26 September, 2023

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Love Him Or Hate Him: Only Ranil Wickremesinghe Has The Depth Of Mind To Focus On Future Directions

By Shyamon Jayasinghe

Shyamon Jayasinghe

Thinking Into The Future

Love him or hate him, of all the political leaders we have today only Ranil Wickremesinghe seems the one who can peer into the future. That is saying a lot. His own political success thus far has been partly do to that farsightedness. SJB (less Harsha De Silva) and the JVP-NPC (I’ll have to ask God what that combination means) are grovelling in a political landscape taken from the traditional past- holding elections, the price of eggs and petty issues of everyday living. A future orientation is crucial for leaders who want to govern a  country in a world characterised by rapid geopolitical changes that show up the need to set sails according the treacherous winds.

Perhaps, the more serious issue is that our political leaders don’t realize this need at all.

I was reminded of this upon reading the FT report about a zoom conference with Harvard scholars. States the report, “President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday articulated his vision for Sri Lanka and on-going efforts to bring stability followed by socio-economic growth during an interview organised by Harvard University on Friday, through Zoom technology.

He also said that Sri Lankas access to the growing Indian and African markets should not be disrupted by any big power rivalry or conflict.

The President also highlighted the rising competition between China and the Quad, which has been further aggravated by the newly formed Aukuspact between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Additionally, he stated that Sri Lanka supports ASEANs vision of the Indo-Pacific region and is committed to ensuring the freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean and the security of undersea cables, as it is essential for the future of the country.” [Unquote}

Opposition Rhetoric

Like to know if our vociferous and fiery Opposition leaders know what Quad is? What “Aukus Pact” is? Sajith, are you there? Anura Kumar, are you there. What the Ukraine war means to Sri Lanka? Do they know of our potential in Africa?

Domestically, do the Opposition understand the vital need for solving the Northern issue? For keeping  Sri Lanka free of fraction? For joining all ends amicably in an equal society?  For the need to clear government engagement in trade and business? For the crucial need to stimulate a GNP and per capita rise from the seats of private enterprise? Such and many others are issues that extend our focus into movements in the future.

Traditional Opposition Style goes on

Our  broken opposition juggernaut keeps rolling much in the same way they have done over the last three or four decades. The focus in their issue presentation is about basic food, eggs, kerosene oil, home gas etc. They roll out huge protest meetings in a matter of days and they metaphorically tear the government down.

Corruption is important but has any in the Opposition been able to do a private study of political corruption and come out  with substance? It is just about ‘that man is ‘dooshithayi; ‘this man is dooshithayi.’ Okkoma athulata damanna ona.” Catch the devils and get the robbed money  and run the country with that, says persons like Comrade Tilvin, Marikkar and Mujabbin and so on. Have they been able to identify any one ‘dooshithaya’ with details where the theft is hidden? Do the Doosithayas conceal their largesse in boxes and cupboards?

“Our kids do not get eggs to eat.” Our young adult girls don’t have tampers.” ‘Babies have no milk food” Yes, yes.. al that is right. But at least why not start thinking from that point at least. Why are we unable to provide these basics? Why did we lose our dollars? Why did our balance of payments suffer until the economy burst into bankruptcy?

And how are you going to set things right when you get to power? What are your plans? The JVP/ NPP) cannot show any plan on an immediate  or urgent basis -leave alone a longterm plan. The basis of their plan termed

”Rapid Recovery” is the false analysis that our economic problems stemmed from the open economy that JR started. 

Sajith seems to be picking up projects that can be knotted again into some sort of plan, some time in the future. The problem is that Sajith and his Opposition rivals-both- have no understanding of reasoning out from the micro economy onto the macro economy. Except for solitary souls like Harsha that party hasn’t a clue.

