Why, wHY, whY I'm voting for Ranil

Why I’m voting for Ranil.No I haven’t sold my blog to the UNP electioneering machinery, so this is not an Ranil -ass-kiss write up. Read on.Basically the way I see it: the JVP in government wielding their hefty political theories will in fact take this stupendously beautiful country back about fifty to sixty years in terms of development. Why so much time? Well, because there will be more in-fighting in government than there is now (if you believe that to be possible), more ad-hoc policies implemented and worst of worst possible scenarios – Mahinda’s government will (will, not maybe, not might but will) split this country on racial lines and that will bugger the deal for all of us, whether we're in the minorities or not.Enough of this war. I frankly don’t care what happens to Jaffna, I’ve only been there once in my life anyway and beautiful as to was I am never going back until this thing is settled once and for all. It doesn’t bother me that I might need a visa to go to Trinco or to Arugam Bay. Give it up already. If successive governments can’t and won’t fight the Tigers on their terms, then they must cease hostilities and talk the issue through.Mahinda’s coalition government is likely to do the following (in my opinion)1. Have the most illogical economic policies on God’s earth – coalition governments have a bad track record in this part of the world2. Tackle the tigers with no finesse and end up pushing us back into war3. Push the Minority issues to the bottom of the list and irritate the average Tamil, Muslim and Burgher no end4. Make Sinhalese the official language and insist we all speak it – even when we’re talking to ourselves5. Chase most of the reasonably bright and reasonably well-educated people out of this country6. Corruption will continue unabated and the population will see no improvement in their lot7. Fewer journalists have died for overstepping boundaries, under CBK’s tenure but Mahinda’s a bit of a thug and I wouldn’t count on the same sort of luck continuing. Does anyone know if he really was in prison for three months a few decades ago on a murder charge?Ranil’s government:1. Will have reasonably clear economic policies, the TNA and SLMC don’t really count in the same way the JVP does. They’re more like joy-riders e.g. they’re never going to lead waves of protest marches on the government or try to force someone’s hand on policy with a fast-to-death of a Buddhist monk or two2. Likely to push for peace settlement3. Corruption will be on a much grander scale but we will have something to show for it at the end – think Mahaweli, Mahapola, Gam Udawa, EPZs etc.4. Death of journalists and other boundary over-steppers - Ooh, well the UNP was Premadasa’s party and Sirisena Cooray’s back in the game and SB will be too – need I say more? I think though that marginal loss of freedom of speech is acceptable if it means we get a better economy as a result.5. Maithri and Ranil Wickremasinghe are a far cuter couple to watch together than Mahinda and his wife. They get frivolous points.


Morquendi said...
I agree with much you say about Ranil except for one thing that I strongly disagree with.Ranil and Maithree vs. Mahinda and Shiranthi is a bit more of a close call than to say that the Ranil-Maithree combination is cuter. Both the men look like idiots, and both the women look rather stunning (Shiranthi perhaps less so now). So it's a bit of a close call.