By Shivanthi Ranasinghe Courtesy Ceylon Today

Last week, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa quietly celebrated completing two years in Office. He was elected as president with an overwhelming majority, and shortly thereafter won a rare two-third parliamentary majority. However, it is obvious that the honeymoon is clearly over. 

The President is being troubled by not only an unprecedented global pandemic or an Opposition hell-bent on behaving like brats, but also by those who supported him into presidency. The fact that this is not a seven-year itch compels us to study the root causes for the general sense of disappointment and dissatisfaction. 

The facts standing as they currently are:

– A strong government with a two third majority;

–  A government elected on the sole strength of the people unlike the Yahapalana Government that was supported by powerful nations such as the US and India;

– A man of integrity with proven track record elected as the Executive President. Throughout these two years he has worked diligently and with responsibility towards clearly defined goals. He works without seeking political glorification. He is noted for his thriftiness, which is a welcome change;

– The most successful president of our times, with brother Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister;

– As controversial as it is, a considerable number of family members in key government positions is a strength to the President. This gives him a support system that he can trust to carry out his policies. During the war against terrorism, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s main strength was that his Defense Secretary was his own brother. When we suffered defeat in battles, President Mahinda was able to trust his brother’s advice to continue. This trust President Mahinda could not have placed as easily on another – especially when political and geopolitical pressures were mounting on him to abandon the war effort. 

The Seven Year Itch in Two Years

Therefore, even with this kind of power and support, the reason for the disunity within the Government is an interesting question. The first fracture appeared with the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution. The main Opposition that arose against it originated from those closest to the President. 

They worked tirelessly to topple the Yahapalana Government. Some of them such as present Cabinet Ministers Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerawansa even had to endure months of detention in remand prison. Yet, they never gave up their fight. Today however, they are at the forefront with other national list MPs like Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Gevindu Cumaratunga challenging the President’s decisions. 

The only reason those opposed to the 20th Amendment eventually agreed to support it was after the President promised to redress it in the new Constitution. They also opposed honouring the move to give the East container terminal in the Colombo Port to India’s management. They are currently opposing the US-based New Fortress Energy contract to acquire a 40% ownership stake in West Coast Power Limited, the owner of the 310 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant and build an offshore liquefied natural gas system. 

It was also after they sent a very public letter urging the President to lockdown the country, the third lockdown took place. From the very beginning the President was not in favour of lockdowns. Yet, he always heeded the advice of the experts. 

When the first lockdown took place, we had no other alternative. However, by August 2021, the country had already embarked on vaccinating the population against the virus. Still, on the very day this letter was issued, the President imposed a lockdown. However, he allowed as much as possible the wheels of economy to spin as the country’s finances were equally in trouble. This includes allowing certain sectors of tourism as surfing to continue, despite making those who advocated for a lockdown unhappy. 

The financial situation inherited from the Yahapalana Government was deeply troubling. The raging pandemic had effectively closed all revenues that was bringing in foreign revenue. The resulting expenses continue to rise. Furthermore, lockdowns only offer temporary relief. While the lockdowns are in effect, the numbers of new infected and COVID-19 related deaths drop but again increases once the lockdown is lifted. Therefore, President’s reservations are understandable. 

Gammanpila, as Energy Minister, stated on 15.11.2021 that the Sapugaskanda oil refinery was closed for 50 days to manage the limited foreign reserves to import essential items to the country. Though he assured an uninterrupted supply of fuel, it naturally caused a scare. The resulting run in petrol stations as everyone tried to top up their vehicle tanks and even keep spare cans ready led to stations running out of fuel. The more pertinent point here is the decision Gammanpila et al pushed the President to take in August and its consequences. 

Without a proper survey it is impossible to judge the people’s take on the incumbent Government. When the next presidential or parliamentary elections roll, it is highly doubtful that the present Administration will secure the similar majority as it did in years 2019 and 2020 respectively. That however is not a gauge on the incumbent Government’s performance. 

2019 was an extraordinary year and hopefully one never to be experienced again. People were keenly feeling the effects of the foreign interference and manipulations that marked the Yahapalana Government. 

– The economic sabotage that included the Central Bank bond scams and of losing strategic national assets, unprecedented binge on foreign loans and the inability to attract investors left the country in dire straits. Even without a pandemic, war or any other constraints, nearly half a million lost their livelihoods as the country’s GDP fell to almost that of Afghanistan. 

– The systematic detention of military intelligence men and officers whilst releasing hardcore LTTE terrorists into society deeply troubled the nation’s conscience. 

n People drew a parallel between the Norwegian drafted Ceasefire Agreement Ranil Wickremesinghe signed with the LTTE in 2002 and the US drafted UNHRC Resolution 30/1 his Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera co-sponsored in 2015. Both were signed without the knowledge of the then President or Cabinet much less debate in Parliament or mandate from the people. Both agreements were detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of the country. 

– The Easter Attack bombs shattered the peace the country enjoyed for 10 years. 

– The MCCC agreement that Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera was keen to sign alarmed Sri Lankans as it threatened our economic freedom. Interestingly, while as a Cabinet Minister Sajith Premadasa never protested over the MCCC. However, as the Opposition Leader he was howling to have the proposed Compact binned as President Gotabaya was tactfully trying to get it off the table without offending the US. Though Cardinal Ranjith is under the impression that it was on the wave of the Easter Attack that the present Government rode to power, it was really the proposed MCCC that scared the people. Even forest monks disengaged from public life and concerns and Sri Lankan expatriates came to vote for President Gotabaya in protest against the MCCC. As presidential candidate Gotabaya had to pledge in writing that he would not allow the MCCC. 

– The nation will not be grappling over such fears and concerns at the next presidential and parliamentary elections. Therefore, the need to vote will not be felt by all. The issues then will be quite tame compared to the concerns that prevailed in year 2019. 

