Features

Political apathy amongst Sri Lankans’ is significant contributory factor to the current state of affairs

Published

4 years ago

2022/04/3

by Sanjeewa Jayaweera

Political apathy is best described when a citizen is indifferent in their attitude to political activities, such as electing politicians, having opinions, and their civic responsibility. A more simplified term for political apathy would be that someone ‘cannot be bothered’ to participate in their country’s political system.

There is no doubt that the country is amid an economic meltdown. It is in free fall, and where it will end depends on how quickly those entrusted with the country’s governance take decisive action. A few independent economists and financial analysts have been calling on the government over the last 18 months to make challenging and unpopular decisions as otherwise, the country might end up like Lebanon. Unfortunately, the country and the people are in this precarious situation because those calls went unheeded.

It is possible that most people have not read about the severe economic downfall of Lebanon, where currently, only two hours of electricity a day is supplied from the national grid. The currency has devalued significantly, and the black-market rate for the dollar is about 400 per cent higher than the official rate. There is a great scarcity of food and medicines. Politicians are fighting among themselves. Sounds familiar?

Despite many upheavals that our country has gone through due to the civil war that continued for a quarter of a century, two violent uprisings by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Easter Sunday bomb attack, the Tsunami in 2004 and race riots, the people have not experienced such hardships as they do now. Most are shell shocked, angry and unable to fathom how things we took for granted, such as uninterrupted power, diesel, petrol and cooking gas being readily available despite soaring word prices are no longer easily available.

The poorer segment of the society is out on the streets, standing in queues to purchase essentials like milk powder, cooking gas and kerosene. In addition, many who earn their living by providing transport services are in diesel queues, unable to earn their daily sustenance. In addition, skyrocketing prices make many essentials unaffordable. This population segment openly criticizes the government for its inaction and inability to resolve the problems. Some have resorted to blocking roads, hindering road traffic.

A small segment of the middle class has begun to express their concern and criticism of the government by participating in a silent protest holding placards and candles along the roadside without disturbing traffic. The placards are pretty explicit in their disapproval of the government. These gatherings are no doubt “apolitical.”

In most societies, the middle class consisting of professionals and academics, are vocal against political mismanagement and generally acts as a powerful voice to hold governments to account. However, in Sri Lanka, we, the middle class until now, have abdicated such responsibilities as our lives have centered around building wealth and performing parental duties. Many might say, “what is wrong with that?” But unfortunately, the sad reality is the current state of affairs. In addition, many have remained silent, indifferent and tolerant of the rampant corruption that pervades our country. This is despite many coming from families where corruption was considered a crime by their parents. Only recently, several economic academics have come on television and openly disagreed with the government’s economic policies. A case of too little too late?

The private sector must be silently seething with anger. They have been struggling against the odds since 1985 due to various factors that I have mentioned in a previous paragraph. In addition, inconsistent and poorly thought out economic policies, corruption, inefficiency and lethargy among the public service, and, more often than not, a poorly trained workforce has challenged their resolve. Nevertheless, it is to the private sector’s credit that the country has ticked over despite the constraints.

But, as in the case of the middle class, the private sector stands accused of being subservient to successive governments and being tolerant and even complicit in corruption. There is no doubt that the private sector needs the goodwill of the government in power to further their business activities and furtherance of business-friendly policies.

Their reluctance to come forward with constructive comments was well illustrated during the Yahapalana government when the head of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, a much respected and proven business leader, was publicly rebuked and his political loyalties questioned by the then Prime Minister. This is after the chamber requested the government to provide additional information to the public about the proposed MCC agreement with the US government. No one came to his defence except for an article I wrote supporting the gentleman concerned.

There is no doubt that the politicians we have elected since independence in 1948 have failed us. They have been devoid of vision, leadership, intelligence, and integrity, the primary reason for our predicament.

However, we, the people, are equally culpable for the current state of affairs. We have been, for several decades, politically apathetic. We have exercised our franchise irresponsibly for decades. We continue to elect those who have failed repeatedly and are responsible for crimes and corruption.