Politics must stem from macroeconomics. With the Red Shirts and SJB their politics are stuck with micro issues. It is the cloak and dagger that they are after

IMF

At least and at last we have an internationally guaranteed agreement now (IMF)  in black and white. Here is Ranil Wickremesinghe at his best. No doubt the IMF can put us on the winning trail provided the government has the backing to go ahead with it. Walls of contrived Opposition criticism will come up. Sarath Fonseka, once serious  hero, the other day said that this IMF amount is a “sochchama” (insignificant) and stated that his electorate has 54,000 culverts to repair. Fonny also stated on the same ‘media conference, that Ranil is joking when he said that our country is out of bankruptcy. Please explain to our war master what the technical definition of ‘bankruptcy’ is.

The funny (not Fonny) thing is that the Opposition initially villified Ranil’s IMF effort saying: “We will never get that..it’s a hallucination.” Now Fonny and  the Comrades in Red Shirts say there are many flaws in the agreement. The SJB reportedly goes to the pathetic extent of meeting the IMF after the agreement is done  to have a shot at blocking the agreement. 

In the old days we used to call this treachery. In some countries such leaders are summarily executed; but let’s not do that as we need some ongoing comedy.

*The writer can be reached at shyamonjayasinghe@gmail.com

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  • 12
    8

    “Only Ranil Wickremesinghe Has The Depth Of Mind To Focus On Future Directions”

    How do you know? …….. He hasn’t given anyone else a chance!

    Hog it for life ………. and run it to the ground ………. just like he did to the UNP.


    Ranil is a man of ideas alright: he is full of “ideas,” every day from repression to intimidation to canonically unfixing elections to the good ol’ economy! ……… the “ideas” run hot and cold ……. and he forgets them!

    What happened to the “Idea” of economic union with India that was his big theme last time around? ……. Wouldn’t that be a swell thang to enact in these times of trouble? …….. Perhaps, by now he has realized it wasn’t such a good idea! :))

    Free Wi-Fi? Gyms in every town? …….. Takeaway necessities ……. give un-necessities?


    It’s time to give someone without “ideas” a chance. Who might not turn out to be a lifelong failure …….

    Ranil’s greatest talent is to display to some that he is full of promise. For Buddha’s sake Man! …….. look at the results he has achieved in a lifetime in politics. What’s important: “apparent promise” until the grave or results? ……… Ranil has a great talent to be apparently/seemingly clever/brilliant in unimaginably stupid/foolish ways.

    • 11
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      continued

      Graham Hicks had a tremendous record in English county cricket ……. but a monumental failure in the international arena. He was given chance after chance by the selectors to come good ….. until someone had the guts to say enough is enough and cut him loose.

      Perhaps, the young Aragalakaruwas have the guts to say enough is enough ………. (it’s their blooming future they are fighting for, and if you – living in Oz with all the comforts – like it or not, have the God given right to fight) …….. while an old gent like you steeped in his old-ways ……. is still ……… Waiting for Godot

    • 8
      5

      Nimal,
      “What happened to the “Idea” of economic union with India that was his big theme last time around? …”
      It is happening, but quietly. He has learnt his lesson, and won’t get stymied by doctors warning against Indian mosquitoes and under qualified brain surgeons, or egg mafias trying to protect against bird flu. The likes of Deepthi Silva don’t know a vostro from a Nostradamus.

      https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/12/20/sri-lankan-bank-opens-vostro-account-in-india/

      • 8
        1

        Nimal,
        If Ranil promised free Wi-Fi today, he would be laughed off the block.
        Free WiFi is passé nowadays. Unlike in 2014, it costs less than a dollar for a whole month of YouTube. Try that in good ol’ USA.

        • 12
          1

          OC,
          .
          Today’s srialnka is disrespectful to those who have some knowledge. In my chidlhood, the educated and the learned candidates were prefered.