President Gotabaya’s Challenges

Without argument, the kind of challenges Gotabaya Rajapaksa faced were not experienced by any other president of Sri Lanka. Shortly after President Gotabaya took office an abduction story was concocted by the Opposition in which the Swiss Embassy played a major role. Fortunately, technical evidence proved the allegation to be fabricated and the Swiss Government was left red faced. They however never apologized to Sri Lanka. Never in history had there been such an attempt to embarrass a leader of a country. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global calamity. Overall, President Gotabaya’s and his task force’s performance have been outstanding. Many developed countries like Australia learnt lessons from Sri Lanka on how to manage the pandemic.

While responding to the virus, taking timely and prudent measures to keep people safe and well, it is unfortunate that this Government dropped the ball on the youth. When the virus first hit the country, the response from the youth was amazing. They displayed their innovative skills as they invented various forms of armor to protect against the virus as well as save the country’s dollar reserves.

However, by the second wave there was only silence from the youth. When the third wave hit, many were trying to get out of the country in search of overseas jobs. Whether they will find jobs outside Sri Lanka at a time when all countries are adversely affected and economies have collapsed, remains to be seen. 

The Government’s failure is not in managing the economy. It is not due to lack of employment opportunities the youth are leaving. The reason being is the lack of recognition they received when they first started to innovate. Though PM Mahinda inaugurated a youth center for such innovations, it was insufficient. 

A recognition is only when it has a direct impact on one’s life. The Education Ministry should have jumped at the opportunity and have translated such innovation into education qualifications. When a 14-year-old builds a sensory motion water tap, he should not have to sit for Ordinary Levels. A promotion to either Advanced Level classes or at least a diploma from a University would have encouraged other youth also to innovate and this would have been the trend instead of the silence. 

The country would not have been as affected by the third wave if not for the teachers’ protests. The teachers’ grievance was almost a quarter century issue. Then, for them to violate the health regulations and push the Government to the wall for an immediate solution at a time when the country was in a desperate situation cannot be without a hidden agenda. These protests of unprecedented ferocity take place at a time vaccination drive was bringing the country to normalcy. 

Many blame trade unionists such as Joseph Stalin. However, teachers cannot be equated to puppets. Those who did not personally agree with the protests also discontinued from their teaching engagements for fear of being shamed on social media. An important question before us is not the protest or its agenda but the moral fiber of our teachers. If they cannot withstand peer pressure, we cannot expect them to build the character of our children. 

It is an open secret that foreign influences play a significant role at these protests – whether it may involve teachers or farmers. It is common knowledge that these trade unionists as well as other NGO actors are handsomely paid by their foreign handlers. 

Security is a priority on this Government’s agenda. Ensuring democracy and fundamental rights is one thing. Allowing that freedom to misguide people with the agenda of toppling a government to meet a geopolitical agenda is quite another. Without addressing these underlying causes it is futile trying to rectify teachers’ salary anomalies. The problem will only manifest elsewhere in another format. State sector trade unions demanding a salary hike to meet rise in cost of living is a case in point. 

Both Mahinda and Gotabaya are good leaders. They have rendered an enormous service to the country. They are both patriotic and pragmatic but they do drop the ball. 

One area that they always mess up is their PR. Both work on the assumption that actions will speak louder than words. This strategy does not work or President Mahinda would not have been ousted in year 2015. Unfortunately, this Administration too has not realised that a mere statement on the manifesto is insufficient to change a mindset. 

For example, on the fertiliser issue, the Government ought to have first embarked on an awareness campaign on the ill effects and the recourse for it. Without that national conscience it is difficult to make that commitment. Experience should tell this Government that any change in this country is met with protests. A simple example would be the protests mounted by the plant sales associations when the previous Rajapaksa Government shifted the plant sale venue from Vihara Maha Devi Park to Battaramulla.

We hardly hear of the Colombo Port City. This is to be the largest investment project of our times and expected to generate at least 80,000 jobs within the first two years. The Government must embark on an aggressive campaign to train and educate our youth to grab the best jobs. Had there been an awareness campaign on the Port City there would not be so much new applications for passports. 

Another point where both Rajapaksa Administrations dropped the ball was in trying to protect unpopular figures. Today, many are disenchanted with this Government over its foreign relations management. 

Though this Government withdrew from co-sponsoring the inimical Geneva 30/1 Resolution, we are still stuck with the Resolution itself. While there is some effort to negotiate terms less detrimental, the shaming of the country by the LTTE international network and its hangers on continues. Negotiating the Resolution and putting the truth out to the world are two very different operations. 

As there is no effort on our part to correct the falsehoods regarding alleged war crimes, our top military officers remain under an international cloud. Using these falsehoods our economy is being threatened. The recent visit by an EU delegation is a case in point. 

However, both the current Foreign Minister Professor G.L. Peiris and High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda were at the forefront in signing the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement. Professor G.L. Peries was also the Foreign Minister in President Mahinda’s Government. It was our failure to stop the anti-Sri Lankan project that manifested into the UNHRC Resolution 30/1. 

In their defense of course they may have learnt from their experiences and mistakes. However, their appointments trouble the expectations of those who believed this Government will appoint officers with proven record and expected better performance. 

The current Opposition, taking its role literally continues to endanger the people by embarking on protests without any regard to the health regulations. Due to their carelessness, during the second wave both Premadasa and his wife contracted the virus. It is feared that their current actions will generate a fourth wave.  The discerning voter is quite disgusted by these actions. Compared to this Opposition, the incumbent Government is million times better. However, they too have much to improve if the country is to develop into the aspiring nation in the next three years. 

ranasingheshivanthi@gmail.com