Those who have the competence and integrity to govern have abdicated their civic responsibility. Many of our skilled and competent professionals and academics have migrated in search of greener pastures. Those who remained decided to lead a “quiet” life and avoid any active participation in expressing disapproval of wrongdoings by politicians. The quotation “All that is needed for the forces of evil to succeed is for enough good men to remain silent” is applicable in this instance.

The few who had the courage of their conviction to express constructive criticism were either penalized or ignored. For example, my late brother Rajeewa who worked at Sri Lankan Airlines for nearly two decades wrote 40 articles in seven years about how unprofessionally the airline was managed and operated by successive governments. He gave numerous examples of serious mistakes made by people appointed to the board and senior management positions who lacked experience in the aviation industry and even business and managerial competence. The only qualifications they had were that they were either related to or were good friends of the higher-ups in government.

The net result is that the country’s taxpayers are burdened with a liability they can not afford. But unfortunately, no one, either retired or working at the airline, ever wrote in support of his disclosures and supported the request to privatize the airline. All remained silent despite agreeing privately but with the advice, “machan, just keep silent; nothing will change.” Even his personal life was negatively impacted due to his critical articles as he was consistently rebuked and reminded, “my sales will come down if you antagonize those in the airline.”

Many other state-owned enterprises, including the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Ceylon Petroleum (CPC), have been for decades run inefficiently. No effort has been made to eliminate the losses and restructure them to be operated as sustainable businesses. In that regard, the militant trade unions need to be held responsible for their continued opposition to such proposals. Only a few months back, I wrote an article recommending that the government should ban all industrial action by trade unions for the next five years. I highlighted that to come out of the economic quagmire we are in, many unpopular and difficult decisions will need to be made, which trade unions will oppose.

How many will publicly agree with my recommendation despite these two organizations being responsible for the immense suffering we are enduring? The wild cat strikes by the health and railway workers have also caused great inconvenience to the public. The question is whether we accept such unreasonable behaviour or demand decisive action such as dismissal from service for engaging in an activity to inconvenience the public. After all, we are the taxpayers who pay their salaries.

How many of us read the reports published by the Auditor General disclosing colossal waste, corruption and inefficiency in state enterprises or critically analyze the annual budget? To be only interested in whether the personal income tax rate has been reduced and the single person allowance has been enhanced will not suffice.

I, for one, hope that the people of this country, in the future, will be actively involved in publicly voicing their opinion and disapproving of actions against the public interest, whether committed by politicians or trade unions. Of course, it will be too little too late to state the obvious, but then we need to start from somewhere.

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Features

US’ drastic aid cut to UN poses moral challenge to world

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

An UN humanitarian mission in the Gaza. [File: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency]

‘Adapt, shrink or die’ – thus runs the warning issued by the Trump administration to UN humanitarian agencies with brute insensitivity in the wake of its recent decision to drastically reduce to $2bn its humanitarian aid to the UN system. This is a substantial climb down from the $17bn the US usually provided to the UN for its humanitarian operations.

Considering that the US has hitherto been the UN’s biggest aid provider, it need hardly be said that the US decision would pose a daunting challenge to the UN’s humanitarian operations around the world. This would indeed mean that, among other things, people living in poverty and stifling material hardships, in particularly the Southern hemisphere, could dramatically increase. Coming on top of the US decision to bring to an end USAID operations, the poor of the world could be said to have been left to their devices as a consequence of these morally insensitive policy rethinks of the Trump administration.

Earlier, the UN had warned that it would be compelled to reduce its aid programs in the face of ‘the deepest funding cuts ever.’ In fact the UN is on record as requesting the world for $23bn for its 2026 aid operations.

If this UN appeal happens to go unheeded, the possibilities are that the UN would not be in a position to uphold the status it has hitherto held as the world’s foremost humanitarian aid provider. It would not be incorrect to state that a substantial part of the rationale for the UN’s existence could come in for questioning if its humanitarian identity is thus eroded.

