THE CONCEPT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Three matters seem of utmost importance to our politicians today. One is the impeachment of the Chief Justice, the other, the passing of the Divi Neguma Bill and third the alleged fraud by the Chief Justices' Husband ( Though it was HE who appointed him and surely HE has his own advisors on such matters!)(All other concerns of the people are forgotten in this determination of the Government to see that these two processes is dealt with immediately.

In fact their determination makes one wonder whether there is an interlink between the judgment given on the Divi Neguma bill and the impeachment of the Chief justice.

The Mahanayakes have appealed to the President to reconsider the impeachment, but one wonders whether though we claim to adhere to all Buddhist tenets the plea of the Ven. Mahanayake theras would be adhered to. Gone is that era when the Ven . Mahanayake Theras advice was adhered to Sri Lanka while paying lip service to our historical and cultural patterns have allowed globalization and liberalized economic theories to swamp the teachings of the Buddha.

In a recent Book titled the Gospel of the Buddha speaking of the importance of righteousness states ' the throne of truth is righteousness ; and love and justice and goodwill are its ornaments.

Righteousness is the place where truth dwells and this is the Gospel of the Buddha and truth teaches us the noble eightfold path of righteousness"

Considering that corruption and Bribery are said to be among some of the factors leading to the impeachment issue one wonders whether many of the parliamentarians can wash their hands as Pilate did and say that they are not to be blamed for the sorry state the country is in.

It is common knowledge that from t he l owest public servant something has to be given to get even the simplest requirement to be obtained, and no-one is bothered. Occasionally a junior officer is arrested on the charge of accepting a bribe, but no mention is made of the huge commissions incorporated into almost every contract

A story is doing its rounds about how a very young VIP had given a building contract for a building which included the two percent commission and when the contract had been duly signed he had the audacity to as for another fifty thousand for his generosity

given, whether it is for the building of a road or granting a permit.

A story is doing its rounds about how a very young VIP had given a building contract for a building which included the two percent commission and when the contract had been duly signed he had the audacity to as for another fifty thousand for his generosity ! in giving the contract.

It is no wonder that the public coffers are unable to provide for higher salaries or pensions when do much of funds are diverted to individuals, and these very same individuals come election time woo the voter with price reductions of essential goods and the construction of rural roadways and by ways.

In fact the Divi Neguma bill is said to be to provide for sustainable livelihood got the improvised and marginalized rural population! But wonders how much will be spent on the infrastructure needed to devise the logistics needed to develop industries for markets , chilled rooms to store vegetables in the glut period etc.

There is an activity for rural development which is concerned with infrastructural activities, building roads bridges etc.

But if those who travel on the carpeted main roads have to divert to some rural area they will be negotiating from pot hole to pot hole.

Sometimes the roadways meanders into a mud track or sand track before the contractor suddenly decided that he was given a contract to build a road and quickly sprinkles some metal over it and tars it with the sure knowledge that it will not last another heavy rainfall! As for the bridges that are being constructed in rural areas they are seldom done in a manner to provide for heavy traffic and invariably cracks appear on the road.

One does tend to wonder who passes the final payment to the contractor or is that system non operative now.

A couple of weeks later the villagers came and complained that there was no water at all in the well! This type of behaviour by contractors yet prevails and its worse now since that have to pay a commission to get the contract and maybe a little something at the end of it so invariably at least to keep a margin of profit they resort to shoddy work and make the appearance good so as to get their final payment.

I remember a time when I was in Puttalam and a contract had been given for a well to be built in Wanathavillu.

In taking the contract he had sweared that water will be available at a depth of thirty metres, the thirty metres came but there was no sight of any water so wise guy that he was he cemented the bottom of the well and before the final payment was to be approved he brought boozers and filled the well to its brim, the officer from the Kachcheri came and approved the final payment.

A couple of weeks later the villagers came and complained that there was no water at all in the well! This type of behaviour by contractors yet prevails and its worse now since that have to pay a commission to get the contract and maybe a little something at the end of it so invariably at least to keep a margin of profit they resort to shoddy work and make the appearance good so as to get their final payment.

In fact if politicians do their work in a righteous manner this type of situation will not occur.

There is certainly a need to provide the marginalized population with a sustainable livelihood but if each political acts in a right and just manner there is really no need for special Bills to be presented.

The Minister in charge of rural development and his coterie of officials can work out the logistics and provide the means for the rural community to obtain a sustainable livelihood.