BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

The major issue during the next five years to Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be how to reconcile the technical dualism between the Port City and the rural economy. Port City is a good economic strategy for showing to the world, but the reality is the provincial economy which consists of more than 70% of the macroeconomy might clash with the project, and internationally, India might influence the operation of Port City as it associates with China. Although many people don’t understand this issue the recent manipulation regarding the East and West Terminals of the Colombo Port reflected the complex nature of the issue.  

To gain more votes the provincial economy is a critical factor for the Rajapaksa government. Before the election in 2019, Mr. Rajapaksa talked about a provincial development project, and no public service or planners of the government planned and made blueprints for the project. It is a mega-development project that could successfully address human nature related problems and arriving at a cultural design such mega projects which provide benefits to all ethnic groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the development policies of the Rajapaksa government. Foreign employment and the tourism industry have been played a key role in the economy since the 1970s, and the contribution from these two areas have declined with the effect of COVID_19, and regaining such areas is vital and how could regain the economic benefits have become a critical question. The changing of internal policy structure by reforming education and using the provincial labour to contribute a higher pace in the development process is vital through an inter industrial plan.

The opposition political parties prefer to talk about soda bottle opening type issues and they have no solid policy structure that massively attracts the support of the provincial community and Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa must focus on the use of provincial labour at an internationally competitive price. Why rural women go to the Middle East for domestic services because the price of labour of women in the country was comparatively lower and if Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa plans to give the right price to provincial labour and a reasonable value to Sri Lanka rupee, many issues at the provincial level will be changed without changing his power base at rural level.

The valuable practice of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is visiting interior rural villages and listing to poor people. This practice was done by previous presidents, but it was not a consistent approach or a productive way of public relations. The experience of Mr. Rajapaksa as an army person has motivated him to maintain good public relations and give quick solutions to the problems of rural people. Although the previous presidents visited rural people, they didn’t give solutions to highlighted problems. Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa demonstrates he is practical and give solution to problems. The significance of experience gained in the army reflects positively working with President Rajapaksa and the opposition parties have to close their opposition to Mr.Rajapaksa saying he was an army person.

The joke that appeared in the opposition is Mr. Sajith Premise also visits people in the rural area and his talk with the innocent peasant (Churi archaic, countrymen) that when he comes to power he will give a solution to the rural problems and when he will come to power is unsure. In such a situation the opposition cannot attract the support of the rural people. It showed that the opposition shouldn’t do all that the government is doing when it has no political power. Talking or promising to peasants is a style of politics in Sri Lanka, and the countrymen know that they are just talking than honest planning do so.

Many reforms in economic and social sectors are essential and Mr.Rajapaksa promised to people effectively launch reforms before the presidential election in 2024.  The education reforms, reforms in the financial system, and the reforms in the socio-economic structure to attract peasants to productively participate in the economic process are essential areas and the administration of Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa needs to expedite these reforms. People in Sri Lanka understand that these reforms could not perform overnight and they will take time.  Although nearly two years of completing in the power, talks on reforms are not sufficient and the short experience is suggested reforms are behind than people are expecting, and it seems the ball is passing one person to others and no changes are being eventuated in the economic and social system. Many view that although the president has changed the bureaucracy has not changed consistent with the policies of the president.

Education reforms are key to make many changes, one significant point Mr.Rajapaksa highlighted before the presidential election was incorporating vocational education to tertiary education and allowing rural kids to gain quality tertiary education and the level of tertiary education be practical with the vast area of fields.  However, bureaucracy in the education field has poor knowledge and skills in the area and Mr.Rajapaksa needs motivating bureaucrats to expedite reforms. 

The reforms relate to the financial system are crucial to converting Sri Lanka’s economy for attracting investors, and the experience since 2019 shows that a significant fluctuation in the financial system that is disadvantaged to the country. The banking and non-bank financial market require quick reforms to assure investors and users to stick in the system. As a regulatory authority, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka needs to introduce reforms, and many times it shows the Central Bank’s policies have limited to no actions talks only. I proposed in the late 1990s to make many reforms especially in the stock market and superannuation system,  but they were not effective and crooks were dominating in the system. The best example is recent records of the Colombo Stock Market which reported a quick boost and after few weeks the gains transferred to loose as short selling used by crooks to play the game, and why Mr.Rajapaksa doesn’t direct the Central Bank to change the legal structure and allow rural communities to participate in the market operations. As 70% of the economy of Sri Lanka is in the hand of rural people the Colombo Stock Market could be boosted with rural cash if the policymakers do the needful for changes.

Social reforms are essential to change the attitudes of people.  The government of Sri Lanka has failed to eliminate social dualism that leads to technical dualism. If we look at the Asian countries where achieved stable economic growth and development in Japan, South Korea, and others the achievements have been centered on changing the social system with modernization and elimination of social dualism and integrating all into one nation.  This fundamental concept has neglected policymakers in Sri Lanka.  What were the influential factors for this situation? Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa needs to concern about this matter. The attitude of people regarding schooling has not changed the mentality of colonialism dominates in attitudes.

Mr.Gotabaya Rajapaksa has a massive challenge and the deal with the challenge needs changing attitudes of people.