          Today vicious media has made it upside down.
          Actually, it should be the opposite as of now, because google could make any simpleton (with some knowledge) a wise person by feeding them with the facts.

          unfortunately, that is not applicable to our people because they are more controlled by malice, jealousy, untruths and everything else, than the opposite for progress. Just study this and get back to me, then you would have no other options but to agree with me.
          .
          . This is a huge social problem in Sri Lanka today.
          I don’t think RW is the only leader who might have the knowledge, but unequivocably he does.
          He has heaven-earth different with Mahinda Rajapaksa. But Ranil does not try to please the gallery. Nor would he please ” SINHALA BUDDHIST BINLADENS” to the same degree MR did.
          Such is his disadvantage in a country full of criminals, culprits and hypocrites.
          That is why Gotabhaya , Mahinda or such cowards became leaders and made the whole world laugh.
          Today I think twice before saying where I am from. This is very unfortunatly common to all or many Sri Lankan expats

        • 4
          3

          OC,

          You are in love! …….. When a man is in love there is no cure!! ……… Like I’ve said many times before, I’ll be the last person to come between a man and his loves. :)))

          A man/woman picks a man/woman puts him/her on a pedestal and gives him/her qualities he/she doesn’t have (and at times even doesn’t want to have!!! :)))) ) …… You and Shyamon might be even embarrassing Ranil: if he is as smart/talented as you say and knows how the real-world/human-condition works.

          There is always, always, always ……. a positive twist for everything, eh OC? :))

          That’s why I’ve said …… many many moons ago ……. that I know what people are going to think even before they know it themselves! It’s all so predictable.

          • 3
            2

            continued,

            It has all happened before, OC! …….. You aren’t the first or the last …… the queue before and after you is loooooooong ……… Where are the Rajapakse lovers now? Must be feeling like a bunch of nitwits, now!


            When a man loves a woman
            If she is bad, he can’t see it
            She can do no wrong
            Turn his back on his best friend
            If he put her down

            When a man loves a woman
            Down deep in his soul
            She can bring him such misery

            If she is playin’ him for a fool
            He’s the last one to know
            Lovin’ eyes can never see

            When a man loves a woman
            She can do him no wrong
            He can never hug some other girl (Sajith, AKD, ………. not a chance!) :))

            Yes, when a man loves a woman
            I know exactly how he feels


            Native is safe: he hates women …….. that’s his defensive mechanism ….. the good ol’ firewall.

            • 1
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              nimal fernando

              “When a man loves a woman If she is bad, he can’t see it She can do no wrong
              Turn his back on his best friend If he put her down”

              Beg your pardon, I don’t intent to intrude in your private life, does the above words describe exactly how you feel or felt in your younger days?

              “Native is safe: he hates women …….. that’s his defensive mechanism ….. the good ol’ firewall.”

              I love women, Isn’t it why I have been living with one of them for a long time?

              • 0
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                “does the above words describe exactly how you feel or felt in your younger days?”

                Native,

                I’m very fond of most of the girls I’ve known: they have been good to me. ……… But true love ……….. that’s something Old Codger will have to teach me someday: that kind of love is rare! :))

                • 0
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                  continued,

                  I’ve always been hip to all the tricks. I was shipped out early: didn’t know that many Lankan girls. The Lankan society we live in, girls didn’t want to be seen as women of easy virtue; and rightly so. All the ones I knew had a very strange way of asking for “commitment.” They would let you come all the way from Bandarawela to Colombo ……… and when you are an inch away from your destination would put clamps on all your sensory-instruments ……… and this very earnest look would come on their faces ……. would look deep into your eyes and ask “nimal, you are serious about me; aren’t you?” ……… When they have got my hormones to a volcanic peak ……. Maaaan, what the hell am I going to say? ……… I totally bypassed seriousness, love, commitment and all that crap ……. went straight to what names we are going to give our children. How I was going to make sure the children’s color will be fair. ……. How can I blame Ranil for duping OC with all his promises ……… when I’ve promised worse than all the leaders since Independence; combined!!!

                  • 0
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                    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.

                    For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

                  • 1
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                    nimal fernando

                    “……. went straight to what names we are going to give our children.”

                    So you asked your aunts to find right women and your mother found the new white bedsheet/white cloth,…….. and collected it first thing in the morning.

