16 February, 2025

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Time To Unite Patriots & Need To Tighten Eligibility Criteria For Nomination

By Sunil J. Wimalawansa

Prof Sunil J. Wimalawansa

The President and his National People’s Power (NPP) must focus on eliminating corruption at every level of the government, reducing waste, and curtailing unnecessary imports and governmental expenses. NPP must earn the public’s trust by doing the right things for the people and the country as promised and minimizing/eliminating errors in decision-making and actions.

In addition, through its expert panels, it must introduce (new) technology into agriculture to enhance its crop output, including appropriate types of fertilizer, promote digitalization, enhance research and development across departments and universities, and modernize communications and education to meet the near future needs.

People expect the new President to revoke economically unsound, unwarranted, or harmful contracts and agreements, such as those made by the previous interim President. Notably, some of these agreements compromise the nation’s sovereignty and the unitary nature of Sri Lanka, which cannot be allowed to compromise. In addition, draconian and undemocratic decrees and laws enacted by the previous administrations to benefit politicians (but not the public or the country) should also be repealed, protecting and upholding freedom of speech and Buddhism.

Short-term actions

In parallel, enacting anti-corruption laws and re-establishing independent committees and councils with legal authority are essential to maintaining law and order and eliminating corruption. Additionally, the judiciary must remain free from interference by the executive and legislative branches, especially from the privileged—this is essential to safeguarding the country’s integrity and international credibility.

Qualified, experienced examiners (not police officers) must be appointed to investigate bribery and corruption (Committees and Councils). They must operate with complete independence and legal powers, free from political or governmental interference. Their findings should be publicly disclosed through newspapers and government websites for public access. Criminal referrals should be directed to the attorney general for prosecution of offenders.

These measures will make the administrative and social systems more efficient and boost business opportunities and productivity in the medium to long term. Reducing regulatory burdens and taxes will further facilitate this process (the opposite of what the last President did). NPP Should emphasize enhancing local production and ensuring proper storage and distribution of products, thus making them available at affordable prices instead of relying on imports (mostly done for commissions).

Medium-term actions

Organic farming is not the way forward when the country is bankrupt, with severe food shortages and people are starving. Ensuring safe storage (e.g., refrigerated transportation and storage facilities and distribution) of perishable foods would preserve nourishment and minimize wastage. In addition to enhancing R&D, making available affordable, appropriate, cost-effective fertilizers and pesticides at recommended amounts, as per the guidance from the Department of Agriculture, would significantly increase agricultural output, food security, and sufficiency.

In the medium to longer term, these will make the systems more efficient and increase business opportunities and productivity. Reducing regulatory burdens and taxes would facilitate this process. Emphasizing local production and proper distribution of products at an affordable cost, over importation, is another crucial step. These steps will increase all agricultural outputs and ensure safe storage and distribution.

IMF Conditions and Suppression of Economic Growth

Despite claims to the contrary, the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) do little to foster economic development in Sri Lanka, increase GDP, or ease loan repayments. While the IMF currently provides a platform for negotiating loan repayment structures with other entities, it also acts as an obstacle to implementing real growth and GDP expansion solutions. Its programs often seem designed to prolong public suffering rather than address corruption, economic recovery, and sustainable growth, ultimately keeping the country in a state of dependence so that the West could control them (including setting up puppet governments).

The two and a half years under the caretaker government, led by a self-serving and ineffective leader alongside a corrupt cabinet, have yielded no tangible progress in restoring the economy or balancing the budget. Instead, these officials have enriched themselves at the taxpayers’ expense. Any successes during this period have stemmed from the private sector’s internal efforts, independent of government policies. Notably, the interim President has unthinkingly and willingly accepted the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Lack of expertise to negotiate with IMF trickery

The poor agreement signed by the last government resulted from poor negotiating skills or ignorance, which is unclear. Despite the harmful impact of IMF conditions on the country and its people, the unelected President and cabinet remain focused solely on retaining power at any cost. Their only accomplishment was postponing payments (kicking the can), which led to the accumulation of more interest, proving disastrous.

