What Kind of a Government people need
By Lakshman Abeykoon

Continued ....... 

None of us lay people who came forward to support the contesting priests do that, not because we enjoy it nor are hoping for any gains. The priests also do not enjoy it. We do not need any thing except good merits for the next life. 

We do it as a service because we honestly feel, if we do not do it now at this crucial moment, thanks to the all sorts of extremists and savages, ethnic, religious and political, this country will be plunged again in to a blood bath broken in to a minimum 4 pieces and will be a threat to all neighboring countries, region and the world and many will die on the process. Even the yet unborn will suffer.

Though what priests doing now has unavoidable Sinhalese Buddhist flavor, in essence this is not a religious or ethnic quest. We may win or we may loose it does not matter. As long as what we have done brings some good to the people and the country.

There is a definite difference between a  Government and a Party running the government. Which unfortunately our people do not seems to understand. The Government is the structure which serves the people. Party is the temporary tenant. Since the period of last 56 years the tenants who came to power had neglected the maintenance of the structure. Now it has become unstable, dangerous and unlivable to the people in it. 

What ever the party comes to to power from this election must address it. And make it a livable happy place.

To do that they must assemble and send a good maintenance team. Who will clean up the place, reinforce the pillars, repair the damages, supply the amenities, and maintain the good order. The people who do that should do it as a service or a "Seva" rather than any thing else.

Therefore it is not enough to send good people to the parliament, which is only the first step. The government also should be run by the good administrators and advisors. 

Those administrators should be:

• Loyal to the people. Who have genuine concern and feeling towards the country and the people and have common sense which is a rare commodity among Sri Lankans. 
• Who does not have criminal history.
• Who are not bullies and thugs
• Who are not extremists. Ethnic, religious or party politics. This is the evil to be avoided at any cost.
• Who think this is as a country and not a piece inhabited by a certain group or a party.
• Who work for all people and not for one group, race or party.
• Who value the expertise of local and do not wait for foreign aids or advices to do things.
• Who are happy to listen to the people and their ideas. 
• Who do what they say and say what they do and are not liars and cheaters.
• Who live in level with the normal people, who listen to the people, who feel for their difficulties and want to do something to ease it and find a way to do it with out hiding behind the veil of burocracy.  
• Who are uncorrupt. Who may not change their attitude with the power they yield. More powerful they become more humble they should be. 
• Who know what they are doing and understand the repercussions and have the ability to see and expect the future out comes. 
• Who are educationally qualified for the areas they handle.
• Who start things at grass root level and build it up to great projects and not the other way around.
• Who are young or middle aged, energetic and wise  with new ideas and vision. Not the old bosses who hang to the post at any cost.

And so on...