Ratanapala

20 Aug 2021

The President was elected by the people – 69 lakhs of them! It is true that his candidature was spearheaded by  Pohottuwa but  he is not the leader of this political party. He is  the leader chosen by a majority of Sri Lanka voters to be their President. At the inaugural ceremony, he promised to be the President of all Sri Lankans. It is time President took the people into his confidence and come out of virtual ‘hiding’ in the Presidential Secretariat! President should lead from the front and inspire the people and give them confidence.

It is time the President explained to the people directly and at regular intervals the main goals of his presidency, what has been achieved, what he aims to achieve and what are the difficulties he is facing and so on in simple terms. He should outline the successes so far from the time Covid-19 appeared in Sri Lanka. There are many successes. These must be highlighted lest they forget. At the moment, there is a severe gap in communications from the office of the President in that it is not entirely clear the way the government machinery is progressing. The Opposition accusations and taunting are left with no response which carries the government position or stand on them. It is the President’s sole job to mobilize all his supporters to support his initiatives and not let his support base wither away at the hands of the likes of political failures such as the JVP and the Kuhaka Jana Balawegaya. The JVP who could only obtain 3 seats at the last parliamentary elections should not be allowed to destabilize the nation with their sloganeering and protests.  At the moment they  are sounding as if they are the main opposition threatening to overthrow the government by bringing people on to the streets!

What the people see is that the President and his government are firefighting with no clear strategy. This is the time to show leadership from the front. In New Zealand the Prime Minister address the people almost on a daily basis. This is how she has won the confidence not only of the people, but also of the Opposition in manner of speaking. The President and the Pohottuwa has nearly 2/3 majority in parliament and the 20th Amendment to boot. Most of the time what is required is only a simple majority in the parliament. All this power must be used to pass legislature necessary to control the pandemic and all other manifestations that use the excuse of the pandemic to scuttle the government machinery. These should include laws to control street demonstrations and wrongful use of the media.  

People wanted discipline and a stern President. That is why Gotabhaya was elected as their President. The need of the hour too is the same – a sterner President and not one failing to do the right thing fearing the next election! Even at this late stage he should understand that micro managing is not a successful strategy. He should lay out broad policies and then hold subject Ministers responsible for the successful implementation of policy. Trying to decide how to have more hospital beds should be the job of the subject Minister or Ministers! They should be held responsible for the successful implementation of their portfolios.

President passed the first wave and second wave of the pandemic with flying colors. The third – the New Year wave was a grave mistake if looked at the situation in isolation. All over the world, governments have come to the conclusion that countries have to be opened up and live with the virus as the situations permit and demand. The only long-term solution is to achieve herd immunity through successful vaccinations AND newer and newer vaccines to curtain the ever growing list of the new variants. The economies must be revived while the virus is still around in order to keep the people fed and nourished. For this the machinery of the government and private sectors should be kept turning! So far President’s island wide vaccination drive is a huge success thanks to the indefatigable health services and the armed forces.

It is far better to face Geneva than to get a Nobel Price after saving the nation and her economy. This is the stuff that history remembers! The war against Corvid-19 should not be carried out with the next election in mind. People wanted discipline and a stern President. That is why Gotabhaya was elected as their President. The need of the hour too is the same – a sterner President and not one failing to do the right thing fearing the next election!

THE OPPOSITION LAUNDROMAT – KUHAKA JANA BALAWEGAYA

The sole intention of the Opposition Laundromat led by Kuhaka ( Samagi) Jana Bala Wegaya and murderous JVPers is to disrupt all government measures to successfully sail through the troubled waters of Covid-19 and the resultant Economic Crisis. They have no answers to what ails the economy but are intent on not allowing the government to make a success of it either. The contribution so far by the opposition is all negative, reprehensible and clearly not praiseworthy. Washing dirty linen in front of world diplomats is the depth of their depravity. The current Covid-19 situation is similar or worse in other countries. One just need to visit the following web site to see how the pandemic has affected the world.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

WHERE THE PROMISES OF ‘THE VISTAS OF PROSPERITY ‘ STAND TODAY AND IF THEY HAVE TO BE MODIFIED TO SUIT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC  SITUATION SHOULD BE TOLD TO THE PUBLIC TRUTHFULLY. THERE ARE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS INSPITE OF THE ADVERSE PANDEMIC SITUATION. CORRECT INFORMATION OF SUCCESSES AND FAILURES MUST BE TOLD UNDILUTED WITH REASONS FOR ANY FAILURES BY THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF.  THE NATION MUST BE TOLD THAT WHAT THEY RECEIVE FROM ONE END HAS TO BE PAID FROM THE OTHER END! THIS TRUTH MUST BE FLAGGED IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE LEST THEY FORGET. HE HAS ONLY A FEW YEARS OF HIS FIRST TERM LEFT TO LAY A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR A SECOND TERM, A MUST IN THE CURRENT WORLD SITUATION. THIS IS NOT A TIME TO CHANGE THE LEADERSHIP. THE PRESIDENT NEEDS A WELL THOUGHTOUT,  UNAMBIGOUS  STRATEGY. FOR THIS HE MUST LEAD FROM THE FRONT, BE SEEN AND ADDRESS THE NATION MUCH MORE OFTEN THAN NOW  WITH A SMILE. SMILES BRING CONFIDENCE! HIS JOB SHOULD BE TO TAKE THE PEOPLE INTO HIS CONFIDENCE AND NOT LET THAT CONFIDENCE FALTER. THE ORIGINAL ENTHUSIASM OF THE NATION MUST BE REINSTATED. IF NECESSARY HE MUST BE ABLE TO MUSTER HIS FORCES TO COUNTER THE AGENT PROVOCATEURS ON THE STREETS.

IF THE NATION IS A SHIP, THEN THE PRESIDENT IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP AND THE PILOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCCESSFUL NAVIGATION THROUGH TROUBLED WATERS. IF THERE IS MUTINY ON THE SHIP, IT IS ALSO UPTO THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP TO QUELL THE MUTINY AND IF NECESSARY ‘KEEL HAUL’ A FEW TO BRING SANITY AMONG THE REST.

IT IS UP TO HIM TO INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN THE NATION AND TO STEER THROUGH WITH A FIRM HAND. AS LONG AS THIS IS NOT DONE, EVEN LITTLE AJITH ROHANA THE LEADER OF THE PHI ASSOCIATION LOOKS LIONIC, SOUNDS LIONIC AND MORE PRESIDENTIAL!