By Asoka S. Seneviratne –

Prof. Asoka.S. Seneviratne

The upcoming presidential election on 21 September 2024 in Sri Lanka, among many candidates and under the leadership of Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), a grassroots champion, and his dedicated team, will be a turning point and holds immense promise. This election will not only signal the end of the people’s longstanding struggles and sufferings in political, economic, and social spheres, rooted in the divisive ‘Walawwa” or “Class” politics since 1948, but also herald the dawn of a New Era. This new era will be characterized by peaceful and democratic change, aligning with the aspirations of the people and the nation for a harmonious and beautiful life for all in a united Sri Lanka. The NPP‘s vision for a united Sri Lanka brings reassurance and confidence, promising a future of harmony and prosperity for all Sri Lankans.

21 September 2024 will mark the turning point of the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948 for many reasons. Since its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has been governed by “Walawwa” or “Class” politics in which voters are divided and cast their votes for the candidates of particular “Walawwa” or “Class” of green and blue colour. It is indeed a choice of two generations of voters who exited there in 1948 (i.e., dead), born in and after 1948, maybe still surviving after 76 years; if so, it is excellent as they can feel and see the difference in the country after 21 September 2024.  A new group, “Aragalaya”, emerged between the two generations mentioned above. This group, led by young people, stood for a united Sri Lanka, offering a fresh perspective on the country’s political, economic, and social landscape. This 3rd group or generation was founded on the country’s political, economic, and social bankruptcy and hence the not ending hardship people faced for many future generations. In other words, except for the NPP, different political parties caused the bankruptcy and are now proposing solutions, which is the most hilarious aspect of Sri Lanka’s politics. Indeed, this is not a new phenomenon because the “cause” and “solution” game has been part and parcel of the country and people since 1948, broadening the gap between the rich and the poor among many injustices caused to the masses. This article aims to indicate how NPP will end the “Walawwa Politics” after winning the presidential election on 21 September 2024, a topic of great interest and importance to Sri Lankans. The voters’ right decision in this transformation is crucial, as it will not only end the disaster caused over the last 76 years but also mark the beginning of a NEW ERA for a beautiful life, gradually coming out from all forms of hardships the country faced. Under NPP leadership, we can look forward to a future vastly different from our past, filled with hope and anticipation that will undoubtedly be met under the leadership of AKD and his colleagues.

New Political Leadership

Any political movement is a matter of leadership because “Leader leads, managers manage.” The leader of NPP, Anura Kuanara Dissanayake (AKD), and his committed colleagues do not belong to the “Walawwa” or “ Class”  politics mentioned above but to the “grassroots class”  or the ordinary class of the masses, the ultimate difference. This class has existed since 1948, but the politicians of “Walawwa” and “Class” suppressed their survival brutally in 1971/72 and 1988/89. But it emerged under the banner of United Sri Lanka in 2022, Aragalaya, causing the then president of Sri Lanka to leave the country after two years of serving as president. With the conviction that the caretaker president has taken the country for a ride since July 2022, the voters have determined to defeat him democratically because he is not honest and genuine as he publicly stated he is a cunning politician, only power greed.

Given the above, AKD, a village lad or champion opposite to the current president, will become the president of Sri Lanka, fulfilling the required change the country wanted since 1948. As I stated above, leadership is a matter that is corruption-free, not convicted by the law of courts, transparent, accountable, genuine, honest, and generally having all leadership traits, including utmost commitment to look after the people and the country, providing a beautiful life for all.  Most importantly, the village lad and his colleagues will ensure a peaceful transition of power because the people and the county can enjoy the transition of power that they waited for 76 years. In other words, it is the celebration and enjoyment of a united Sri Lanka under the leadership of AKD, a vision that should fill you with hope and optimism for the future.

Economic Changes After 21 September 2024 – Immediate Measures

There is a massive challenge for the NPP, among many, because mounting hardships are the main reason people want the NPP in power on 21 September 2024. The people and the country need many aspects of the economic changes, both short-term and long-term. First, the NPP will ensure that people suffering due to the increasing cost of living will be helped by reducing taxes as far as possible. Second, the NPP will look after the people who need government assistance or social protection for survival. The above two measures will help all households, particularly low and middle income. Most importantly, the above measures will be undertaken with utmost transparency and accountability; in other words, people who need help and assistance from the government will receive such  and assistance treating as a whole as Sri Lankans with no form of discrimination or injustice.

The Concept Of All-Inclusiveness In Development

Many people do not know the meaning of “economic growth” and “economic development” and how they are related to the struggle for survival. Any production of a good or service is an outcome of a combination of four factors of production: land, labor, capital, and management or entrepreneurship, for which rent, wage, interest, and profit are paid to four factors as their use or utilization in production. If you get any good or service, you can see the inclusion of the above four production factors and their respective payment as indicated above. Given the above, the NPP’s involvement in the economy is based on the concept of “Inclusive economic growth” and  “Economic development,” and this is the foundation of the global goals and 2030 Agenda of the UN for Sustainable Development to end poverty and hunger and many other objectives. It is pertinent to indicate that Sri Lanka is a signatory to the UN Agenda 2030. Given the above, NPP will help and assist all who want to work (i.e., employment) and contribute to producing goods and services and receiving regular incomes, which is the foundation for a decent and beautiful life.

