The UPFA is making a lot of noises about a new/amended Constitution. They are asking us for a two thirds majority to implement it. That seems to be their only election slogan and promise apart from the usual fairy tales like making this island the best in Asia or even the world. Pro government media seem to be very optimistic about the outcome of the elections and all kinds of intellectuals and academics are reassuring us that two thirds majority should be given to the UPFA for the good of the country. So far, so good! The hitch is the New Constitution. Where is this NC? Why don’t they show it to us? If they have formulated a NC in good faith, why cannot they show it to us? Why are they hiding it? They seem to be very shy about it. Why are they waiting for us, poor citizens, to ask for it and demand to see it?

After the sad comings and goings of Milliband and Kouchener, another foreign secretary has breezed into the country with all her feminine charm and what not. The UPFA leaders maybe taken in by her charms; after all the President went out of his way, disregarding protocol, to pay her a visit when Nirupama Rao was only the High Commissioner here; but we are not. We also remember how Rajiv Gandhi came over here full of charm and the 13th amendment and nearly got brained. So, we cannot help but conjecture about what could be the gift that this diplomatic lady is bringing in at this juncture to the country, just an amendment or a whole NC? "I fear the Greeks (Indians) even when bearing gifts" – Vergil’s Aeneid.

JR received five sixths and gifted us the present idiot Constitution under which the people have suffered long enough. The legislators, however, make hay while the sun (the present Constitution) shines. Since the UPFA is saying they have a new Constitution or are going to make substantial amendments to it; we, the citizens, demand to see it. Actually, they are asking our approval for a document we haven’t seen. They are asking us to sign a blank cheque. We will not and should not approve what we haven’t seen. If they don’t show the NC they don’t deserve our votes. They can forget the two thirds, maybe even a simple win.

In passing I’d like to make a kind request from all the editors of all the newspapers of Sri Lanka. It has to do with the next election. At the end of this month and before the elections, please let us know who are the ‘dissolved’ parliamentarians who took their March salary, perks and allowances and who did not. Apart from other factors this, too, will help us make up our minds about who should and who should not be in the next parliament.