There has lately been a great deal of talk about a national government. It is indeed a bright idea. There are a lot of issues on which the ruling party aNd the opposition can concur as we have witnessed in the past. For example, in matters such as increasing the parliamentarians’ salary with restrospective effect, payment of arrears of salary arising from such increase, making them pensionable just five years after serving as an MP, granting of duty free vehicle permits, allocation of liquor licences, provision of subsidised food at Parliament canteen, to name just a few, all parliamentarians agree unanimously. And it so happened during the U. N. P. regime as well as under the P. A. rule. To go by allegations hurled at each other by the two parties, havala-type commissions, overlooking established tender procedures in matters involving billions of rupees, etc. are familiar terrain for both the parties, too.

I am sure many opposition MPs can be persuaded to accept, perhaps after much pleading with them, to accept ministerial portfolios with an expansion of the cabinet making 75 or so members in it. So, why not do so? The number of their deputies could be the same or a little higher number thereby accommodating the large number of candidates for ministerial portfolios.

The Ministers and MPs can be accorded all facilities to send their children abroad for their education irrespective of their party affiliations. They may also be granted all opportunities to purchase residential apartments not only in London but in any city in any part of the world of their choice. If on some future date people step on to the open streets protesting against such conduct wielding arms then they can retreat to the apartments so purchased.

Our politicians are adept at inventing new phrases. A few of them being Janasaviya, peoplisation, Samurdhi, ’sudu nelum’, jana ghosha, hand chain, ‘pa gamana’, gentlemen’s politics, New Political Culture, etc. So above named scheme may be called by a high sounding name like ‘consensus democracy’ which term, I suppose, even Rousseau or Abraham Lincoln has failed to coin. Under the earlier dispensation, the two parties ate the country alternately and separately while under the proposed scheme, they can do so jointly and severally.
Dharmapala Senaratne
Attorney-at-Law
Gothatuwa New Town