A Prime Minister out of touch

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is undoubtedly the most charismatic leader in current Sri Lankan politics. The brand loyalty he commands among his followers is unparalleled and he is probably the last best hope for the current administration of Gotabaya Rajapaksa to salvage some political space for governance amidst a growing popular uprising against the Government. 

The Prime Minister’s address to the nation this week showed that he understands the art of politics far better than his presidential brother. Unlike a similar address by the President a couple of weeks ago, when he boldly proclaimed that the current economic woes were not of his making, the Prime Minister attempted at least to empathise and relate to the sufferings of the people. Even though there was an acknowledgement of the current difficulties, the crux of the message was that the current economic crisis was a direct result of the lockdowns enforced to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. There were many reminders of the war victory and a lot of blame placed on the previous Yahapalana administration.

However, the Prime Minister failed to acknowledge that the current crisis is nothing but a result of the mismanagement and incompetence of the ruling administration. The ill-advised tax cuts for the richer segments of society that lowered the revenue of the State while at the same time expanding State expenditure, the pig-headed decision to peg the rupee to an artificial foreign exchange rate that ensured the collapse of inward remittances and the delay in debt restructuring are some of the reasons Sri Lanka is in this situation. 

The individuals entrusted by President Rajapaksa to handle the economy hardly had the necessary educational qualifications, competence or the acumen needed for the task. The contribution of corruption to the current crisis should not be forgotten either. From the importation of commodities such as sugar to coconut oil to the highly dubious repayment of bonds in January 2022, the current administration is marred in financial crimes and misappropriation. These were all within the control of the president and the prime minister and they should be held responsible for the economic calamity.

The Prime Minister’s attempt to equate the criticism of his family to insulting the security forces and stating that every day the protesters are on the streets it affects the dollar inflows are clear signs of a premier not in touch with reality. First of all, there is hardly any anti-security forces sentiment in the current protest. There has of course been an anti-Rajapaksa sentiment which is fuelled mostly by the allegations of corruption. Attempting to equate the criticism of his family to the ‘war winning military’ is a cheap shot for a prime minister who knows better. On the other hand, after precipitating the worst economic crisis in the history of the State, to say that the protesters who are on the streets mostly due to the economic woes they are facing, as preventing the dollars coming into the country is delusional and void of reality.

At this critical moment Prime Minister Rajapaksa has a pivotal role to play. The demand on the street is for the president and the presidency to go. The Prime Minister is in a unique position to facilitate both. Now that the Opposition has tabled a proposal to amend the Constitution in order to abolish the executive presidency, Prime Minister Rajapaksa can be the deciding factor in providing the numbers required in Parliament for this purpose. He would be at last fulfilling a promise made in 2005. 

Once executive power is vested in the Parliament there is even the possibility of premier Rajapaksa continuing in a much more empowered state. If he is to lend his support for the abolishment of the executive presidency, Mahinda Rajapaksa the quintessential hero of Sri Lankan politics, would not only save his own legacy but deliver a monumental political change that would be beneficial for generations to come. It is hoped that Prime Minister Rajapaksa sees the urgency of the moment.