministers still talk about the wrongdoings of the former regime, 18 months after being elected - taking up valuable media space for unproductive reasons. Funny guys.

The other day, a local car importer asked, “Hey how is Eran (Deputy Minister Wickramaratne) talking about the Volkswagen project at Kurunegala being suspended when it comes under the purview of another ministry?” Good point but maybe the deputy minister was misunderstood or misquoted, I said. Eran is deputy minister of Public Enterprise Development; the Volkswagen project was signed by the Board of Investment which comes under the BOI, an agency under Minister Malik Samarawickrema’s Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, and it was the pet project of Harsha de Silva when he was earlier a deputy to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and is now deputy Foreign Minister. Trust Harsha won’t be offended. With me or Eran?

On to much bigger things, we wish the administration will take serious note of the regular Business Times – Research Consultancy Bureau (BT-RCB) polls which not only provide a lot of food for thought but a sense of what the people across all strata of society perceive about their government. These polls held over the past four to five years provide interesting data on the needs and aspirations of a society. The joint survey – one on the street- and the other by email targeting mostly professionals - sometimes comes up with diametrically opposite views between the working class and professionals. Yet, often the views are similar.

Consider this week’s survey aimed at assessing the awareness levels of Sri Lankans on development issues. While both professionals and those on the street for instance were aware of the Central Bank bond scam, the coal tender and the port city, however on a new highway and new railways they were not as enlightened.

The results of the survey published elsewhere in the section reveals a lack of transparency in all three issues - Central Bank bond, coal tender and the port city.

Surveys may not give the full story but they provide a sense of what the people feel, their perception and whether they are happy and contented with the present lot in government. Mismanagement and creeping levels of corruption are emerging from the many comments in these surveys, particularly from the street interviews conducted in Colombo and Galle. However it must also be acknowledged that people are liberal with their views, far more than in the past probably due to one of this government’s biggest achievements – freedom to speak out without fear.

Back to the 2011-2016 ILO project (and more on it through a report on the proceedings next week), war widows are producing fruits and vegetables for export and they have money in their pockets giving them an improved status in society, new-found respect and a voice. In the fisheries sector, northern fishermen are fighting their own battles vis-à-vis the intrusion of Indian fishing trawlers. Positive things are happening and this is the bright side of life in Sri Lanka where conflict-affected families are moving fast – with a little help and understanding - towards a better future.

On a final note, we have a story on the Central Bank planning to bail out six more finance companies. The government needs to be not only firm but expose those who have vanished with the people’s funds while at the same time running around in BMWs, eating from 5-star hotels or shopping for branded goods at the expense of poor depositors running to catch a bus, clinging onto a crowded train or gingerly opening their bare-as-bones ‘buth’ packet in the office lunchroom. There should be no mercy shown. Name and shame them for they have played with the lives of thousands of people some of who have committed suicide in desperation.

So folks; bye till next week when we discuss more happenings from the Kussiya cupboard. …