Inherent in these developments is a challenge for those sections of the international community that wish to stand up and be counted as humanists and the ‘Conscience of the World.’ A responsibility is cast on them to not only keep the UN system going but to also ensure its increased efficiency as a humanitarian aid provider to particularly the poorest of the poor.

It is unfortunate that the US is increasingly opting for a position of international isolation. Such a policy position was adopted by it in the decades leading to World War Two and the consequences for the world as a result for this policy posture were most disquieting. For instance, it opened the door to the flourishing of dictatorial regimes in the West, such as that led by Adolph Hitler in Germany, which nearly paved the way for the subjugation of a good part of Europe by the Nazis.

If the US had not intervened militarily in the war on the side of the Allies, the West would have faced the distressing prospect of coming under the sway of the Nazis and as a result earned indefinite political and military repression. By entering World War Two the US helped to ward off these bleak outcomes and indeed helped the major democracies of Western Europe to hold their own and thrive against fascism and dictatorial rule.

Republican administrations in the US in particular have not proved the greatest defenders of democratic rule the world over, but by helping to keep the international power balance in favour of democracy and fundamental human rights they could keep under a tight leash fascism and linked anti-democratic forces even in contemporary times. Russia’s invasion and continued occupation of parts of Ukraine reminds us starkly that the democracy versus fascism battle is far from over.

Right now, the US needs to remain on the side of the rest of the West very firmly, lest fascism enjoys another unfettered lease of life through the absence of countervailing and substantial military and political power.

However, by reducing its financial support for the UN and backing away from sustaining its humanitarian programs the world over the US could be laying the ground work for an aggravation of poverty in the South in particular and its accompaniments, such as, political repression, runaway social discontent and anarchy.

What should not go unnoticed by the US is the fact that peace and social stability in the South and the flourishing of the same conditions in the global North are symbiotically linked, although not so apparent at first blush. For instance, if illegal migration from the South to the US is a major problem for the US today, it is because poor countries are not receiving development assistance from the UN system to the required degree. Such deprivation on the part of the South leads to aggravating social discontent in the latter and consequences such as illegal migratory movements from South to North.

Accordingly, it will be in the North’s best interests to ensure that the South is not deprived of sustained development assistance since the latter is an essential condition for social contentment and stable governance, which factors in turn would guard against the emergence of phenomena such as illegal migration.

Meanwhile, democratic sections of the rest of the world in particular need to consider it a matter of conscience to ensure the sustenance and flourishing of the UN system. To be sure, the UN system is considerably flawed but at present it could be called the most equitable and fair among international development organizations and the most far-flung one. Without it world poverty would have proved unmanageable along with the ills that come along with it.

Dehumanizing poverty is an indictment on humanity. It stands to reason that the world community should rally round the UN and ensure its survival lest the abomination which is poverty flourishes. In this undertaking the world needs to stand united. Ambiguities on this score could be self-defeating for the world community.

For example, all groupings of countries that could demonstrate economic muscle need to figure prominently in this initiative. One such grouping is BRICS. Inasmuch as the US and the West should shrug aside Realpolitik considerations in this enterprise, the same goes for organizations such as BRICS.

The arrival at the above international consensus would be greatly facilitated by stepped up dialogue among states on the continued importance of the UN system. Fresh efforts to speed-up UN reform would prove major catalysts in bringing about these positive changes as well. Also requiring to be shunned is the blind pursuit of narrow national interests.

Features

Egg white scene …

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

Hi! Great to be back after my Christmas break.

Thought of starting this week with egg white.

Yes, eggs are brimming with nutrients beneficial for your overall health and wellness, but did you know that eggs, especially the whites, are excellent for your complexion?

OK, if you have no idea about how to use egg whites for your face, read on.

Egg White, Lemon, Honey:

Separate the yolk from the egg white and add about a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and about one and a half teaspoons of organic honey. Whisk all the ingredients together until they are mixed well.

