Four years of the PA government

On Wednesday, the People's Alliance government led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga will complete four years in office .

After 17 long years of UNP rule Ms Chandrika Kumaratunga was elected president on pledges to usher in winds of change. There was much hope that she would succeed, despite the razor thin majority she had in parliament.

The start was indeed very promising. The violence that is usually unleashed against those of the ruling party that lost the elections did not take place and for that President Kumaratunga and her ministers were personally responsible. The usual firing and transfers of government servants and those of state corporations and organisatons too did not take place, at least at the commencement. But with the passage of time, it became transparently clear that the Peoples Alliance had not the foggiest idea of how some of the pledges given to the masses will be fulfilled such as giving bread at Rs 3.50 per loaf and Rs 1500 per month was promised to all those unemployed youth over 18 years of age.

President Kumaratunga pledged to end the conflict in the North and East and got off to a flying start by conferring with the LTTE. But the composition of her team of inexperienced negotiators, the obvious lack of a strategy for negotiations resulted in the talks collapsing. In the enthusiasm to please the terrorists the Eastern Province which had been brought under control by government forces-- safe enough for presidential and parliamentary elections to be held---was lost to the LTTE. The PA government paid a heavy price for misjudging and nature of the terrorists they attempted to negotiate with.There were Fifth Columnists in her ranks such as the Vasantha Raja whom she picked on as negotiator and Chairman of Rupavahni Corporation. Vasantha Raja now edits a LTTE publication in London!

The one remarkable success scored by President Kumaratunga was on terrorist activities abroad. Her call to end the conflict through negotiations, her so call ' mandate for peace' etc. convinced western government of her desire for a negotiated settlement and also exposed the intransigence of the LTTE. Today, while the United States and Canada have officially declared the LTTE to be terrorist organisation, even in European countries and Australia where the LTTE had earlier gained considerable sympathy, the situation much to their disadvantage.Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadrigamar too contriubuted much to this success.

Ridding the Jaffna peninsula was a significant military victory but with the forces being still stuck on the jungles of the Wanni, the Jafna victory is losing its significance.

The PA government has been given good marks for the performance of the economy by organisations such as the IMF. This year, the growth rate is said to be around 5.8 percent and quite impressive economic indices are being cited. But whether this accumulation of wealth such as in the garment industries is trickling down to themasses is indeed doubtful .What of inflation? The IMF report says it has risen to 14 percent but the man -on -the -street will say it is much more.

One of the biggest failures has been in public administration. It is apparent that the government has not been able to get its act together and get even one major development project going. Grandiose projects such as in the development of the Southern Province, a new harbour at Hambantota, expansion of the Galle Port etc. have not taken off the ground. The only project that appears to be taking off is the Eppawala Apatite mining project but now it appears that it may turn out to be this country's greatest environmental disaster.

The tragi- comedy enacted over the Permanent Bribery Commission which was appointed with much fanfare has negated all claims of the government's desire to eliminate bribery and corruption and shattered the so called policy of transparency.

The biggest failure which would have disastrous consequences has been with the media. While the pledge was to free the media of controls such as by selling off Lake House in the stock market, the Editors are being ejected from the seat of the Daily News with stunning rapidity. Last Friday saw another veteran editor being sent into space.

With two years to go, some honest stock taking has to be done if the PA hopes to return to power. The state media has the capacity to produce hallelujah boys and girls during the tail end of government and lull leaders into complacency but only to realise the day after the elections of how they had been fooled by their propagandists.