Instead of reducing government expenses and jump-starting industries to spur growth and generate revenue, they imposed heavier tax burdens on individuals and businesses, further stifling economic growth. This approach merely enabled the President to use the additional tax revenue to pay the salaries of approximately 1.5 million government employees. The country did not need such an expensive cabinet—anyone could have done better.

The new government must take decisive steps to transition the country from a subsistent, loan-dependent consumption economy to a productive, dynamic one focused on local needs and value-added exports. Restructuring IMF loan conditions—potentially including loan forgiveness—will offer breathing room to transfer the loan to a more favorable country like Japan.

The NPP should also prioritize negotiating with the IMF for a more favorable agreement, outlining and implementing development programs to overcome the economic crisis, attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and carefully navigating geopolitical challenges.

Nominating Candidate for general and other elections

Upholding the democratic process in nominating candidates for public elections is crucial. Party leaders and headquarters should not be involved in selecting or recommending regional representatives or nominees; this responsibility must lie with the local residents. This approach is vital to prevent the nomination of corrupt individuals or unrepresentative candidates as favors from party leadership.

Political candidates for nomination must be selected from individuals who live “locally,” are committed to prioritizing the nation, oppose the sale of national assets, uphold sovereignty, and are dedicated to eliminating all forms of discrimination. Anyone with criminal convictions or liabilities should be prohibited from running for elected office or being appointed to public positions. False declarations and violations should be met with jail time and permanent disqualification from holding any public office.

In addition, election expenditures must be capped, and all political contributions above a specified amount must be disclosed, along with the donor’s information. This information should be made publicly available on a government website. Furthermore, all nominees for elected positions must disclose and certify their assets under oath for public scrutiny. Alongside enforcing strict term limits (e.g., two or three terms), these measures will help ensure qualified individuals receive nominations and reduce the likelihood of corrupt individuals gaining elected positions.

Replacing the Constitution

The current NPP leadership needs a people’s mandate in the upcoming general election to secure a significant majority in Parliament. This majority will empower them to fulfill their election promises and implement their proposed agenda. Most importantly, they must have enough parliamentary votes to replace the flawed Constitution with one that facilitates the separation of government branches and advances the country.

Due to the unnecessary costs, the NPP should rely on two-thirds of the parliamentary majority and not on a public referendum to replace the Constitution. However, the new Constitution must be free of loopholes, uphold law and order, ensure the judiciary is independent from external influences, and eliminate the executive presidency. To achieve the necessary two-thirds majority, the NPP will likely need to form a coalition with patriotic parties genuinely opposed to corruption and committed to preserving the nation’s sovereignty, such as Vinivida Padanama, to turn this vision into reality.

Furthermore, the latter represents the most relevant and legally sound draft of the Constitution to date, one that preserves democratic values and upholds law and order. The author urges NPP leadership, particularly President Dissanayake, to collaborate with Mr. Kodituwakku, a leading constitutional scholar, to adapt and refine it for the country’s best interests. Aside from ego, it is illogical to recreate the wheel or revert to an older version when an excellent constitution is already available, which Mr. Kodituwakku is willing to share for the country’s benefit.

Concluding Remarks

The government must not attempt to put band-aids (seek fiddling solutions) but tackle the root causes of financial mismanagement, eliminate harmful practices, reduce its size by a minimum of one-third, cut expenses to the bare minimum, curtail all unnecessary foreign trips and public expenses (be a role model), and establish strong oversight to prevent future issues.

The NPP leadership can expect to gain people’s confidence by taking decisive actions that the public demands. This approach would enable the NPP to secure a significantly larger majority in the next Parliament than the minimum required. This would allow it to implement an economic development plan to emerge from bankruptcy without relying on additional loans or raising taxes, thereby restoring public confidence.

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