VOTER’S PLEDGE

As citizens of Sri Lanka, we have realized that we have a serious responsibility for the future of our country. We must be very conscious of it and feel the gravity of the situation. We cannot allow this historic moment to slip us by. Each of us and everybody has some work to do. We must propagate the message of electing only the deserving candidates and giving no chances at all to the evil ones to come back to power. The party is immaterial; it is the person that matters. I shall summarize the method of choosing the deserving candidates into five principles like ‘pansil’. They would be actually a pledge of citizens to bring about good governance. 01. The first one is for the eradication of corruption. I WILL VOTE ONLY FOR A CANDIDATE WHO DECLARES HIS ASSETS AND PUBLISHES THE SAME IN THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS FOR THE PERUSAL OF THE PUBLIC. Let us not send thieves to the parliament. Those known to be corrupt, connected to mega-deals, mentioned in the COPE reports must never go near the Diyawanna waters. Those who were MPs in the previous regime and have visibly accumulated great wealth must not only declare their assets but show how they came around to own so much. The honesty and the integrity of the candidates must be clearly seen. They must show that they are selflessly coming forward to serve the nation and the people. It is not enough they show their assets only to the Elections Commissioner. Those who are reluctant to declare their assets to the public are simply not trustworthy and do not deserve our valuable vote. 02. The second one is about the eradication of violence from public life. I WILL NOT VOTE FOR A VIOLENT CANDIDATE WHO IS KNOWN TO HAVE MURDERED PEOPLE, HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE UNDERWORLD OF DRUGS, PRSOTITUTION ETC. TRAVELS ARMED SURROUNDED BY BOUNCERS AND BODYGUARDS AND BEHAVES GENERALLY LIKE A THUG IN PUBLIC. Those who cannot control their anger, who when in power take revenge from the political opponents, who take the law in to their hands, who intimidate and humiliate police officers, administrative officers and ordinary citizens of the country, who when they travel on our roads disregard traffic rules are simply not suitable to be the leaders of this country. 03. The third one is for the eradication of nepotism and favouritism. I WILL NOT VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE WHO ALREADY HAS A RELATIVE OR A FAMILY MEMBER IN THE PRESIDENCY, THE PARLIAMENT OR THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. Our politicians are mere mediocre, non-productive parasites. There are exceptions, of course. The truth of the matter is they are fattening themselves on our national wealth. They are shamelessly rapacious and greedy. It is enough that there is one parasite in the immediate or the extended family of the candidate. We, the voters, need not go and make them, a whole family of, a tribe of, parasites. Also it is more dangerous for power to be concentrated in one clique or family for it will invariably devalue the democratic rights of the people. If more than one member of a certain extended family is presented as candidates at the coming elections, no one should be voted for in that (extended) family and sent to the parliament. 04. The fourth principle is for the eradication of political opportunism. I WILL NOT VOTE FOR A CANDITATE WH HAD CROSSED OVER FROM THE LOSING PARTY TO THE PARTY IN POWER. Changing sides for ministerial posts, to avoid corruption charges or for other perks is an indecent act. It is an ignoble betrayal of those poor voters who placed their trust in her/him. What is the purpose of electing the party or the man we want if he has the freedom to change the sides and choose the principles of one party for another? What is the value of our vote? It has absolutely no value. We, the citizens, have been reduced to mere ciphers, mere rats of no consequence. Of course, they will justify their actions. They will have hundred and one reasons to show how selfless and nationalistic their action was. But we know who they are, born liars utterly untrustworthy who have sold their souls for a mess of pottage. 05. The last, the fifth one is for stopping apprentices, novices, fools and clowns from entering the parliament. I WILL VOTE ONLY FOR A CANDIDATE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN POLITICS OR IN COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR TEN YEARS AT LEAST, NOT BECAUSE OF HER/HIS POPULARITY IN SPORTS OR IN CINEMA NOR BECAUSE OF BEING SOMEBODY’S SOMEBODY. The Parliament is not a training school where novices go to learn politics. It is the supreme body of legislators who run the country and plan for its future. It is a profession of great responsibility that demands a high level of maturity; let us not make it a joke. To be a politician one must have first the experience of serving the people for a considerable time either as a professional or in some social organization at the grass roots level. One can also become a candidate in the Pradeshiya Sabha, move on to the Provincial Council and after at least ten years of solid learning through experience and honest commitment to the people seek people’s mandate to represent them in the Parliament. One can add more qualifications for better service to the people. These five precepts are the minimum necessary. Now let us get down to work. Promote and propagate these ideas whenever and wherever you get a chance