Sri Lanka It's Happening

May 10, 2004

It's blatently obvious that none of the smaller political parties are keen to prop up the UPFA to help them obtain a simple majority in parliament (this is the party that's claiming to have recieved an overwhelming mandate from the people). So now they are trying to get individual members of the other parties to cross over - by hook or by crook.

That wasn't reported in the free media, it was part of a speech made by the media minister on the state controlled tv channels

In this speech the minister was saying there are three ways in which the government can get other MPs to support them. The first being money, the second approach, to give them ministries (Ministries created to reward politicians and not serve the people) or on principle.

The last one is unlikely; not because the differences in opinions are too wide between the parties but because Sri Lankan politicians don't have principals. So the majority may come from the excercise of one of the first two options. Interestingly the monks allege that during the election of the speaker government MPs attempted to bribe them and other MPs to the tune of dozens of millions.

Posted by raditha at May 10, 2004 11:59 AM