By Asoka S. Seneviratne –

Prof. Asoka.S. Seneviratne

“Those who dwell in ivory towers are often oblivious to the true struggles of the people below.”

As it was reported in media (i.e. Divaina & Lankadeepa) recently, the General Secretary of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, (SLPP), and Attorney Sagara Kariyawasam had stated in a meeting of SLPP’s headquarters that the government wants to postpone budget in order to win local elections by lying, as it did with the presidential and general elations. As per Sagara Kariyawasam, the  said lies were basically related to reduction of VAT and income tax that AKD/NPP government is committed to work in due course along with the next government budget,  agreement and program of IMF. AKD/NPP lied and won the presidential and general elections are is a serious allegation in many mays. The purpose of this article is to respond the above allegation.

Local Elections: The Supreme Court of Order in August 2024

There are 340 local authorities comprising 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 275 Divisional Councils. In Sri Lanka, last local elections were held in 2018. Election Commission, which is an independent authority is responsible to hold local elections. Local Elections were was originally scheduled to be held in 2022, but were postponed to 2023 due to the worsening economic crisis and instability in the country.

It should be mentioned that in August 2024, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered the Election Commission to take measures to hold the postponed Local Government Elections immediately. The court also ruled that the fundamental rights of voters have been violated through the postponement of the 2023 Local Government Elections by the incumbent government. Issuing its verdict on August 22 , 2024 , the Supreme Court ruled that the President, as (i) the Minister of Finance, and (ii) the members of the Election Commission have violated the fundamental rights of voters.

Responding to the verdict, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake had said, the Election Commission accepts the Supreme Court’s ruling on the postponement of the Local Government Elections. Speaking to the media Ratnayake had said that the Election Commission will convene and take a decision on the next steps to be taken concerning the election. Mr. Ratnayake added that the Election Commission had tried its best to find a way to hold the election under the given circumstances. In view of the above,  Sri Lanka’s local council election will certainly  take place early next year (2025), Election Commission announced and confirmed many times and also by the government. This means that holding local elections is on track.

Responsibility of the Current Minister of Finance

In the above mentioned Supreme Court’s ruling on the postponement of the Local Government Elections, then Minister of Finance (i.e. Ranil Wickremesignhe) had been named as a violator of the fundamental rights of voters. Given the above, the current Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Dissanayake is fully committed to accept the Supreme Court’s ruling by allocation of the required funds, so that the Minister has already done that. In short, no need to write about the Election Commission as it has accepted the Supreme Court’s ruling and hence working in the right direction. Given the above, both Election Commission and the government are on track to hold local election early in the next year, there is no apparent and valid treason and concern for Sagara Kariywasam to talk about the local government elections and postponement of the government budget that are totally different subject matters. There is no doubt that Sagara Kariyawasam wants to attack and condemn the government headed by AKD alleging it is JVP, low quality mind of Sagara Kariyawasam.   

Postponement of the Government Budget

Because of the general election on 14 November 2024, there was a consideration that the time available for submitting budget proposals or fully pledged budget was too short. The Public Financial Management (PMF) Act No.44 of 2024 specifies that in the event the appropriation bill for the succeeding year is not approved by Parliament by 31 December of the current year, the minister of finance shall submit a vote on account to Parliament, under which the Parliament shall allocate funds for ongoing projects and continuously provide specified public services which need to be maintained. Given the above, government will first present a vote on account to cover the expenses for the first four months of 2025, followed by the full national budget for the year. Apart from timing, government discussion with the IMF was also consideration because budget may need to align with the policies and targets of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A Vote on Account is not a new phenomenon, because government had employed a vote on account on numerous occasions, including in 2019.

I explained the above to present situation and circumstances that the new government headed by president Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) opted for a Vote on Account not exceeding 4 months until full national budget for the year 2025 is presented in April. In short, the government has followed the Public Financial Management (PMF) Act No.44 of 2024,  by respecting parliamentary democracy. In other words, the government has not done anything arbitrary or ad hoc manner. It is so unfortunate that Sagara Kariyawasam, apart from being  the General Secretary of SLPP,  was a former MP and Attorney-at-law,  cannot understand the government has not postponed the presentation of the fully pleased budget. According to the latest news, budget proposals for 2025 will be presented on January 9.

Has AKD/NPP lied to win Elections? 

According to Sagara Kariywasam, AKD/NPP lied to win the presidential and general elections, the massive allegation, worth inquiring. Compared to many coalitions, re-coalitions, alliances and new alliances, the biggest alliances and so on, one party under the banner of NPP, AKP obtained 5, 749, 179 or 42 percent votes with presidential election while the opposition comprised of well over 100 political parties and independent candidates obtained  52 percent votes. As per Sagara Kariyawasam, 5, 749, 179 voters were caught by lies of AKD/NPP. This really undermines the profound and committed consent of 5, 749, 179 voters of AKD or it is a disgrace for the voters. In others words, Sagara Kariyawasam treats 5, 749, 179 voters of AKD as fools, ultimate condemnation of committed voters. This condemnation vividly indicates the quality of Sagara Kariyawasam, not as Attorney-at Law often in European suit or as the General Secretary of SLPP, but as an individual with common sense or knowledge. On the other hand, other presidential candidates including Namal Rajapaksa, if had said the truth to the 58 percent voters, but voters did not accept the truth and hence  other presidential candidates including Namal Rajapaksa lost, very unfortunate affairs of politics in Sri Lanka.  Anyway, it is believed that Sagara Kariyawasam and Mahinda Rajapaksa must have had given political lessons to Namal Rajapaksa how to win elections by telling the truth,  the only the bitter truth well known to them.  I will come to this point next.

