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Leadership and action over politicians and words  

06 Jul 2022

There are a lot of debates these days as to whether Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is doing a good job, or at least good enough, after accepting the Premier post that some politicians refused to accept. However, one thing Sri Lanka realised over the past few months is that it is not just a proper leader, but a proper system led by a proper leader, that is needed to save the country. A proper leader is one who can win the confidence of both the public and/or Parliament, which consists of public representatives. In the case of Wickremesinghe and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, it is evident that they do not have the public mandate – Wickremesinghe did not garner enough votes to win a Parliamentary seat, while the public mandate given to the President has significantly changed. Whether the duo has the confidence of Parliament is also questionable, given recent political changes. Yesterday (5), the President had to leave the House amidst anti-President slogans chanted by the Opposition, while there are also protests being staged against the outside Parliament. If the two leaders want to exercise some self-respect and a conscience to prioritise the public’s demands, the first and foremost decision that needs to be taken is the President’s immediate resignation. Even though many argue that the President’s resignation does not necessarily mean the people’s survival, this decision can help pave the way for several much-needed changes. Following the President’s resignation, as some critics have already suggested, a caretaker Government should be established under the temporary and monitored leadership of the Prime Minister. Whoever is appointed as the next President – who will be in the post temporarily until an election is held – should be able to provide a list of measures that they will take to stabilise the economic and social crises within the coming few months, and that person should be held accountable for their words and actions in this regard. As the top priorities, the caretaker Government should take measures to ensure a steady supply of essentials such as food, medicines, and fuel, restructure the country’s debts while expediting any agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), reopen schools, ensure the equitable distribution of resources and end black markets, restructure State-owned enterprises including by privatising them and entering into public-private partnerships where suitable, and most importantly, ensure an uninterrupted flow of foreign exchange, including by introducing a proper plan to revive tourism, increase exports, encourage migrant workers, and cut down on unnecessary imports. Any leader who claims that they need power to resolve the current crisis should be able to come up with a proper plan followed by action to achieve the said targets. That is why introducing a Constitutional Amendment similar to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is also a priority. The new Government should have a leader who is answerable to Parliament, the people, and the law, and hence a Constitutional Amendment that balances the powers between the President and Parliament, or abolishes the Executive Presidency, is necessary.  Since the last Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, the people’s mandate and expectations of the Government have significantly changed. They are now more concerned about economic prosperity, which will be assessed through the immediate steps mentioned above. Therefore, after six months, or as soon as the country’s economy becomes stable enough to hold elections, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections should be held to allow the people to elect leaders that they think have done a good job during the tenure of the caretaker Government. The changes that the country needs are obvious, and one such change is establishing a proper system within which the right leader can perform their duties. At the same time, creating a suitable environment for potential leaders is a priority, and that is why the President’s resignation, and giving the opportunity to new leaders with a plan, among other changes, are necessary.


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