Is Basil the panacea?

Political circles are abuzz about the imminent return of Basil Rajapaksa to Parliament. Basil Rajapaksa, the youngest of current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s siblings, is the founder and key strategist of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP).

There is no doubt that the former Minister of Economic Development is a seasoned politician who achieved unprecedented electoral success, especially in the last three years. Under his astute stewardship not only was Gotabaya Rajapaksa elected Executive President with a record 6.9 million votes, the SLPP achieved a two-thirds majority in Parliament, a feat previously considered impossible under the proportional electoral system introduced under the 1978 Constitution. The last time there was such an overwhelming majority in Parliament was when the UNP won the election in 1977 under the previous First Past the Post electoral system.

Under Basil Rajapaksa’s leadership, the newly formed party became the first since independence to form a government that was not led by the two political power blocs, the UNP and SLFP. Both these parties were decimated electorally. 

It is not surprising that many in Government, especially backbench MPs who are feeling the heat of increasing public disgruntlement, are seeking a quick fix. Over 100 MPs have in writing requested the return of Basil Rajapaksa to Parliament. This will be the initial step before he is appointed to the Cabinet, where it is hoped he will take ‘control’ of the rapidly deteriorating political and economic situation. Sri Lanka, it seems is once again placing all hope on a ‘saviour’ to lift the country out of the morass. 

Recent history has proven conclusively that there are no quick fixes and individual heroes. However well-branded, no one person can address systemic problems that are the root of all distress in Sri Lanka. In fact, the past 20 months have illustrated that individualised, centralised power is part of the problem. In November 2019, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected on a mandate for a ‘tough and effective administration.’ Having successfully made the argument that the checks, balances and limitations of executive power introduced through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution were hindrances to effective governance and decisive policymaking, the SLPP repealed the reformist amendment and enacted the 20th Amendment which concentrated power in the presidency and weakened parliament, the judiciary and civil administration. Today President Rajapaksa and his Government enjoy unprecedented political power, with an iron grip on the executive and the legislature. 

Strangely enough, the current COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis was an acid test for the effectiveness of this new model. With the 20th Amendment in action, based on the SLPP’s own logic, swift and unambiguous decisions could be made by the President, to be executed by the numerous branches of the State that are also administered under his direct authority, without hindrance from the legislative or judicial branches. 

The challenge proved revealing, both about the ruling party and its misplaced faith in the 20A as the panacea for all that fails governance in Sri Lanka. The people’s verdict on the performance of this President and his Government is self-evident, and damning.

In what can only be interpreted as an admission of this failure, there is now once again the clamour for a saviour, a new brother to fix the problems. Where two years ago, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was this promised Messiah, today, it is Basil Rajapaksa who will guide Sri Lanka to the ‘promised land’ of prosperity. 

The issues confronting Sri Lanka as a nation, economically, socially, internationally require a reckoning, a re-imagining of republicanism, systemic reform, and fundamental course correction after 70 plus years of failure and mismanagement. The only way forward is to strengthen institutions, key among them Parliament and the Judiciary which must exercise oversight responsibility towards the Executive.

The administrative branch of the executive including the public service, police, military, etc., work best when they are governed by the rule of law rather than the principle of unquestionable loyalty to the executive. In a democratic system checks and balances work towards ensuring the widest representation of opinions and interests which eventually lead to policies that have the broadest acceptance among the populace. This leads to political stability and economic benefits that follow. The inverse leads to discontent, instability and even violence. 

Concentrating power in individuals in the hope that a new superhero will emerge to save the day is a pipe dream that has repeatedly failed in Sri Lanka. Basil Rajapaksa’s re-entry to Parliament and the Cabinet is merely the further consolidation of power in a single family. He has no silver bullet that will magically fix the nation’s problems. The time for saviours is long gone.