Can these politicians get away with ‘ignorance is bliss?’
Don Manu in his Sunday Punch (June 10) has given the kind of punch we have all been waiting for someone to give these thick-skinned politicians who are now running the affairs of this country. They do not see right from wrong. The State Minister in question has, it would appear, been holding press conference after press conference to justify his innocence.
The State Minister claims that he was unaware that his (election) campaign team had received Rs. 3 Mn. from W.M.-Mendis & Co. Ltd owned by Arjun Aloysius. Other politicians who received such funds have made similar claims. It’s the easiest thing to say that they are unaware as to who gave funds and for what such funds were used.
In this particular case these funds have actually been received after the election – long after the campaign. For what then was such money used? When he was serving on the parliamentary committee, COPE which was going into the “Bond Scam” in detail, he did not think it necessary to inform the members of that committee that he had received such funds. If the police had not filed the “B” report in court, he would have continued to be silent.
It should not surprise us, that people involved in illegal activities, drugs, alcohol and smuggling etc. are hobnobbing with politicians today and funding them. It would appear that some of these characters are in fact members of Parliament, Provincial Councils and local councils. The shootings and assaults among those elected that have been reported in the recent weeks, confirm this. Where are we heading? The State Minister does not have to be told by anybody, he must resign from his ministerial position now. In fact he must resign as a member of parliament. Our political parties must not give nominations to such characters in future. (Let’s see what happens)
All politicians must declare from where and from whom they received funds to campaign for elections and for any other work they want to do. They must declare how such monies were spent. Obtaining funds from dubious sources such as those mentioned above and companies like PTC cannot under any circumstances be allowed. Surely they must know that these donations are made so that they will turn a blind eye to the activities and extend favours to such individuals and institutions.
Aren’t there regulations about funding election campaigns etc. already in place? Don’t politicians have to make declarations? Who is the authority that monitors this? Is it the Commissioner of Elections? Is he unable to do this? If that is so, why?
I believe the people of this country want to know the answers.
Eksith Fernando Dehiwela