If the Government were to act according to the constructive criticism of the Letters to the Editors of newspapers and the eye-opening editorials therein, our motherland would be near Utopia, flowing with milk and honey. Unfortunately, the party system is such, Government cannot consciously act owing to the fear of losing a section of the votes. Hence the need for an honest dictator, who will have the guts to reign without fear or favour.
Why not restart the system of having a Press Officer in each Ministry, Department and Local Authority or Statutory Body. His duty would be to take cuttings of complaints, suggestions and criticisms in editorials and Letters to the Editors and pass them to the subject clerks for necessary action. Otherwise, it would be a case of pouring water on a duck’s back. Editors and readers, who write letters to the press, should not be made to feel that their voice is a voice in the wilderness.
During colonial times and even during the Premadasa regime, there was strict discipline, which has now gone to the dogs. The late President used to get up at 4 a.m. every day, go through first the editorials and Letters to the Editors, ring up the heads of departments even at ungodly hours and asked them to take immediate action on irregularities and report back to him in due course. As a result, public servants were kept on their toes because all culprits were punished, never allowed to go scott free as is the ‘modus operandi" now — at least they were threatened with a ‘transfer to Siberia.’
Another reason for the increase in crime is that our laws are very lenient. Take the case of a murderer, who has killed one or two girls after raping them. He is given free board and lodging on the Queen’s Free Boarding House throughout his life! O tempora! O mores!
