Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel Sri Lanka, Solicitor in England and Wales, President Ambassador’s forum and former Ambassador to UAE and Israel

Martin Luther King Jr said ‘’ darkness can not drive out darkness. Only light can do it. Hate can not drive away hate. Only love can do it said in 1963 in his book strength of love is repeatedly quoted since then so offer speaking on love and kindness to extend to others especially at the time of anger and fear.’’

This has been echoed by Buddha on Dhammapada which over thousands of years ago states, in a Verse (’Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this  world,by non hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is the law of eternal’’ President AKD started his maiden thrown speech with the above quotation by the great human rights activist Luther King and ended with the note may Triple Gem and God protect you, at the 10th Parliament with impromptu , long and convincing speech addressing the Nation on the future plans, policies, strategies touching all aspects and areas in most simple but dignified speech – one of the best made by a leader of the country ever. His ending appealed the masses and the contents of the speech were in great detail not missing any points is to his credit education, eloquence and ability to remember all facts and figures so accurately to speak so clearly, fast,  and with great confidence and convection appealing to the nation so affectionately. VV

Vision by the visionary leader

President AKD had many enemies and lot of fabricated stories have been circulating about his family financial dealings and hovering round a campaign against him and the organization he is leading with determined aim and organized network with the intimate goal he reached with the group with a vision led by the visionary leader. Is achievements are due to his vision and leadership unexpected and unbelievable with the rice of the voter percentage of  to initially 43% and thereafter to overwhelming parliamentary majority to enable hm  bring about any changes for the developments of he nation to the expected panning and vision, by him and the group the visionary group when there was no iota  of hopes of indications, yet continued to struggle with the  same vigour determination and aim is credit to his consistence , determination and the discipline of the group who stood by him to date despite suppressions oppressions and resistance from rival groups is indeed creditable and admirable at any cost or standard. In the recent past Sri Lanka appears to be in the dark without a vision , visionary, and a future plan for the country handled and meddled by inefficient and dishonest rulers who made the country bankrupt and indebted to the extent of inability to pay the international loans obtained due to the investments of unproductive projects obtained for high interest rates subject to commissions are to be yet to be traced and computed for legal scrutiny . President AKD quite correctly stated at the longest throne speech and long speeches before and after, that priority will be given to rule of law, campaign against bribery corruption, establish freedom of judiciary and law and order including eradication of the underworld spread as a cancer locally and internationally possible with political patronage. Nation in deed is in the dark with no vision and a visionary leader with a proper group. Now the citizen has chosen a leader with a vision with a visionary group who will work together as one on the implementation with the agreement entered with the citizen long ahead of electing on all elections wiping out teh oppositions democratically to be replaced more efficient educated group representing all groups and areas in the country to teh satisfaction of all citizens.

Sri Lanka still follows British parliamentary Model and practices

Though we are an independent Republic still the British model and traditions are followed and adopted as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations ceremonially headed by the  King of Britain. We have been following British model as a guide using the traditions and volumes published on Parliamentary traditions, including the throne  speech also known as the ‘’Gracious  speech’’ based on the tradition started in the 16th century on the speech by the King or Queen on the policy decisions of the government established by the people. Adjustments and alterations were made since 1948 by successive governments in Sri Lanka and this time the ceremony has been the simplest but with we presume the longest speech so far mad by the leader of the Nation addressing the citizen with the most simplest, communications so close to the hearts and minds of the citizen listing with a pin drop silence around the country over the  developed media network scheduled to be digitalized as state by AKD in the policy statement. AKD s speech was long as usual but contents, continuity and the power of expression was so powerful and convincing the citizen followed it well and truly  that covered almost all the areas in governance with facts, figures, and solutions with future plans with usual fluency and without a properly written statements as has been done by his predecessors through out since independence. A written speech by a senior government servant or a media personal has been the practice before but AKD has few documents on facts and figures and the long speech has been the long speech generally making so confidently and purely on memory.another which has been the normal practice in Sri Lanka and the commonwealth.

