Even though there are mixed responses to the election of United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as President, he is now the country’s leader, and he will be, for at least a year. He will also be the one leading the talks with external parties in Sri Lanka’s quest for economic revival.
The next major appointment is that of a Prime Minister in order to fill the position that became vacant after Wickremesinghe took over the Presidency. Given the status quo of the country’s political, economic, and social affairs, the President and the Government have an undeniable responsibility to take this appointment of a new Prime Minister very seriously. This new Prime Minister should be someone who commands the confidence of the public – and that is non-negotiable.
It is no secret that even though Wickremesinghe was fortunate enough to reach the helm, he was unable to garner enough votes to become a Member of Parliament. We should also not forget that Sri Lanka still does not have a new Government, and that those running the country, especially the President and the Ministers, are politicians the people rejected along with former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Therefore, the President should identify this challenge, and bring in someone who has earned the people’s trust, preferably someone who has not faced major corruption-related charges.
Wickremesinghe is officially not a ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP. However, in reality, he has received the support of a large majority of the SLPP MPs, and the popular belief is that he is a friend of the Rajapaksas, at least in the case of his appointment as President. In this context, to give the people a sense of democracy within the Government that is going to be ruling the country for a year or more, and to actually be as democratic as possible, it is crucial to appoint a non-SLPP MP to the position of Prime Minister. It is advisable that the President pay attention to someone from an Opposition party who is known for acting independently and being rational.
We acknowledge the necessity and benefits of the Prime Minister and the President being able to be on the same page. However, this bond should be limited to a moderate level, and appointing a Prime Minister who blindly agrees with everything that the President does, or remains silent as if they do not exist – both of which Sri Lanka has seen on plenty of occasions – is a mistake Sri Lanka should not repeat.
The new Prime Minister should be a good negotiator, and a skilled intermediary between the Executive and the Legislature. This is because if the President actually decides to go for an all-party or multi-party Government, there will be diverse opinions and suggestions with regard to the future actions of the Government, and such should in turn be managed carefully.
In a context where the former President was known to many as a dictator created by the Executive powers of the Presidency, the Prime Minister has a role to prevent the same from happening to the new President, by making sure that Parliament and/or the other parties of the new Government and the President reach some consensus in their collective endeavours, and that different and opposing views are dealt with diplomatically.
It is through such efforts that the new Government can regain the people’s trust, and the Prime Minister has a huge role to play in this regard.
Another responsibility that the Prime Minister has to fulfil is paving the way for Constitutional amendments to bring back Constitutional provisions similar to those enacted through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Even though such will significantly reduce the President’s powers, it is the Prime Minister’s duty to ensure that this extremely necessary step is taken for the stability of the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary, and the country. What is more, when looking at the number of votes that the President received at the 20 July vote in Parliament, it is clear that obtaining a two-thirds majority vote for the passing of Bills will not pose a challenge to the new Government, and continuing that momentum throughout the tenure of the new all- or multi-party Government is something that the Prime Minister will have a lot to do concerning. Needless to say, implementing such Constitutional Amendments will increase the Prime Minister’s powers, which they have to use carefully.
Most importantly, passing important Bills that benefit the people will help reduce the opposition against the current President.
Both the people and the politicians are trying to ensure a change takes place, even though the politicians appear far less enthusiastic and have their own agendas in this process. However, at the end of the day, taking decisions that benefit the people should be the priority. The Prime Minister will certainly play an important role in the current political context, and therefore, when appointing a Prime Minister, it is important to focus on competencies and experience, rather than on personal interests or friendships.Not a ‘yes sir’ PM
22 Jul 2022
Not a ‘yes sir’ PM
22 Jul 2022
Even though there are mixed responses to the election of United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as President, he is now the country’s leader, and he will be, for at least a year. He will also be the one leading the talks with external parties in Sri Lanka’s quest for economic revival.
The next major appointment is that of a Prime Minister in order to fill the position that became vacant after Wickremesinghe took over the Presidency. Given the status quo of the country’s political, economic, and social affairs, the President and the Government have an undeniable responsibility to take this appointment of a new Prime Minister very seriously. This new Prime Minister should be someone who commands the confidence of the public – and that is non-negotiable.
It is no secret that even though Wickremesinghe was fortunate enough to reach the helm, he was unable to garner enough votes to become a Member of Parliament. We should also not forget that Sri Lanka still does not have a new Government, and that those running the country, especially the President and the Ministers, are politicians the people rejected along with former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Therefore, the President should identify this challenge, and bring in someone who has earned the people’s trust, preferably someone who has not faced major corruption-related charges.
Wickremesinghe is officially not a ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP. However, in reality, he has received the support of a large majority of the SLPP MPs, and the popular belief is that he is a friend of the Rajapaksas, at least in the case of his appointment as President. In this context, to give the people a sense of democracy within the Government that is going to be ruling the country for a year or more, and to actually be as democratic as possible, it is crucial to appoint a non-SLPP MP to the position of Prime Minister. It is advisable that the President pay attention to someone from an Opposition party who is known for acting independently and being rational.
We acknowledge the necessity and benefits of the Prime Minister and the President being able to be on the same page. However, this bond should be limited to a moderate level, and appointing a Prime Minister who blindly agrees with everything that the President does, or remains silent as if they do not exist – both of which Sri Lanka has seen on plenty of occasions – is a mistake Sri Lanka should not repeat.
The new Prime Minister should be a good negotiator, and a skilled intermediary between the Executive and the Legislature. This is because if the President actually decides to go for an all-party or multi-party Government, there will be diverse opinions and suggestions with regard to the future actions of the Government, and such should in turn be managed carefully.
In a context where the former President was known to many as a dictator created by the Executive powers of the Presidency, the Prime Minister has a role to prevent the same from happening to the new President, by making sure that Parliament and/or the other parties of the new Government and the President reach some consensus in their collective endeavours, and that different and opposing views are dealt with diplomatically.
It is through such efforts that the new Government can regain the people’s trust, and the Prime Minister has a huge role to play in this regard.
Another responsibility that the Prime Minister has to fulfil is paving the way for Constitutional amendments to bring back Constitutional provisions similar to those enacted through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Even though such will significantly reduce the President’s powers, it is the Prime Minister’s duty to ensure that this extremely necessary step is taken for the stability of the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary, and the country. What is more, when looking at the number of votes that the President received at the 20 July vote in Parliament, it is clear that obtaining a two-thirds majority vote for the passing of Bills will not pose a challenge to the new Government, and continuing that momentum throughout the tenure of the new all- or multi-party Government is something that the Prime Minister will have a lot to do concerning. Needless to say, implementing such Constitutional Amendments will increase the Prime Minister’s powers, which they have to use carefully.
Most importantly, passing important Bills that benefit the people will help reduce the opposition against the current President.
Both the people and the politicians are trying to ensure a change takes place, even though the politicians appear far less enthusiastic and have their own agendas in this process. However, at the end of the day, taking decisions that benefit the people should be the priority. The Prime Minister will certainly play an important role in the current political context, and therefore, when appointing a Prime Minister, it is important to focus on competencies and experience, rather than on personal interests or friendships.Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!