THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ministers must remember to live by example. They should not demand respect; they must command respect.
If they are sincere in their efforts to help the flood victims, they should set up a Disaster Management Trust (DMT) under E Sreedharan. Others in the team could be Shashi Tharoor, Lt Ge Retd C P Saratchand, Justice Kamalpasha, Kurian CIAL CEO. There should be a team of young IAS officers like Rajamanikan, Sriram, Anupama, Vasuki, and a few more.
No sarkari officials from the Secretariat, should be included. Funds collected sofar shall be fully transferred to the Trust.
With absolute authority these trustworthy people will be able to rebuild Kerala in the shortest possible time as we all know them to be men and women of integrity and disinterest. They have the capability and, none of them except Tharoor, need our votes.
If we give Tharoor votes or not he will live up to his reputation and work towards building strong foundations for a better place to live.
Ministers must check their tendency to fly abroad for “fund” which put the country in poor light.
Aid will pour in from everywhere to the trust if it is headed by Sreedharan.
Regardless of political affiliations people are willing provided the people who are at the helm can reach out to the needy. Let us pray for good sense to prevail.
The author is the secretary of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Views expressed by the author are his own)