By Asoka S. Seneviratne –

Prof. Asoka.S. Seneviratne

NPP is a people-centered political movement. The primary purpose of the movement is the broader economic and social development of the country, a beacon of hope above petty politics, thereby ushering in the overall improvement of the Sri Lankan economy while safeguarding the nation’s true democracy. The Mission and Vision statements have smartly enveloped the masses in the country, both ordinary people as well as all professional groups and intellectuals, which is the foundation of the movement. NPP exists for a well-connected and harmonious Sri Lankan community without considering their ethnic origin, religious belief, or social background. Having clean hands, the NPP’s determination to deal with rampant corruption, fraud, waste, and misuse of resources seems to be the foundation on which all economic policies and programs are deeply rooted. It seems that the NPP is committed to changing the way of brewing, bottling, and offering or presenting wine against the old story of the exact wine in a new bottle.  Given the above, NPP is the unrivalled choice in Sri Lanka politics.

Introduction

This article aims to present the reasons why the NPP (National People’s Power) has no substitute nor an alternative in the political arena of Sri Lanka. Since its establishment in 2015 by a well-committed, dedicated, and educated small group of people, the movement has not only garnered strong support from all life folks in the motherland and overseas but also achieved significant milestones. In realizing its goal, the NPP has prepared a well-crafted Mission and Vision to save our mother Lanka. Currently, the movement is in the process of its accomplishment, and no other political party or leader can dream of doing something even closer to what NPP has brought about. This track record of success reinforces the audience’s confidence in the movement’s capabilities. We all look forward to the tremendous success of the NPP based on its Mission and Vision statements in the context of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. 

Mission and Vision of NPP

The Mission of NPP is centered on social justice and equal opportunities for all in the context of inclusive economic growth (i.e. people who are capable and willing to participate and contribute to the production process can do so, thereby benefiting the output at the same time) and the agenda of sustainable development goals declared in 2016 by the UN. The Vision of NPP is aimed at a decent life for all by dismantling all barriers and hindrances 

created by petty politics. Since its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has been plagued with rampant corruption, nepotism, fraud, waste, and mismanagement of its precious resource base, which has caused the paralysis of the economy at various times. Under the prevailing political framework, the educated and the skilled people have no place in the economy, resulting in the outflow of brains into more affluent countries. Given the above scenario, the cornerstone of the vision crafted by NPP is to eradicate the root causes that hinder economic growth, and fulfill the expectations of the masses for a better and decent life with security, leading to the country’s overall economic development. Ironically, NPP, having a genuine interest and commitment to the nation’s development, has orchestrated the well-thought-out Vision. This is in full swing at present. Of particular note is that the Mission and Vision created by the NPP are stunningly outstanding in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. Hence, no other political parties and leaders can come even near NPP. It is indeed a unique political movement in the history of Mother Lanka in many ways, gathering jealousy from many who do not have their counter-strategy for the country.

NPP is Grassroots-Oriented

NPP is a movement which has its roots in the grassroots. This bottom-up process gives it solid strength, absolute power, high quality, and profound value. The livelihood of most people in Sri Lanka is agriculture, including plantations, of which rural areas are a part and parcel. Because the large majority of the population is rural, a large share of the educated lot in the country is rural-based, too.  In this context, the substantial contribution of farmers and the educated lot to the economic growth and development of the country is profoundly significant. However, because of marginalization and lack of opportunities, a growing number of families become destitute, requiring outside support for their very survival. Since the welfare and well-being of the majority in the country have been neglected by all successive governments since independence, NPP is committed to addressing and resolving this ever-widening disparity created by all political parties and leaders. In short, NPP is fully engaged and has a solid professional and intellectual base to wipe out the above disparity and thereby bring about equality in life opportunities across borders. Because of this inimitable style of NPP, it is neither a substitute nor an alternative in Sri Lanka politics at present or in the future.

High Degree of Foresight, Strategic Approach, Transparency, and Accountability of NPP

Foresight, Strategic approach, Transparency, and Accountability are the four (4) cornerstones of NPP. Many countries can achieve their expected prosperity and progress mainly with the clean hands of the country’s political leaders. This means that there is no involvement in corruption, nepotism, fraud, bribes, waste and misuse of resources, hypocrisy, or good governance.  Applying the above principles, there is plenty of unbreakable evidence that the political leadership of NPP is unique compared to all other leaders and political parties plagued with untold scores of misdeeds, corruption, and offenses. With this unique and crystal-clear feature of NPP’s political leadership, its leaders can move with the public freely whilst not having any fear of addressing public rallies or meeting people across the country.  Masses have high regard and acceptance for the NPP for its transparency and accountability. Hence, the leaders of NPP have neither fear nor suspicion about any backlash or stone-throw directed at them by the general masses.  In short, the hands of NPP’s political leaders are flawless from misdeeds, corruption, and guilt.

NPP is Inclusive of Communities

NPP exists for a well-connected and harmonious Sri Lankan community without considering their ethnic origin, religious belief, or social background. NPP Leaders use the same language, vocabulary, and substance to address the public rallies in the country’s North, South, East, and West. NPP’s strategy for development advocates the four pillars centered around the basic needs, namely, food, shelter, education, and health, to ensure a happy life and longevity for all. Ensuring safety and security while protecting human rights is also part and parcel of their political strategy and commitment to the country’s development. In parallel, all other political parties and leaders have different or hidden agendas to address public rallies in the country’s North, South, East, and West, which is a well-known fact. Given the above, most public rallies are meant to mislead or cheat the masses by promising short-term benefits, mainly food, cash, or personal gains, which have no place in the sustainable development of human beings. Even if it has been too late since 1948, the masses have understood the above fact in the right direction, which will make a turning point in the country’s economic, social, and political compass in 2024.

