BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

Family politics is a concerning matter for all Sri Lankans because there has been severe criticism against family politics which promoted corruption in the country. In history, before foreign invasions, families got the power to become kings and queens. Since the beginning of the Donormore administration in 1932, the political leadership has been transferred from one family to another and this tradition will be ended after the next election.  The last family in the political administration was the Rajapaksa family, which has lost its respect because the family has been associated with disgraceful management and corruption and the new situation denotes that Sri Lanka needs a new family for political leadership.

The Rajapaksa family had an opportunity to go further but so-called corrupt practices and conflicts between the family members forced people to reject the family politics and it shows that the country, Sri Lanka needs a new family for political leadership possibly to bring new philosophy that will bring justice. Although Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family, and Basil Rajapaksa will attempt to take over power, such efforts will be rejected by people, the wish of the Rajapaksa family would be in the water, and people informally express a view that they need a new family. 

There is an informal talk among influential people that a lady doctor who is the daughter of assassinated Upatissa Gamanayake may willing to be the leader of JVP, and the current political refugee situation might change if there will be  result-oriented thinker for the leadership is selected.  It may not be like so-called branch stacking or improperly increasing voting groups in political parties. If the daughter of Upatissa Gamanayake becomes the leader of JVP no doubt that she will attract the support of the political bureau.

The leaders of current major political parties are not acceptable to the public and a new leader like the late Bob Hawke in Australia, and Sri Lanka also needs to inject new blood from outside and a lady leader like the daughter of Late Gamanayake from outside will be acceptable to Sri Lankans.  

There are many active politicians in JVP  and they are not capable of modernizing the party policies. The leadership in the current party is self-centred and in this century JVP needs to critically think about policies and how to change them consistent with the requirements of the young generation. Like Rishi Sunak, political leaders in this century must be able to judge the validity of political and economic policies and the potential response from social and religious leaders towards policies.

The views of people toward JVP and other registered political parties are aforementioned and the new family leader to govern the country should be an efficacious figure.