Sudath Gunasekara 15.5.2016

Since I have never worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs I have no idea whether all aspects such as at least economic, political, international relations, defense and national security etc are gone in to in detail while keeping our national interest as the most important issue.

The way it appears to a layman from outside it appears as if none of these agreements today confirm to such requirements. The way it operates, it is obvious our leaders sing the agreements to suite their whims and fancies and political agendas without any serious consideration to their side effects on the overall impact of such agreements on the country or its people. In the process they get trapped in the nooses set by cunning politicians and bureaucrats of those countries and agencies to the detriment of the motherland. Our politicians only look for cheap political mileage gained. Some of the more recent agreements signed by our leaders between India (ETCA) and the West (GSP+) and donor agencies like the World Bank have already revealed such serious implications. There is no point in closing the gate after the horse is gone and the damage is done. It is just like Cabinet decisions and decisions of the Committees on appointments to higher posts like diplomatic assignment, Secretaries to Ministries and Chairmen of Corporations In these cases everybody knows that such appointments are done long before the relevant Committees sit. It is only an eye wash to hood wink the public.  They are all politically manipulated to accommodate their favourites. Therefore it is a big fast. It is just like your passing someone before he or she sits an exam and conducting it thereafter and giving him pass marks to suit the required grade.

Therefore in view of the seriousness involved in this national sue I urge that all such agreements should be thoroughly studied by experts in each subject and debated at length and approved by Parliament as a prerequisite before we sing them with the relevant countries.