Dr Sarath Obyeskera

Just three years ago same business leaders were flocking around MS to get rid of MR .Now they may opt to get GR as the leader .Neither MR nor GR let alone MS were people who were of capitalist upbringing like JR or RW.Even SWRD was not a leader who could see the future of free marker development. They were just opportunistic politicians waiting to grab power riding on the people’s back .They got hold of power by finding faults of the leaders who were suppressing the masses.

SWRD was never a socialist but  educated in capitalist world .He never knew the pulse of the poor masses .When he looked at the political landscape and noted that Sinhala only slogan with Buddhist clergy and farming community in the background can be the cart to ride .He succeeded ,but the country went few  decades back vis a  vis development .

Colonial ruling which brought discipline to the country was completely destroyed, but people enjoyed the freedom from colonial rule .  

RP was a leader who had again had no aristocratic upbringing or capitalist roots .He was a man who felt the pulse of the masses and knew where to hit the nail .He recognized the need to find shelter to poor masses in the villages and came up in the ladder .Once he was elevated to power he used his ruthlessness to execute tasks untrusted.

After RP,s demise CBK came to power who was neither a capitalist nor socialist ,clinged onto power due to her charisma and there was no other leader to take over .When she did her two terms with no growth ,RP came back under JVP and tiger threat and yet the development went on.

Secret of RP and later MR during her second term was that they were somewhat ruthless and decisive .Human rights was on the back seat and Journalists were controlled and suppressed. Many development projects were initiated with minimum state intervention unlike today .Garment factories were built with no Environment and Social Impact studies completed .Highways, Ports Airports were built minimum intervention and approvals.

This was the SECRET of visible development .During the last few years entrepreneurs could not start any project due to yahapalana transparency and red tape.

Now many local and foreign investors want to start industries?Under Blue economy ,Marina ,Boat Building etc are promoted .One investor wants to start a boat yard and a marina where he wants to deploy Yachts to develop tourism .When he applied for the permission ,following institutions were asked to give permission

Department of Wild life because it is  in close proximity to a Sanctuary– miles away .UDA .RDA.CCD.NAQDA.MEEPA ,CEA.Fishery Department .Sri Lanka Navy ,Director Merchant Shipping .BOI .EDB.Divional Secretariat  should give their consent to start this venture !and he is still struggling

How can any investor start any project in Sri Lanka ???

This may be reason why Business Leaders want a regime change?

Back to the heading of this Opinion..

Industrialist prefer to have a leader like  MR backed by GR or other way around for only one reason .

Like RP, they will personally monitor progress .use the authority and tell the heads of Statutory Bodies to go to hell with rules and regulations and to get on with granting approvals.

We all waited for three years of calm water and now it is high time the country gets into rough weather and generate energy to sail forward.