                    • 2
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                      Geeeze Native, You have a very old-fashioned Lankan way of thinking about these things ……… out here, in the new-world, thangs are a wee little bit different.

                      No wonder you come out so strident around women.

                      Even the septuagenarian Sinhala_Man is not that old fashioned! ……. he is ultra-modern …….. only if he could find a gal who likes his ways …….. all his strange peccadilloes

                  • 0
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                    This is the 3rd part of my earlier comment which got truncated.


                    Man, the girls instinctively know their onions, learned and passed-down through the ages ……. fending off and courting/trapping predatory men at the same time ……… they could’ve asked me on the phone if I was serious while I was still in Bandarawela ……… why get me to come all the way to Colombo on my little Honda up hills and down valleys ……. and stop and ask me millimetres from the destination?

                    Someday, I’m gonna sit down and write a book ……. a book Rajpal will never claim he wrote; not in a million years! …….. Ranil will never add it to his library.

                    Even though it’s the distilled pure truth about the human-condition ……… there’ll be riots in the temples, churches to burn it. …….. The virtuous will line up to disown it and to be seen and be counted.

                    Such is life!

                • 1
                  1

                  nimal fernando

                  “But true love ……….. that’s something Old Codger will have to teach me someday:”

                  Stop sucking your thumb … have your nappy changed.

                  • 0
                    0

                    This is the 3rd part of my earlier comment which got truncated.


                    Man, the girls instinctively know their onions, learned and passed-down through the ages ……. fending off and courting/trapping predatory men at the same time ……… they could’ve asked me on the phone if I was serious while I was still in Bandarawela ……… why get me to come all the way to Colombo on my little Honda up hills and down valleys ……. and stop and ask me millimetres from the destination?

                    Someday, I’m gonna sit down and write a book ……. a book Rajpal will never claim he wrote; not in a million years! …….. Ranil will never add it to his library.

                    Even though it’s the distilled pure truth about the human-condition ……… there’ll be riots in the temples, churches to burn it. …….. The virtuous will line up to disown it and to be seen and be counted.

                    Such is life!

              • 0
                0

                “I love women, Isn’t it why I have been living with one of them for a long time?”
                *
                I wonder how someone who loves ‘women’ restrict himself to just one?
                Sorry if this is a homewrecker question.

          • 2
            0

            Nimal
            “There is always, always, always ……. a positive twist for everything, eh OC? :))”
            Yesss!
            People who leased cars in Sri Lanka complain about having to pay 30% interest. But wouldn’t you love to get 22% on your dollar investments like the pensioners here?
            Why do you think Sinhala Man watches so many dodgy videos at 2.23 a.m ?
            1. He can’t hear his wife.
            2. It costs peanuts.

            • 0
              0

              This is the 3rd part of my earlier comment which got truncated.


              Man, the girls instinctively know their onions, learned and passed-down through the ages ……. fending off and courting/trapping predatory men at the same time ……… they could’ve asked me on the phone if I was serious while I was still in Bandarawela ……… why get me to come all the way to Colombo on my little Honda up hills and down valleys ……. and stop and ask me millimetres from the destination?

              Someday, I’m gonna sit down and write a book ……. a book Rajpal will never claim he wrote; not in a million years! …….. Ranil will never add it to his library.

              Even though it’s the distilled pure truth about the human-condition ……… there’ll be riots in the temples, churches to burn it. …….. The virtuous will line up to disown it and to be seen and be counted.

              Such is life!

          • 1
            0

            Nimal,
            This economic union thing wouldn’t be a bad idea, if it’s allowed to happen. Here are two electricity bill calculators, from India and Sri Lanka.
            130 units cost 7200 LKR here.
            130 units cost 2200 LKR in India.
            https://cebcare.ceb.lk/Incognito/BillCalculator
            https://kseb.in/bill_calculator_v12/

            • 0
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              Thanks, OC.


              Shall take a peek later ….. I’m watching Trump’s shindig.

