The government is seeking parliamentary approval for an additional nearly
Isn't this a familiar theme? Didn't we hear this five years ago too when the Maithripala-Ranil combine won power to rule the country for five years? Didn't they too ask for more, like
The now familiar routine for the first few months when a new regime takes over is time spent on finding money to pay loans taken by the previous regime. It happened in 2015, leading to the infamous
One large bill is payments to construction contractors for work done in government projects which as of now amounts to at least
As I pondered on these issues, I could hear snatches of conversation under the margosa tree by the trio - Kussi Amma Sera, Mabel Rasthiyadu and Serapina - getting together for their usual Thursday 'chit-chat' along with their steaming cups of tea. 'Virodha dakveemata vishesa thanak dan thiyenawa (There is a special place for protests now),' said Mabel Rasthiyadu.
'Eya janadhipathi kaaryalaya idiripita virodha navathweida? Mama hithanne nehe (Will that stop protests in front of the President's office? I doubt it),' noted Kussi Amma Sera.
'Parlimentuva idiripita me vage thavath thanak avashya-wei (They will need another place like this in front of the
As I walked to my computer pondering on today's topic, the phone rang. It was my jolly-mood economist friend, Sammiya (short for Samson) on the line. 'Hello friend, how are you,' said Sammiya. 'Fine, fine … long time no see. What, may I ask, is the reason for this call,' I said. 'I was wondering about the Prime Minister's recent statement where he has requested
'Coincidentally, that's one of my topics today,' I said, adding that the PM had also said that if
'While the country is in dire straits, the economy is not doing too well and tax revenue is down, I doubt whether other countries will provide us this concession because
At the end of the day, postponing loans means postponing the inevitable - at some point we have to pay back the loans, now, in the next five years and/or the distant future. How does it work out? Say, we postpone the payment of
Then every new government will follow this practice (if
For the record, the debt situation from 2005 to 2019 is as listed below, according to highly placed government sources.
When the Rajapaksa regime came into power (end 2005), the external debt was
As I ended the conversation with Sammiya, I could hear a different discussion taking place under the margosa tree. They were discussing the futility of providing government jobs to supporters.
For example, the government has promised thousands of jobs, most probably going to party supporters. The same applied in 2015 when contract workers, recruited by the previous regime, were sacked and newcomers appointed in their place. This often, now familiar practice which is in place, replaces workers, mostly party supporters with those with current governing party affiliations. This doesn't mean giving hundreds of new jobs as the government professes but sacking contract workers appointed during the former regime and replacing them with supporters of the current regime. The same thing will happen in regime changes in the future.
As I wound up my column, I was watching local news on TV which showed police clashing with protestors at the now, popular 'agitation site' just outside the
'Maha mativaranaya avasan vana thuru inna (Wait till the general elections are over),' I said, wondering what measures the government will take after the election is over to get on with the urgently needed programme to develop the country.
ZThe government is seeking parliamentary approval for an additional nearly
Isn't this a familiar theme? Didn't we hear this five years ago too when the Maithripala-Ranil combine won power to rule the country for five years? Didn't they too ask for more, like
The now familiar routine for the first few months when a new regime takes over is time spent on finding money to pay loans taken by the previous regime. It happened in 2015, leading to the infamous
One large bill is payments to construction contractors for work done in government projects which as of now amounts to at least
As I pondered on these issues, I could hear snatches of conversation under the margosa tree by the trio - Kussi Amma Sera, Mabel Rasthiyadu and Serapina - getting together for their usual Thursday 'chit-chat' along with their steaming cups of tea. 'Virodha dakveemata vishesa thanak dan thiyenawa (There is a special place for protests now),' said Mabel Rasthiyadu.
'Eya janadhipathi kaaryalaya idiripita virodha navathweida? Mama hithanne nehe (Will that stop protests in front of the President's office? I doubt it),' noted Kussi Amma Sera.
'Parlimentuva idiripita me vage thavath thanak avashya-wei (They will need another place like this in front of the
As I walked to my computer pondering on today's topic, the phone rang. It was my jolly-mood economist friend, Sammiya (short for Samson) on the line. 'Hello friend, how are you,' said Sammiya. 'Fine, fine … long time no see. What, may I ask, is the reason for this call,' I said. 'I was wondering about the Prime Minister's recent statement where he has requested
'Coincidentally, that's one of my topics today,' I said, adding that the PM had also said that if
'While the country is in dire straits, the economy is not doing too well and tax revenue is down, I doubt whether other countries will provide us this concession because
At the end of the day, postponing loans means postponing the inevitable - at some point we have to pay back the loans, now, in the next five years and/or the distant future. How does it work out? Say, we postpone the payment of
Then every new government will follow this practice (if
For the record, the debt situation from 2005 to 2019 is as listed below, according to highly placed government sources.
When the Rajapaksa regime came into power (end 2005), the external debt was
As I ended the conversation with Sammiya, I could hear a different discussion taking place under the margosa tree. They were discussing the futility of providing government jobs to supporters.
For example, the government has promised thousands of jobs, most probably going to party supporters. The same applied in 2015 when contract workers, recruited by the previous regime, were sacked and newcomers appointed in their place. This often, now familiar practice which is in place, replaces workers, mostly party supporters with those with current governing party affiliations. This doesn't mean giving hundreds of new jobs as the government professes but sacking contract workers appointed during the former regime and replacing them with supporters of the current regime. The same thing will happen in regime changes in the future.
As I wound up my column, I was watching local news on TV which showed police clashing with protestors at the now, popular 'agitation site' just outside the
'Maha mativaranaya avasan vana thuru inna (Wait till the general elections are over),' I said, wondering what measures the government will take after the election is over to get on with the urgently needed programme to develop the country.
© Pakistan Press International, source