None of Sri Lankan so far did not receive Nobel award of
course India won twice both Literature and Economics. But we have notable Sri
Lankans who won the Magsaysay award Pro.Ediriweera Sarathchandra,musician W.D Amaradewaa, Rev.Father Marcelline
Jayakody, Savodaya Founder A.T. Ariyaratne. The Agha Khan award Winning most influential
architect of the region Deshmanya Jeffry Bawa also we have Olympic Medal holders in athletics
as well world champions in Cricket. They are all Sri Lankans.
(there is no considerable growth of production since 1970.)
It was Late
Singapore Prime minister Lee Kuan U in
book “The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew” there is a chapter about
Sri Lanka he has pointed several facts where Sri Lankan Tea Industry fails at
the time the Government taking over the privately owned tea estates during
Mrs.
Bandaranayake .
But again it was Fidel Castro who really admired taking over private tea estates in the Non-Aligned Summit which happened in 1976.He did make caparison where they took over sugar industry and tobacco industry by a revolution. But Cuban Sugar Industry did not become number one in the world at any point. Brazil supplies ½ of the world sugar requirement still. Any way both Cuba and Sri Lanka Still independent Islands. At least we have something common……
But again it was Fidel Castro who really admired taking over private tea estates in the Non-Aligned Summit which happened in 1976.He did make caparison where they took over sugar industry and tobacco industry by a revolution. But Cuban Sugar Industry did not become number one in the world at any point. Brazil supplies ½ of the world sugar requirement still. Any way both Cuba and Sri Lanka Still independent Islands. At least we have something common……
This all about Sri Lankan records. Well even our tea
industry had some sort of decline there are certain things made Sri Lanka again
to put in the number 1 place, but most of things are not in people friendly way.
We are about to have the south Asia’s tallest tower the Chinese Gift, the Lotus tower very soon. Well it now almost
piercing s Blue sky of Colombo. Skyline of a city is an indication of the
development of a country…that may be true to Qatar ,Hongkong,Dubai but In Sri Lanka
it seems to be little exceptional we have still GDP per capita of 3800$,so this
South Asia’s tallest tower most probably
won’t be a reason to bring this amount in a higher elevation.
Then also we had the world record of Jumbo cabinet during former
president’s time which exceeded over 60 cabinet ministers for population of 20 million
people. We have 225 seats in the parliament. Not bad. Also we had a cabinet
minister for Sugar. May be inspired form Cuba. Only one sugar factory is
functioning in Sri Lanka.
Again we had four cabinet ministers only for education this
was not to improve either education or sugar industry in Sri Lanka, only to
please his friends. This is not including the deputy ministers, with all
cabinet ministers and deputy minister total number of ministers exceeded over
100.
(http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-cabinet-ministers-appointed-by-a-government/)
I’m not sure is this a reason to cry or laugh but who was
bearing the total cost of this minister.
In Sri Lanka both cabinet minister and deputy minister
entitled with so many facilities.750
liters of fuel for three vehicles. Per one minster only the fuel allowance is
over 2000 liters per month.
Then 15 numbers of his personal staff. Most cases
the minister appointed his family members to his personal staff. After five
years they all entitled for government pension, here not to mention official
residents and telephone bills and other utility facilities which another part
of the whole package.
Also they are entitled fir all the privileges as
parliament members.monthly the whole family on foreign official tours .From
previous government there were some cabinet minister they never had any
official duties, but government budget allocated their maintenance cost only.
Apart from that they have their invisible hand on each and every government projects.one of the previous
government there was a cabinet minister who was known as the Mr.10%,but end of
that era he became Mr. 100%.So no wonder why
our GDP won’ t reached higher level even though there are buildings reaching to
the sky.
These were well known facts during the past election all the
political meeting widely accusing over this white elephant. As Sri Lanka over 6
million people thought about this and vote against the previous government.
From January 2015 we got a new president.one of his political promises were
limited the state cabinet for 25 numbers. But he it was a broken promise, it
exceeded over 30.yet again we had some positive thinking over minimizing the
numbers of the cabinet ministers. So again at the parliament election majority
had hopes on the new government. Well happy to say at the moment we are holding
another world record for over two weeks.that is the smallest cabinet of the world.at the moment we have five members in the cabinet including president and prime minister
Sadly this in not keeping another political promise, these
days newly elected parliament members are bargaining over for cabinet ministry
post from new government. There are unofficial information says this time the
cabinet is little less than 50.At least we can be happy it is not growing. In
Sri Lanka the reason why we do smile than other nations in the
world is we are always very optimistic.
But there is another reason as per the 19th amendment
the situation such over 30 member of cabinet has to take parliamentary approval.
Nothing to worry they will get it tomorrow early morning.
Actual now it has proven this is a complete white elephant
and the administration body of Sri Lanka can take care of even without a large
number of cabinet ministers. But we don’t have far sighted leaders; we have
only politicians who think of wining the next election which will be in another
5 years.