              • 1
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                nimal fernando

                You like/love admire Tiruvengadam Velupillai Prabaharan hence I am assuming you also like/love admire Trump especially after January 6th?

        • 5
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          Dear OC and all sensitive thinkers,
          .
          I know the following information is not relevant to the current article.

          However, I have tried to see why people in our country have become so stupid in the last 15 years.. Now I question myself why ? …. I have to say what made Sri Lanka sink so deep. This will explain to you why the people blindly trusted Rajapaksa and his stupid henchmen again and again.
          .
          I am now slowly realizing why the whole lot of srilanken turned out to be eternal idiots.
          The video below is from 2013 ( 10 years ago)

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvHNXydzwlE

          Some German doctors I know (gastroenterologists and proctocologists) revealed me meter-long tapeworms being found by them in the intestines of his Moroccan patients that later migrated to europe.

          This brave BUDDHIST MONK and his team always try to save this helpless nation. , however, the Sri Lankan media and Rajapakse politics have acted against the fearless action of the great monk.
          .
          I did not know that Professor Pathegama Ghanissara or similar rarely found monks fought against misleading the nation with witchcraft.

          Some expatriate Sri Lankans bring true accounts of their own experiences that no other people around the world are controlled by SORCERY than the Sri Lankan average.

  • 12
    15

    I don’t know how you measure thing you call depth of mind, however if you say so I will let go.
    It is reassuring that amidst the sad looking Sri Lankans making a living on big talk, little tricks ,world’s sympathy and manipulating rules to become economic refugees, there are people like Jayasinghe and RW making other philosophers of the world nervous !
    We have got IMF loans 15 times before.
    When do you think we will become the second Singapore ? I suppose for that you will have to return and take over a government ministry-perhaps Information and education ?
    OC will become Governor of the central bank.
    Vedda for cultural affairs.
    Of course RW will be President ( unelected)

    • 6
      0

      Sorcery became the national drink of Rajapakse politics. Across the village, this became spread like a wild fire and made them like Mahinda Pariah. I have spoken with university lectuerers that have turned out to be blind forever.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__e9E6AypxE
      .
      No matter what education they had, people trusted them more. With the direct support of Pachavahini ( Is it not the high time to hang DILITH JAYAWEERA AND RENO SILVA AND SOME OF SIRASA ?)
      . The person wearing a “red shoulder strap” is similar to Mahinda Rajapaksa and his so called ” fake wisdom”. in this video. I beg you guys to study it closely.

      All this is out of Ranil’s attention.His men would not allow him to fall that deep.

      That will perhaps be a luck for the srilanken nation.
      .
      That may be why the whole world now thinks that the dark cloud over the sky of Sri Lanka is dissapearing.

    • 4
      0

      deepthi ^ silva

      “When do you think we will become the second Singapore ?”

      What a silly question?
      Why do you stupid people both Tamils and Sinhalese want to mimic Singapore?
      Can’t you even imagine something better than Singapore?
      What it shows is that you stupid people cannot see beyond your nose.
      How sad.

      “Vedda for cultural affairs.”

      Thanks
      My first initiative at the job will be to ban our own apes wearing suite and tie aping white-man in warm/hot weather.

      People should be conversing in one language only at any given time out of Tamil, English or Sinhalese, banning Tanglish, Singlish, ….

      However I do not intent to carry someone else’s …… Therefore I am with due respect reject your thoughtful offer.

      • 0
        0

        Native,
        “My first initiative at the job will be to ban our own apes wearing suite and tie aping white-man in warm/hot weather.”
        The second should be to give a life sentence to that self-important idiot Janaka Ratnayaka, who seems to wear a tuxedo (?) even in the bathroom.

  • 8
    4

    What is Ranils plan for the development of this country? Instead of rubbishing other parties which is the typical Sinhalese mentality, tell us in detail.

