Citizens' Mail

Campaign to improve quality of parliamentarians

There is widespread dissatisfaction with the performance of the Yahapalana Government. While the establishment of an Independent Judiciary and the Independent Commissions, Regaining of GSP etc are all noteworthy achievements, the public is yet disillusioned with regard to its efforts on fighting corruption, misuse of power and progress on settling the National Question.

The Government’s failure is mostly due to the poor quality of our elected representatives, who are expected to support and give leadership to settle these outstanding promises made by the President and Prime Minister to the people at the last election. Most of them are only interested in their own well-being. While we cannot change the quality and character of our existing representatives, we should at least prevent such poor quality representatives entering Parliament in the future.

Answer to this problem lies with the leadership of every political party – particularly their Election Nomination Boards. If the Nomination Boards do not act according to the selection criteria to be collectively developed by all those interested in ensuring a clean and efficient good governance for our country, the members of Nomination Boards should be personally targeted by Civil Societies nationally as well as in their respective electorates with the aim of defeating them at the next election. This threat should be made well in advance.

Criteria for nomination

(a) No criminal record including election malpractice.

(b) Not a Tax Defaulter and free of any investigation on disproportionate asset accumulation.

(c) Necessity to file an Asset/liabilities Statement.

(d) Minimum educational qualification – A/Level or equivalent. Exemption to those with over five years experience as an elected member of a Local Body.

(e) Dual Citizens to be ineligible.

(f) Should have a clean public image.

Civil Society should take over this question and take it to a satisfactory conclusion without delay. The major parties in particular should not be given any opportunity to ignore the proposed criteria for selection/nomination.

Daham Wimalasena

Kotte