Comments on: REVALUATING THE RAJAPAKSE PRESIDENCY

By: ordinary lankan

ordinary lankan — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:50:48 +0000

We are producing slaves to work for foreign capital and foreign employers – the education system has disintegrated – our true foundation – our poor people are facing very little choices and opportunities – and we are enjoying the fruits (forex) of their hard earned labour – we are occupying a crumbling foundation –
and the lack of intellectual honesty and character will ensure that we will never face up to the truth for another 100 years.

why bother to learn
when we are only here
to teach others?

to flex our muscles
and applaud ourselves

why bother to learn?

when our lifestyles
are fully funded
with slave labour?

By: longus

longus — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:23:22 +0000

Correction…

In the last para of my previous post, the word ‘imported’ should be corrected as ‘exported’!

By: longus

longus — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:19:35 +0000

Sarath Fernando

There is nothing called ‘menial’ or ‘low’ lobs in a developed country. All are jobs and work means work! Only difference is that skilled jobs are paid better, When you say ‘skilled’ it doesn’t mean the doctors and engineers only as many Sri Lankan children seem to be thinking. Any skilled job is a good job in a developed country.eg.Plumbers, carpenters and meat cutters. Sri Lanka is still an under-developed country and those kind of jobs are paid badly and looked down upon. This is a sign of our backwardness as far as the work culture is concerned.

If a Newly Industrialized country like Korea pays our workers better, let them go there and earn, why are you worried about the type of jobs they would be doing? It’s none of your business as long as the person who works is satisfied! Just because we ‘imported’ doctors and engineers do you think that we have a special ‘status’ in the Wes?. Work is work for them (and they don’t care what you do there!) and they don’t have this pathetic Siri Lanket status problem!

By: Sarath Fernando

Sarath Fernando — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:59:59 +0000

Yes citizen –

We are 90% literate, looking at the bright side, on a path to steady 10% growth for the next several years, and be able to solve all our miority problems — and the pathway for that glorious growth is to teach Korean and Chinese to our kids so that we can send more of our “skilled, educated and productive workforce” to do menial jobs in 60% literate countries! That all makes sense to you – right? God bless you.

By: The Mervyn Silva

The Mervyn Silva — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:31:12 +0000

The Citizen is saying,”

looking at the bright side, MR was da leader who could solve the problem in N/E by any mean. and he still has greater chance of turning SL into next Malaysia.”

I am geting confused. Spome peoples saying the Malaysia, some saying the Singappore. Some even saying the myanmar. Others are saying not going anywhere just staying in the same country but going back to the past into the golden age. Where are we going? I don;t want to be disturbing the president and asking him. He is too busy having the cake and eating it also.

By: citizen

citizen — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:25:15 +0000

looking at the bright side, MR was da leader who could solve the problem in N/E by any mean. and he still has greater chance of turning SL into next Malaysia.
but improving ease of doing business in the country n attracting more FDIs are musts for a 10% growth rate.
10% Growth rate for 5years would be a solution for grievances of minorities.

By: justitia

justitia — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:15:43 +0000

DJ is the only diplomat so far to acknowledge the greatness of the Rajapakse Presidency.
Is it gratitude for his reinstatement?
There will be many more ‘whitewashers’ soon, competing with each other for the goodies – posts,perks,contracts etc.
The government has hired UK firm Bell-Pottinger to recoup its image abroad at great expense.
But all our diplomats abroad are minitaining a studied silence about the Second Term and the Grand Cabinet of 90 ministers and deputies.
Are they fearful of being replaced by military men?

By: Muruges

Muruges — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:12:50 +0000

Sarath has a point, Sri Lanka introduced Swabasha so that even the village youths can aspire to become professionals in medicine, engineering and other fields.

By teaching Korean and Chinese, what are our youths being groomed to?

Servants, maids and sweepers, is this the development we are being promised?

Dr. D, can you please address this too.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:14:32 +0000

The 18th Amendment was introduced during MR’s first term after winning the support of the people for his second term. A possible third term has been enabled for MR because of the amendment. It very much pertains to his first two terms. But I would say that the people would have voted in favor of the amendment had there been a referendum, given the Sinhala chauvinism prevalent in the South. I think what we need to analyze is whether Sri Lankan citizens value a political culture which respects pluralism and diversity. Why can’t we analyze the political behavior of the people? Academics and intellectuals seem to patronize people the way politicians do. Are we prepared to say that the majority of the Sri Lankans are racist as they don’t show any opposition to MR’s lack of interest in addressing the minority question? Are Tamil intellectuals prepared to accept that racism on the part of Tamils is one of the factors that prevented them from seeing the parochial political ideas of the LTTE? Why do majority of the people of this country always vote for politicians from either the UNP or the UPFA while there are candidates from less dominant parties who represent a better political culture and ideology?

By: ordinary lankan

ordinary lankan — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:48:47 +0000

I am sorry Dr Dayan … I take you so seriously sometimes …