Craving for position

In the quest to improve our institutions, to better serve the people whom these bodies have been set up for, we must try and do something about the title.

Our culture expects us to refer to people by title not by name as is done in western countries. This creates a hierarchy where we all want to be at the top of the league of respect. These are all titles though sometimes we fail to recognize them. Aiya, Akka, Mama, Mahaththaya, Sabhapathithuma, Lekamthuma, Vidanaarachchi, Mudalali, Amathithuma, Swaminwahanse, Govimahaththaya. Note that in the village all provincial council ministers are also amathithumas so we have a country with 1000 amathithumas not just a 100 as we are mistaken to believe in the 'Urban Press.'

It is interesting to note that I also have a title, that of 'govimahaththaya'. So when we gather at meetings of the local agricultural societies, our elected secretary, the lekam-thuma of the govisangvidanaya refers to all of us farmers and 'govimahaththuru'. Here there is a hierarchy. It is also interesting to note that at the AGM of these meetings the protocol is to invite all and sundry in order of importance, going as far up as the Minister of Agriculture, who at this time is not only one of the most powerful ministers in government but also an MP for the Polonnaruwa District. Needless to say no-one in authority came and neither did we receive apologies for absence from anyone of them. So it is sometimes amusing that the commitee seriously think that all these 50 people will attend the meeting of a 100 farmers.

It must also be noted that the last meeting was attended by 50% of the farmers that belonged to the particular area society and it was determined that we fine the half that did not attend in order that we may have a higher turnout next time round!

I am not trying to diss the titles. I believe they are good as long as with the title it also earns respect, if that person is worthy of the title. If he has earned it and is making use of the title for which has been bestowed then all well and good. All too often the recipient of the title and the those that bestow the title believe its main use is to benefit from it for personal gain. They forget that one is just a servant of those who have given him that title. There are privileges and obligations that go with titles. All too often we look for the privileges and forget the obligations.

I believe it is part of the malaise that is affecting Sri Lanka and the sooner we are aware of it the quicker we can make corrective action to maximize the benefit of the titles rather than just be resigned to it and being beyond improvement.