Contents speech were of high quality and presentation was appealing and convincing

The contends of the speech was real practical and convincing to eh ordinary citizen to be understood so clearly and convincingly. President AKD is a graduate 56 years of age and 24 years in the Parliament as a frontline debater, was born in a small village in the dry zone in an ordinary family and has gone through hardships from childhood yet continued his education with a religious and village background with the guidance of political gurus and village friends, with less or no opportunities but determined person from childhood due to the suppression and the lack of needs for him and family until he managed to follow higher education at a university where he continued his political timer of the carrier with political maturity as a full time of the party when he was appointed as the party leader and a membered of the parliament where he served 24 long years as an excellent debater who always spoke sense with facts and figure unlike many member of the parliament has not posses  possess reputations as honest and competent member of the parliament.

Why he chose the verse by Martin Luther at this ceremonial and historic occasion?

AKD used the quotation of Luther King possibly to ease the tension and ill will of the opponents who were bitter over the overwhelming majority the citizen has given his as a massive mandate by wining over the Presidential election convincedly and thereafter the Parliamentary election wining all parts of the country and wiping out the opponents winning over the disputed territories  and ethnic groups in North and the East the controversial and disputed areas nobody expected AKD and the group to win over. Most important unexpected happening was the conduct of the NPP leader and the group on exercising the overwhelming mandated given by the  masses very much over 2/3 rd majority the Parliament by a single party to change the constitution and any other law convincingly and the response of AKD that he is ahead of the parameters of the power given and that is will be utilized carefully and only when required to fulfil the aspirations and the policies presented to teh citizen as the contract between the citizen and the governance in the administration of the next five years for the vision put forward by a trusted and visionary leader teh citizen has full trust on. Once united ‘’granary’’ of -Asia- in  the Indian ocean has been a divided nation until the election of the winning the entire country as one unit including North and East despite demands it to be separated on ethnic grounds wiping out the traditional communal leaders replaced by educated professionally qualified group, with a vision for the country with a political and economic model without antagonising the international brotherhood assisted Sri Lanka with certain doubts and sceptics due to the misbehaviours on incorrect economic strategies that brought teh country to rock bottom i including ailing economy in the country. There was opposition and a campaign that he and group is going to be ruthless and will resort to iron fist administration to fear the ordinary citizen experienced in 1900 s during the former leaders led by RW who was assassinated inhumanly of the regime then, and it has been  necessary for President AKD to eradicate the bad impressions painted on him and the group. He emphaticised at the maiden speech priorities and plan of action on many areas on tourism. Digitalisation, modernisations based on clean and  Green Sri Lanka, whilst not making drastic changes on international agreements, foreign policy, Education, and international relations meeting large number of world leaders in teh midst of well wishes including world powers with friendship trust and affection despite the adverse publicity before being left oriented, yet agreed to work in partnership with the west and the local private sector on modern business forums and ideologies showing that he is not a traditional left oriented leader yet a person prepared for a change being his winning local motto .

‘’Digital transformation and Digit  ID’’

 Steps have already taken of digital ID, digitalized transport tickets based on digitalized cloud  ( practised in Vietnam, Singapore, UK, and many Asian Countries /as well) Digital transformation and state private partnership by taking immediate stops of sale of telecom, and Sri Lankan  airlines are voluntary and based on proper planning and strategy with the assistance of number of professionals and intellectuals who are prepared to serve in Sri Lanka on voluntary basis leaving their lucrative positions are signs of their belief and commitment to the vision,leader and leadership of the visionary leader showing a steady commanding honest figure to attract the citizen and the world leaders carefully eying  on teh conduct of the Sri Lankan= leader serve. His vision on the IT sector is north worthy to mention that he plans to increase IT professionals to 200,000 from  85,000 in 6 year, and transform the income on tourism from 3.45 million to 15 billion which is realistic considering the success in 2018 and the current leapfrog success on tourism exploring our beauty and resources and we suggest to promote and publishes Sri Lanka’s brand as BUAUTIFUL SRI LANKA as incredible India and Malaysia as Gem of Asia – a suggestion- It seems the governance is sailing at the right direction based on the vision on which they were elected led by the chosen visionary leader, who is sailing the ship carefully with the group assisting the leader to achieve the mission they are entrusted to for us to say we have the visionary leader as in UAE, Israel and Singapore for us to take us to the highest position in the world . Sarathdw28@gmail.com