Chanaka Bandarage

Despite unfair criticism  by vested/cynical interest groups, the NPP is poised to record a win on 14 November 2024. The indications are that it will not be a massive victory.

If the NPP obtains less than 113 seats, they will be compelled to form a coalition government -most probably with the TNA. This is a dangerous situation – TNA is a racist political party.

Thus, the Electorate must ensure that at least 113 NPP MPs are sent to the parliament.

Should the NPP be given a 2/3 majority? No.

Prior to the presidential election the NPP promised to abolish the Executive Presidency. This means the head of the state will be a Prime Minister, directly answerable to the Parliament. Effectively, it is a return to the pre-1978 Constitution – which is true Westminster democracy.  There will be an MP for each and every electorate.

Abolition of the Provincial Councils, if achieved during the process, will be a huge bonus.

Then, the need to abolish the useless Constitutional Council, various similar Commissions like the Police, Public Service, Finance etc. Once the people have elected a government, it should be able to govern without hinderance. It should be able to appoint people to high offices as it wishes. The Opposition in the parliament can object/argue.

Sadly, after winning the Presidential election, the NPP has been silent on abolishing the Executive Presidency.  Since 1994, all the Presidents gave people this promise but upon coming to power they ignored it. Basically, all of them have lied to the people.

The present government’s rhetoric seems that they would abandon the Executive Presidency only after the  next 5 years. This is puff.

Under the circumstances, the Electorate needs not give the NPP a 2/3 majority. Giving them a simple majority (about 125) is sufficient.

The NPP has now governed us for 50 days. Have they been a successful government? Yes and No.

It is too premature to make a firm verdict. It has been a 3-member Cabinet anyway.

During this time, the NPP government has done both good and bad deeds.

To be fair on them, the NPP government must be given at least 6 months to show their capability/efficiency.

But, an alarming development is that in these 50 days they have demonstrated an utmost fear for criticism. Behaviour that was tolerated by previous governments has been treated as potential crimes by this regime. Freedom of Communication, Freedom of Political Discourse, Media Freedom are both expressed and implied in our Constitution. The fact that social media users have been arrested for seemingly innocent acts of criticising/ridiculing the government is a major worry.

In that context, the Electorate must take steps also to formulate a strong opposition. The NPP must not be allowed to run a wild/authoritarian government. In the parliament, they must be subjected to strict checks and balances.

The writer believes that the following fearless people must be in the Opposition as MPs:

Ranjan Ramanayake (his presence will equate 10 MPs), Pubudu Jagoda, Pathum Kerner, Nuwan Bopage, Noor Maurine and Sanajaya Mahawatte.

There are parties in the parliament that fight for the rights of the Tamils and Muslims, there is no single political party that fight for the Sinhalese. In that context, the following must be in the parliament – Dilith Jayaweera, Udaya Gammanpila, Sarath Weerasekera, Sugeeshwara Bandara and  Anuradha Yahampath.

Would the NPP government accept that the Sinhalese has a Constitutional right to live everywhere in Sri Lanka including the North and the East? Do they know that Sinhalese who have attempted to settle down in Mannar recently were dissuaded by the authorities from doing so?

The SJB will be the main opposition party in the next parliament. They have an excellent 3-member economic team. Their two Muslim MPs – Mujibar Rahman and S Marikkar possess superb Sinhala oratory skills that cannot be matched by many Sinhalese MPs. To represent the female voice, the likes of Rohini Kavirathne, Apsara Thilakarathne must be in the parliament.

The NPP has stacked its Nominations and National Lists with professionals – doctors/lawyers/school principals/former top public servants, university academics (scores of PhDers), retired tri forces/Police high officials, trade unionists etc. Most of them have a university degree or similar tertiary qualification. Of the balance, many have only done the party’s political scout work.

Most of the NPP candidates seem lack grassroots level experience. They have not worked on the land/street levels. 

Can such people solve the country’s problem? Did we not have an abundance of such people in the previous governments?  They proved that they were utterly useless and failures.

It was such ‘intellectuals’ that destroyed Gota and his government. How many Professors and academics were in his failed government and Viyath Maga?

In the recently concluded IMF talks (October 2024) the government team mainly comprised of top university professors. What did they achieve for the country? Nil .

The soon-to-be-formed NPP government will have 5 or 6 Consultants for each Ministry (there will be 25 Ministries). This can be a recipe for disaster.

Recently a Presidential Advisor for Digital Economy was appointed with much fanfare. He is only a Consultant, he cannot have Cabinet status. If it is such a powerful portfolio (as the Government portrays), he should be appointed as the Minister for Digital Economy, from the National List. Then, he can do real/solid work (enacting new legislation, preparing and implementing policy etc).

One mistake the past Presidents have done was to run a huge number of Consultants. The immediate past President had 92 Consultants! It is primarily their vehicles that were displayed on the Galleface green after the new President was sworn in.

Then, a large number of Presidential Task Forces (PTF). 

All these (Presidential Advisors, PTF) are huge White Elephants. This is one reason why the Executive Presidency should be abolished.

Our Presidents have shown lack of confidence in running the country with his/her Cabinet. Giving enormous power to non-legislatures like Consultants, PTF Members may amount to abuse of power on their part and violating the Constitution.

We have previously outlined that without the urgent injection of a large sum of foreign exchange (dollars) (say, about US$ 7.5 billion), the country will not rise from its current economic doldrums (our article dated 30/10/2024).

Sri Lanka must be given a ‘push’ by our wealthy friends, in order to kick start our economy. On 6/11/2024, the US cancelled all the debt owed to it by Somalia (to the tune of US 1.1 billion). This was done to stimulate the Somali economy which has been stagnated. Somalia made fine representations to the USA.

Does the NPP have people who can make polished presentations to foreign governments/organizations/businesses? Let’s hope yes.

It is not that difficult to build up a big dollar surplus. This is essential to make our economy strong.

If a request is made to our diaspora (Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher) to invest (in NRFC), they will reciprocate positively. They must be offered good terms.

The NPP government must have new/fresh ideas of earning dollars.

The fact that Wanderlust has named Sri Lanka as the ‘Most Desirable Island in the world’ is a major boost to us. This will bring us lots of new dollars, if the government manages the tourism sector well.

If we have a good, visionary leadership, Sri Lanka simply cannot go wrong. It is not that difficult to develop this country. The mere fact that we are located between the world’s two biggest economic powerhouses – India and China is our biggest asset.

Let us wish the President, AKD, all the success in his forthcoming visit to India.

The following candidates in the NPP Nominations List do have good grassroots level experience and fine work attitude/ethics  – hopefully they would pull most of the government’s weight: Vijitha Herath, Samantha Vidyarathne , Nalin Hewage, Wasantha Samarasinghe, Vrai Balthazar, Rizvi (medical Dr), Samanmalee Gunasinghe and Ambiga Samuel. AKD is reported to have worked as a farm worker when young. The JVP Secretary, Tilvin Silva was a hospitality labourer. He is a formidable,  very pragmatic man. He will be a real asset if in the Cabinet.

Given that it will be a very strong opposition in the parliament, the NPP must be well geared to face them.

Ranil talks about the need to have experience. This is a valid point.