Apply this mixture to your face and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes before cleansing your face with a gentle face wash.

Don’t forget to apply your favourite moisturiser, after using this face mask, to help seal in all the goodness.

Egg White, Avocado:

In a clean mixing bowl, start by mashing the avocado, until it turns into a soft, lump-free paste, and then add the whites of one egg, a teaspoon of yoghurt and mix everything together until it looks like a creamy paste.

Apply this mixture all over your face and neck area, and leave it on for about 20 to 30 minutes before washing it off with cold water and a gentle face wash.

Egg White, Cucumber, Yoghurt:

In a bowl, add one egg white, one teaspoon each of yoghurt, fresh cucumber juice and organic honey. Mix all the ingredients together until it forms a thick paste.

Apply this paste all over your face and neck area and leave it on for at least 20 minutes and then gently rinse off this face mask with lukewarm water and immediately follow it up with a gentle and nourishing moisturiser.

Egg White, Aloe Vera, Castor Oil:

To the egg white, add about a teaspoon each of aloe vera gel and castor oil and then mix all the ingredients together and apply it all over your face and neck area in a thin, even layer.

Leave it on for about 20 minutes and wash it off with a gentle face wash and some cold water. Follow it up with your favourite moisturiser.

Features

Confusion cropping up with Ne-Yo in the spotlight

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

Ne-Yo: His management should clarify the last-minute cancellation

Superlatives galore were used, especially on social media, to highlight R&B singer Ne-Yo’s trip to Sri Lanka: Global superstar Ne-Yo to perform live in Colombo this December; Ne-Yo concert puts Sri Lanka back on the global entertainment map; A global music sensation is coming to Sri Lanka … and there were lots more!

At an official press conference, held at a five-star venue, in Colombo, it was indicated that the gathering marked a defining moment for Sri Lanka’s entertainment industry as international R&B powerhouse and three-time Grammy Award winner Ne-Yo prepares to take the stage in Colombo this December.

What’s more, the occasion was graced by the presence of Sunil Kumara Gamage, Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs of Sri Lanka, and Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism, alongside distinguished dignitaries, sponsors, and members of the media.

Shah Rukh Khan: Disappointed his fans in Sri Lanka

According to reports, the concert had received the official endorsement of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, recognising it as a flagship initiative in developing the country’s concert economy by attracting fans, and media, from all over South Asia.

Nick Carter: His concert, too, was cancelled due to “Unforeseen circumstances

However, I had that strange feeling that this concert would not become a reality, keeping in mind what happened to Nick Carter’s Colombo concert – cancelled at the very last moment.

Carter issued a video message announcing he had to return to the USA due to “unforeseen circumstances” and a “family emergency”.

Though “unforeseen circumstances” was the official reason provided by Carter and the local organisers, there was speculation that low ticket sales may also have been a factor in the cancellation.

Well, “Unforeseen Circumstances” has cropped up again!

In a brief statement, via social media, the organisers of the Ne-Yo concert said the decision was taken due to “unforeseen circumstances and factors beyond their control.”

Ne-Yo, too, subsequently made an announcement, citing “Unforeseen circumstances.”

The public has a right to know what these “unforeseen circumstances” are, and who is to be blamed – the organisers or Ne-Yo!

Ne-Yo’s management certainly need to come out with the truth.

However, those who are aware of some of the happenings in the setup here put it down to poor ticket sales, mentioning that the tickets for the concert, and a meet-and-greet event, were exorbitantly high, considering that Ne-Yo is not a current mega star.

We also had a cancellation coming our way from Shah Rukh Khan, who was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for the City of Dreams resort launch, and then this was received: “Unfortunately due to unforeseen personal reasons beyond his control, Mr. Khan is no longer able to attend.”

Referring to this kind of mess up, a leading showbiz personality said that it will only make people reluctant to buy their tickets, online.

“Tickets will go mostly at the gate and it will be very bad for the industry,” he added.