The end of “Walawwa politics…and political Tsunami..”

I wrote two articles to Colombo Telegraph, “The End Of Wallawwa Politics & Beginning of NPP Politics” on 17 September 2024, well before the presidential election on 21 September 2024, and clearly explained reasons and causes of the end of Wallawwa and elite class dominated politics in Sri Lanka along with the presidential election on 21 September which became true. In short, people faced numerous hardships, mainly along with increasing cost of living, but they wanted to change governing system due to unabated frauds, waste, corruption, mismanagement,  and many more together selfishness and asset accumulation of politicians and their cronies by totally ignoring the very purpose they had been elected by the people, the bitter truth with Mahinda Rajapaksa and family as well. AKD/NPP has been totally opposite of the above, close to the hearts of the people, living with them, the truth or the bitter truth that Sagara Kariyawasam must understand and digest. Along with that bitter truth, cost of living or increasing cost of living has not been a matter of 5, 749, 179 voters of AKD.

My other article to Colombo Telegraph before the general election on 14 November 2024, “Political Tsunami Of UNP, SLFP, SJB & SLPP & Their Destiny With General Election” on 18 October 2024, concluded “All opposition parties ignored AKD’s victory, stating that 58% were against him. However, an in-depth analysis indicated that 58% is a political Tsunami for UNP, SLFP, SJB, and SLPP. None is interested in having a premiership, and as someone claimed, strong opposition is essential but it may be in vain. Given the above and among many, the public will observe the last rites for UNP, SLFP, and SLPP after the general election on 14^th November 2024,  the power of democracy that political parties and leaders should understand even after 76 years. President AKD/NPP led strong, and quality parliament will ensure the public expectation for “A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful life.” It is true that people observed last rites of the opposition and AKD/NPP led strong and quality parliament was the one and only expectation of the people, not the any immediate relief measures as Sagara Kariyawasam asserted. In short, what the country and people value and signify about AKD is the matter. His unappalled quality, character, trustworthiness, simplicity, excellence and many more the matters, as I vividly explained in my article to Colombo Telegraph, “The Meaning Of Rata Anurata” on 26 August 2024. Giving the above, it was the ground reality with AKD/NPP that was caught by the voters,  not any lies of AKD/NPP, as asserted by Sagara Kariyawasam.

Political Lessons to Sagara Kariyawasam and Namal Rajapaksa

By obtaining 6,863, 186 or 52 percent votes, AKD/NPP won an unprecedented victory in the history of politics in Sri Lanka with the general election, carved on rock. As per Sagara Kariyawasam, this too was due to lies by AKD/NPP. Again, he treated voters as a bunch fools caught by AKD/NPP. As it was not the ground reality with AKD/NPP,  Sagara Kariyawasam became totally handicapped in politics. Namal Rajapaksa by knowing the destiny, or the Political Tsunami I explained, did not want to contest or utter truth or lies,  and crept to the parliament, many thanks to the creators of national list. It is a well-known fact that within a few months that AKD/NPP government has done many things for the welfare improvement of the people, including provision fertilizer subsidy and pension. But Sagara Kariyawasam cannot appreciate and value them because he is blind and his only aim is to make Namal Rajapaksa President of Sri Lanka along with the expectation of Mahinda Rajapakasa, undermining AKD/NPP government throughout. In other words, it is so unfortunate that Sagara Kariyawasam possesses low quality traits that are not even suitable for a cowboy or cattle hurdler, he must open his brain before he opens his mouth to condemn AKD/NPP government and millions of voters who supported. Given the above, I must state that by telling the truth, living with people, AKD/NPP will govern the country for decades, so that Namal Rajapaksa and Sagatra Kariyawasam will never be elected to the parliament by the voters in the country, “Madamulana Dynasty” or “Sataka Nataka” politics is dead and gone. I am not going to write about others in the opposition because they are yet rocking on the Wel Palama or Rope Bridge, while the government headed by AKD/NPP is on track with the masses of Sri Lanka. The best option for the opposition is to invite AKD to deliver political lessons how he became the president of Sri Lanka within 20 years, while the opposition failed it for nearly 50 years, so the bitter truth can be leaned, as the lies are already with them.    

*The writer, among many, worked as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia and was a Senior Consultant with UNDP for 16 years. He worked as a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993) before he migrated to New Zealand. The author can be contacted at asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com