Oh, now they have woken up. Most of the ‘big businesses” became “big” through government contracts, government lands, artificially created monopolies, and protectionism; so basically out of public funds, except perhaps the IT sector. During elections they go around making donations to all camps without taking a stance and giving a signal to the public as to what type of policies that people must vote for or indicating the policies the private sector stands for.
Do you, “Leading Biz Chambers”, realise that you kept silent when the 20th amendment abolished the Audit Commission (Accountability) and the Procurement Commission (Public financial Management) and took away the teeth of the National Police Commission (rule of law).
You kept silent when political lackeys were appointed to regulatory bodies and key posts that need independent technocrats. You dined and entertained the corrupt endorsing their self serving policies, pseudo qualifications and shenanigans endangering this country.
They needed your endorsement and you gave it. Now we all face the consequences. For example, talk of Forex crisis, did any one of you raise any issues for the blatant violation of the Monetary Law? It was always a member of the “civil society” that came forward.
Your CSR initiatives dont even support those civil society organisations cos they are, in your opinion, “political sensitive”. But you have the option to “relocate” to other countries (just like some of the rulers). At least now you are issuing a whimper of a threat !!!! I guess better late than never.
Attorney at Law Harsha Fernando
