Sri Lanka It's Happening

December 5, 2005

The president's choice for the post of prime minister (a position he himself occupied just weeks ago) took many by suprise. There weren't many suprises when the cabinet was announced. The same set of empty vessels have been appointed as ministers all over again. Many of these ministers can make a lot of noise but that just about sums up their capabilities.

The noise is already rising to a cresendo because many are unhappy with the posts that they have recieved. Some 30 members of parliament have been appointed as cabinet ministers and there are more than 50 other 'non cabinet ministers'.

When asked to explain the difference between cabinet ministers and non cabinet ministers, the minister of sports was quoted as saying, the only difference is a platter of pastries. That is cabinet ministers recieve a platter of pastries and tea when they attend cabinet meetings.

All other benefits are the same. So why the different names then? It's part of the continous hoodwinking of the gullible Sri lankan voter. If someone raises issues about the number of ministers, the president can quitely say the cabinet is only 30 and get away with it. Many Sri Lankan voters have double digit IQs. The election result is ample proof.

The JVP, the party that did all the donkey work at the presidential election for president Mahinda, apparently wanted the prime minister post. They weren't about to get it. Then they were ready to settle for having their blue eyed boy, Mangala appointed as the PM. The president didn't fall for that either. Finally they demanded five ministries and to the president's great credit, he didn't give into that either.

In the end JVP has not accepted any ministries at all and now they are making a lot of noise about the size of the cabinet. Sour grapes? far from it. It's part of their long term plan to keep the country in state of anarchy.

Posted by raditha at December 5, 2005 1:07 PM