With the dissolution of parliament on the night of 10th October 2001 and a general election hurriedly fixed for Dec. 5, 2001 the PA government has embarked on a vote catching exercise which is a race against time and insanity.

Public servants and government pensioners were offered an immediate so-called interim increase in salary and pensions. Additionally the whole nation was offered a basket of goodies, ranging from cuts in Defence Levy, Immediate Compensation for Mawanella riot victims, the total removal of turnover tax from banks and financial institutions, removal of diesel vehicle tax, including tax on essential raw materials, followed by a reduction of tax on cement, with a subsidy on gas and wheat flour. Further rupees one billion had been allocated as immediate drought relief and personal income tax reduced to 15 per cent.

Public servants and government pensioners should be thankful to Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP for the pressure applied by way of a "No Confidence Motion" to topple the PA administration, which action precipitated in the suffering mortals receiving manna from Heaven.

What takes the cake is the preposterous request to the private sector, by Minister Alavi Moulana to grant salary increases similar to what public servants received, knowing full well that the economy of the nation is in doldrums. Private sector institutions whilst appreciating the difficulties for human survival, indeed with not embark on committing "Hara-kiri". The JVP too after signing the so-called Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the People’s Alliance government demanded from the private sector organisations a salary increase of Rs. 5000 for every employee. This kind of diabolic stupidity to mislead the public must stop forthwith.

Prof. G. L. Pieris, former PA Deputy Finance Minister has said that the PA will need a staggering rupees eleven billion to grant the concessions offered by the PA on 13/10/2001. He has also alleged that the bag of "Seeni Bola" offered by the PA is undoubtedly a vote catching exercise, which is an insult on the intelligence of the people.

The outcome of stupid exercises will surely expose the weak wicket on which the match will be played on Dec. 5, 2001 by the PA.
A. G. Talayaratne
Kohuwala