NPP Leaders Have Nothing to Conceal/Hide

The NPP movement has its strong base anchored in the masses, is people-focused, and hence is reinforced by the very people. Leaders and members of the NPP can mingle freely with the masses without being rejected or insulted by people. They address the masses on what they practice. What they say and practice are the same, which is unique. They do not have anything to hide or cover up or conceal. They do not portray faces that suit different situations, locations, and circumstances. Everything within the movement is open, frank, and transparent. The leaders are among the ordinary people who do not indulge in luxury life. They face economic and social problems similar to those of the general masses. As a matter of principle, NPP condemns stealing public assets and their accumulation for their benefit and the next generation. The lifestyle of the leaders of the NPP is simple, humble, and highly valued and appreciated by all. They live with the people and adopt a down-to-earth strategy.

NPP Leaders are Professional, Productive, and Constructive

Compared to most leaders of all other political parties, the leaders of NPP are truly constructive and meaningful in their speeches in Parliament. This is a unique feature to be highlighted. They are always professional and intellectual; their speeches and explanations are full of facts and address to the point. They do not engage in the practice of mud-slinging at others either in the parliament or outside. They participate and contribute to parliamentary debates well-prepared and planned, ensuring the value of public money. They are not shaken by any unexpected event or move in the parliament. They have a habit of smiling and taking in insults and abuse with a smile. They respect and strictly follow the rules and procedures established within this institution. They maintain the utmost calmness and sincerity when any unexpected behavior and responses are mounted against them in the Parliament. These are unique characteristics of the NPP’s parliamentary group that no party or other leader comes close to.

The NPP’s Economic Policies and Programs are Somewhat Self-reliance 

The writer has heard that only the NPP wants to prepare a 5-year economic development plan, which is an excellent idea in the right direction. Other partiers and leaders talk about ad hoc economic policies and programs to please the people attending the public rallies or when they meet people, particularly in the North and East. None have a clear vision or solid ideas for the country’s development. Instead, it seems NPP has solid ideas, policies, and programs and a two-pronged approach to the country’s development. The aforementioned two-pronged approach appears to be somewhat self-reliance.   

First, the NPP’s determination to deal with rampant corruption, waste, and misuse of resources seems to be the foundation on which all economic policies and programs are deeply rooted. The eradication of the above will create a conducive and inclusive atmosphere for stable economic growth and sustainable development. Indeed, the open truth is that Sri Lanka has abundant resources to provide a better life for people on par with the developed countries.  It is a matter of proper organization and management of resources effectively and efficiently to generate the expected outcome. In a broader sense, this is indeed in the context of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, leading to proper and fair income distribution.  This is the necessary primary condition to bring about a better balance in the national budget, not resorting to any form of (a) excessive taxes, (b) money printing, and (b) foreign borrowing because these three sources affect the welfare and well-being of the masses at present and in the future.  In short, the above conviction is at the heart of the NPP’s economic policies and programs.

The second concern of NPP seems to be the foreign exchange that comes under the Balance of Payment, or BOP. The current massive foreign debt is part and parcel of BOP. It appears that NPP is insightful and strategic in how to deal with substantial foreign debt. Given the above, it appears that NPP has realized that Sri Lanka has enormous potential to save foreign exchange and maximize foreign exchange earnings.

Savings of foreign exchange have been an utterly neglected fact in Sri Lanka since the mid-1980s. It seems that NPP is committed to addressing and resolving the above under the umbrella of ‘organization and management of massive resource base of the country’ along with the concept of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. There is no doubt that the farmers can produce and feed the nation without depending on the rest of the world. Currently, a substantial portion of consumption in Sri Lanka helps the income generation of the farmers of the rest of the world, depriving the massive and increasing benefit of ‘forward and backward linkages of local production’ to the local farmers and hence the consumers. This has been a tragedy.

It seems that the concern of maximizing the potential for earning foreign exchange of the NPP is related to (a) extensive and intensive value addition to our raw material working collaboratively with the private sector, (b) export product and market diversification (c) inverted remittances and  (d) the export of tourism among many other ventures is huge. The NPP’s concern to integrate with world trade extensively and intensively because Sri Lanka’s share of world trade is at a low ebb is commendable and, hence, in the right direction.

Regarding the NPP’s concern for savings and maximizing foreign exchange earnings, the writer’s experience working with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for over 20 years, there are long delays in adding export earnings to the country’s reserves, which is a huge problem. Sri Lanka needs to address this strategically and resolve it meaningfully and systematically to get the best benefit from export earnings. It seems that the NPP has the utmost focus on the above problem, which is strategic and central only to the NPP, while other political parties are highly reliant on borrowing from IMF/WB and other sources and selling national assets, paving the way for a disastrous impact that future generations too will suffer extensively. In short, when the concern and focus on economic policies and programs of the NPP, it does want to follow the traditional paths that give different names and meanings for liberal and neoliberal ideology by the opposition leaders and parties.  It seems that the NPP is committed to changing the way of brewing, bottling, and offering or presenting wine against the old story of the exact wine in a new bottle.   

In short, the economic growth and development policies, programs, and strategies of the NPP appear to be geared towards self-reliance, which is practical and achievable when other parties and leaders have mere words (e.g., dealing with rampant corruption and fraud), follow political ideologies, and are highly dependent on assistance and advice from the IMF/WB and other sources, which is unfortunate in many ways.     

*The writer worked as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia and was a Senior Consultant with UNDP. 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