Country must win on 16 November

By R. Fernando 

On the morning of 17 November we will know who our next Executive President will finally be. Billions have been spent to promote both the leading candidates. Unlike before the next President will not have all the powers JRJ, Premadasa or Mahinda or even DBW had when they were in office. But still the impact of the victory will be more far-reaching than most people anticipate, because the winner will be able to lead their party to victory convincingly at the next parliamentary elections in March 2020. 

Despite the power being toned down, the next President can still refuse to appoint a particular minister or delay the appointment of a minister he does not like. Like what President Sirisena did by holding onto law and order ministry and screwing up the country and the government. If Sirisena had done his job effectively and Wickremesinghe and his team led the economy well, Sajith Premadasa would have had an easy ride to the President’s house. 

Powers 

The next President though he cannot hold any ministers, can still appoint the ministry secretaries, ambassadors and the key public servants. So people need to vote using their brains rather than their emotions or feelings. It is for the future they are voting for and for the type of country they and their children want to live in post-16 November. 

Comparison of the candidates 

Gotabaya, though there is still serious doubt about his citizenship and also the fact that he gave up his Sri Lankan citizenship and has no moral right to contest, is a very capable man. He will certainly demonstrate an iron fist during his rule, if he is elected. He will definitely get what he wants despite any legal barriers in the constitution. The public service due to fear will cave in vertically for him to drive towards achieving his declared goals, even it is at the expense of our people or the economy. 

He demonstrated that very well when he blindly invested in the city beautification project at the race course. Though that got him many admirers in the city, it was at a huge price to the economy. The money he dumped could have been used elsewhere more effectively for example to increase the intake of university students or for better healthcare. On the other hand Sajith Premadasa like the late President Premadasa, is a workaholic and cares very deeply for the poor. The economic elite in the UNP will have a tough time keeping up with his stamina and his philosophy. 

Like Gotabaya he too has had no experience on the world stage or statecraft. Given his limited experience with the state, Premadasa will steadfastly push for his programs for housing for the poor and benefits for the poor. Like Gotabaya, Premadasa will not tolerate anyone standing in his way. He will based on his speeches allow General Fonseka to manage the security concerns and security proof the country, while he focuses on his poverty programs.

Conclusion 

Common to both candidates is an economic stimulus package. Both candidates are proposing tax cuts. Gotabaya’s proposals go beyond Premadasa’s. Some of the proposals of Gotabaya are unrealistic. What both candidates needs to understand is that the country is debt-ridden. Therefore we need to ride it out for the next three years, without worsening the situation. The current Government claims they borrowed big to pay off the borrowings of the last regime; while the opposition claims that the Government has borrowed without a proper plan, which is disputed by the Central Bank. Certainly Premadasa looks better on paper for democracy and media freedom than Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Both sound scary for the economy. Premadasa sounds a better version than his authoritarian father, while Gotabaya sounds a sterner and an authoritarian version than his brother, former president Rajapaksa. 

In the final analysis, whoever wins, it is the people engaged to run the key institutions that can and will finally make a difference. Re-employing the same people who failed in 2005-2014 and 2015-2019 will only make Sri Lanka fall behind Afghanistan and drive our young people away from the country. Therefore on 16 November when people go to cast their vote they must vote wisely for Sri Lanka to win. It is time Sri Lanka got a break. The people of Sri Lanka deserve this; the victory should not be limited only to the 225 parliamentarians who feather their nest election after election.