    • 3
      0

      TY, Did Ranil promise Rice from the moon or a Dharmishta society or a Land like no other or Vistas of splendour? No, in fact he promised the opposite, decades of problems and difficulties due to seventy years of bad government. He has told the truth. If you cannot be bothered to read his plans that are freely available online don’t expect others to waste CT’s bandwith explaining them here.

  • 13
    7

    ‘Like to know if our vociferous and fiery Opposition leaders know what Quad is? What “Aukus Pact” is? Sajith, are you there? Anura Kumar, are you there. What the Ukraine war means to Sri Lanka? Do they know of our potential in Africa?’
    .
    Excellent article. Sajith is still trying to figure out why he is called Padman.

    • 0
      0

      “Sajith is still trying to figure out why he is called Padman.”
      He tried his best to be called a Busman instead, but that dd not work.

  • 5
    1

    Shyamon

    I don’t share your confidence in Ranil (that went out of the window a few years ago) but I do agree that out of a sorry bunch, RW is probably the best option. To his credit, the economic meltdown was controlled & the IMF loan too, was his ‘baby’ but its a sip of water to a man dying of thirst, not enough to quench it. At the end of the day, it is a not a grant but a loan that adds to the debt burden.

    I have yet to read about RW’s zoom conference with Harvard intellectuals & his strategy for economic recovery but so far, I have seen only the NPP manifesto, which, impressive as it is, lacks the numbers as to how they intend to raise the necessary funding for growth, & the SJB, despite the much hyped international exposure of its leader, seem to be keeping their strategy still under wraps.

    As for corruption, are you implying that there was no such irregularities? Then, the IMF was wrong to assume so? Was it be just bad luck (pandemic? etc) or collective misjudgement by those at the top that brought the country down? Pandora Papers were fake or were they legal offshore investments & no laundering was involved? Just to close the argument once & for all, wouldn’t an independent investigation be appropriate?

  • 3
    1

    Well, if he can can bleed Pottuwa dry, it will be a good thing. Won’t happen of course. They have already given the money for the fuel, so they are done with giving any more of the stashed money. Only people who can force the whole thing back is the JVP- NPP.

    As for the trade with Africa, Asia, India, undersea cables and all that, those vistas of prosperity can be achieved even better with nationalized asset redistribution towards the Masses (JVP-NPP forte)….no more big- honcho hugging of country assets just because it is a lazy and uncomplicated way to do business.

  • 0
    0

    ………..Catch the devil and get the robbed money and run the country with that……
    This is the chorus of the JVP/ SJB says Shyamon from down under.

    Catch Me if you can[ Remember the Hollywood film ] is the Rajapakse Chorus.
    But apart from fun, the Million Dollar Question is where are the Billions parked?

    • 2
      0

      Plato,
      “the Million Dollar Question is where are the Billions parked?”
      The 64 million dollar Question is, why would a crook with even a million dollars in hand want to live here?
      A Billion dollars will bring you about 4 million a month in interest.
      You could live in luxury anywhere.
      My guess is is the billions are highly exaggerated.

      • 2
        0

        OC,
        .
        I think more than 18 billion dollars are parked in Dubai. Rajakash and the Sri Lankan Court still keep the mutual secret of the Pandora investment. How many more such investments are hidden? There is no doubt that the lightning and thunder weather will treat adequally Mahinda Rajapaksa soon. People suffer because of looting tactics.

        I think they also have Seychelles, Uganda and Belarus. All these enormous wealth were accumulated illegally. There is no room for Mahinda to live in Sri Lanka in a civilized world.

        But our people are trained from childhood to see a rabbit seen in the moon and will believe anything, images of Buddha in the sky are discreet and any radiation can be named “Buddha”. Even if professorships are like training parrots to talk (Jayasumanaya and Dr Safi saga theories remember ?) – they will not change the ingrained mentality that keeps thieves in the state forever.

        Avant-garde gods – what happened to Nishanka Balupathi today? N. was the first to leave the country after Gota was expelled.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-L5FBl1FD0
        .
        Since then they have bought various other properties in Australia, US and Seychelles.

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