At the same time, the government can collect taxes as government revenue for its expenditures for health, education, etc. Currently, unemployment is rising, which means many people are in poverty, and Sri Lanka is producing below its capacity at full employment. At the same time, the government cannot get the potential level of taxes of about 16 percent; it is a dilemma. This means that the inclusive economic growth concept is not working or has not been adopted in the country. Still, the NPP will do the right thing in the right direction so that everyone who wants to work will have employment and, among many, will be provided with regular income for a beautiful life for all. At the same time, the government can increase collection tax revenue towards  16 percent.  Given all the above, economic growth is related to value addition in production. In contrast, according to the concept, economic development is a national cake of which all will get an equal share as far as possible, and NPP will ensure it.

Increase Local Production In Competition

Many politicians hardly committed to local production replacing imports or Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI). They cannot understand the popular concept in the 1060s and 1970s in Sri Lanka under various protections given to ISI. It must be understood that Sri Lanka imports many items that can be produced along with its comparative advantage, particularly the labor and intensive and extensive use of land; Sri Lanka is not expected to import eggs, potatoes, chilies, onions, and many more. In short, the importation of the above means Sri Lanka supports employment creation concerning the world and the drain of valuable foreign exchange. The NPP will stop the above because local production and demand can be fulfilled with local producers, using a producer-friendly approach while protecting the consumers; instead, imports make small groups of people rich, widening the gap between the rich and the poor, among many disadvantages to the country.    

In the past, Sri Lanka enjoyed the local production of steel, textiles, and fertilizer, including exports and many more; the NPP government will encourage investment in these areas where long-term survival is the aim. Regarding the above, NPP will encourage local production in a competition similar to South Korea because such an approach to production can survive or sustain itself based on improved efficiency and adopting the latest technology and management. Accordingly, ISI will become a meaningful economic development strategy with NPP, enlarging the economy’s size in many ways.

Export Driven Development

This is one of the focuses of the NPP’s development agenda. Also, this is the topic that the current president wants to debate with AKD, along with aid and support from the IMF. Indeed, it is not a topic to debate because the NPP knows the importance of export development well, as the country needs to earn increasing foreign exchange to meet import requirements and foreign debt repayment obligations. Also, it is not exporting vs ISI, as the current president wants to imply. As per NPP, the country needs export development or production and ISI; there is no contradiction between ISI and export development because ISL will be encouraged differently as required, and expert development will be encouraged to earn more foreign exchange. There is no contradiction at all or no debatable topics for the NPP.

Regarding the export development strategy, the NPP will not export anything as raw materials except value added based on land, labor, capital, and profits, supporting economic growth and development and enlarging the size of the economy in many ways. The focus of export development is new products, and the NPP focuses on new markets. The NPP will work with the private sector, of which Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a crucial factor. In short, FDI flow will be encouraged by providing and facilitating all FDI needs; a corruption and fraud-free NPP government is like a magnet for FDI.

The tourism sector is one of the crucial areas of the NPP economic development agenda. Currently, many authorities look after the industry’s interests. The NPP government will increase the sector’s efficiency and effectiveness. The goal is for tourists to feel it is worth coming to Sri Lanka because they get maximum satisfaction, so they spend each dollar in the country.

Encouragement For Knowledge-Driven Economy

This is a new development area or strategy by NPP. Traditionally, Sri Lanka produces, consumes locally, and exports tangible goods such as tea, rubber, apparel, spices, and many more, as well as services such as tourism. For the above, we use the four factors of production: land, labor, capital, and management. When we refer to labor, it is skills and experience. In the knowledge-driven economy, it is a subsector of labor, innovation, and invention, fundamentally using Information Technology or IT base. It is unprecedentedly dynamic, and its growth is immeasurable or rapid, such as mobile phones, electronic cars, Google, and UBER services. The education system should be improved for a knowledge-driven economy that produces qualified people in various IT fields. As IT is dynamic, the demand for IT professionals is increasing, and it is getting marked as 200,000 IT experts will be demanded in 2025 globally and will be increasing. Given the above, Sri Lanka cannot live in isolation, and the NPP is fully committed to working for an IT-driven or knowledge-driven economy, particularly part and part of the export-driven economy, to get the best benefit of the IT demand in the world.

National Unity And Harmony

Regarding the social development, the NPP means national unity and harmony. For NPP, all citizens in the country are family, with no discrimination, and hence, all are the same. This is a critical aspect of social development, while all cultural values are respected and accepted. In other words, NPP does not belong to the North, The South, the West, and the East. It belongs to the whole country; hence, it is committed to the entire country by heart because laws and rules alone are insufficient for a united country and for a beautiful life for all.

*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 writer can be contacted at asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com