- Nation building and Covid-19 pandemic control call for a more co-operative approach
- Has Parliament, which possesses a majority power, been able to find different options other than borrowing more and more, and the sale of valuable national resources to overcome the economic crisis that we face at the moment?
- How many Executive Presidents and how many Parliaments with a two-thirds majority have failed consistently to resolve the issue on teachers pay which had been dragged on for a period of over 25 years?
- Have the 225 Members of Parliament (MPs) who were entrusted with the financial control of the country and the ruling faction which has a two-thirds majority been able to control and arrest the inflation in the country?
- What are the long-term policies formulated by successive governments (including MPs) that ruled the country during the last 73 years?
- How many members of both the ruling party and the Opposition have been able to engage in an intellectual dialogue in Parliament without resorting to the issues of power politics?
- How many times have MPs exercised their vote against their conscience?
- How many times have MPs raised their hands in Parliament expressing their consent for Acts which were diametrically opposed from one another?
- How many constitutional amendments and amendments to different Acts of Parliament that are detrimental to the country have MPs supported knowingly?
- Have the 225 MPs been able to find a remedy for the Covid-19 pandemic? Or at least, have they been able to initiate an intellectual dialogue on this issue in the Legislature?
- Has the majority power succeeded in preventing the plunder of public money which is being pillaged by politicians through various means?
- Have the rulers been able to provide goods and services to the people according to an acceptable standard?
- To set up a mechanism to provide accurate information to the public
- Conduct all government activities in a manner that builds public confidence
- Honesty and commitment: The Government and all politicians representing the Government should act in a manner that will prove practically that they work sincerely to build the country and are prepared to make necessary sacrifices for that
- Controversial amendments to the Constitution and other Acts should be suspended temporarily
- Unnecessary expenditure by heads of the Government should be cut and limited to basic amenities only
- Arrogant and supercilious statements made by politicians should be stopped. Especially statements that cause unrest or disunity among professionals and provoke the public should be stopped
- A mature politician with discipline and restraint should be appointed as a spokesman to make statements on behalf of the Government
- All parties represented in Parliament, irrespective of the majority power held by the Government, should be convened to form an “all-party government” for a short period of time or an alternative mechanism for working collectively
- All derogatory political criticisms, except intellectual dialogues, must be stopped for a short time
- All trade unions that raise trade union issues should be convened and they should discuss their issues honestly, and we should request them to be patient for a reasonable time to resolve them (issues) and persuade them to agree to work to the best of their ability
- All civil forces should be gathered and co-ordinated and their support should be obtained
- A mechanism must be set up to mobilise local entrepreneurs who have the potential to boost the Sri Lankan economy and point out the importance and value of their contribution at the moment
- Win over people in this exercise by demonstrating the sincerity of the intentions and commitment of the Government. The people will certainly not hesitate to donate even their personal resources to the government if the Government is capable of convincing the public of its honesty
- In the meantime, the support of all parties represented in Parliament and experts should be sought to formulate the necessary policies for long-term amendments