‘Ability to speak is the only qualification necessary to be in politics’ was one of President J.R. Jayewardene’s notable quips. He obviously meant public speaking. President Ranil Wickremesinghe is unarguably one of the best public speakers of our time as evident from his recent address to the United Nations General Assembly.
He said: “At this time last year, amidst multiple global crises, Sri Lanka was experiencing its most challenging period in recent times socially, economically and politically, which had a devastating impact on people’s lives.
Even our Democratic traditions were threatened by attempts to occupy our Parliament and bring it to a halt. Nevertheless, we succeeded in bringing about a democratic political transition, due to our deeply entrenched and resilient democratic traditions.
Resorting to the re-graduation of Sri Lanka’s economy coupled with the gift of fertilizer from the United States Government which led to a bumper harvest, has assisted us in ensuring stability.
The reforms I have since initiated in the economic, financial, institutional, and reconciliation fronts have been directed on the one hand towards rebuilding trust and confidence between the people and the Government; and on the other, towards laying the foundation for economic stabilization and recovery. Sri Lankans are already witnessing the positive outcomes of these measures in their daily lives and the revival of confidence internally and externally in the progress of the country”.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is one to be reckoned with as according to majority ruling party sources, its architect has been holding one to one discussions with him indicating in which direction the political wind blows.
It is also noteworthy that Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara who was suspended from party membership said he was removed from the position because he was considered an impediment to the SLFP getting close to the United National Party (UNP).
Earlier on Sabaragamuva Governor Navin Dissanayake said a fair number in the ruling party are in favour of the UNP under President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s leadership.
Already, SLFP stalwarts such as Nimal Siripala de Silva, Susil Premajayantha, Mahinda Amaraweera and others are in President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Cabinet and more of them support him in Parliament leaving the original 134 MPs who elected him as President a year ago almost intact.
The main Opposition party leader seems to be losing steam day by day becoming less vociferous with his popularity being on the vane. Even Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka says he will not decline to be his contestant, if invited by those of the party.
Breaking up of political parties leading to re-alignment of forces has taken place from time to time.
Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and Ceylon Communist Party (CPC) joined S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike in 1956 when Bandaranaike himself had left the UNP in 1951.
Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party (VLSSP) led by Philip Gunawardena and W. Dahanayake’s Bhasha Peramuna joined Bandaranaike’s SLFP to form Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) which won the 1956 General Election.
In March 1960 in a repeat of what happened in 1956, the LSSP and the CPC joined the SLFP in a no-contest pact but lost the election to the UNP. In July the same year, they formed the Government.
In 1964 the SLFP Government was overturned by C.P. de Silva, Mahanama Samaraweera and Charlie Edirisuriya crossing the floor.
LSSP which had joined the SLFP Government in 1964 was a party to the United Front in 1970 along with the CPC.
Philip Gunawardena’s MEP and the Federal Party too joined Dudley Senanayake’s National Government.
Even the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna joined the SLFP Government in 1994 but left treacherously before the war victory against the LTTE only to be replaced by 17 MPs of the UNP led by Karu Jayasuriya in an unprecedentedly patriotic move to the immense gratefulness of posterity, saving the SLFP Government that won the war in 2009.
So, an unexpected re-alignment of political parties is not unlikely this time too, to complete what President Ranil Wickremesinghe has done by taking the country out of bankruptcy.
Whatever those of different political hues say about obtaining IMF assistance it is no mean achievement of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The high inflation and other concomitant hardships presently undergone will ease off in time. The canard spread by interested parties that no good will come out of the UNF assistance because this is the 17th time such relief has been sought is wholly untenable for the simple reason that the 2.9 million dollars will only be to tide over the economic crisis and if the economy is not managed well thereafter it will be back to square one.
This is not the time for political parties with no previous practical experience in governance to experiment but the responsibility of those who saved the country to complete the task.
Those who are well-meaning are aware that President Ranil Wickremesinghe who has begun the task of re-building the country must be made use of to finish the work.
It is significant that Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara who had left President Ranil Wickremesinghe have come back to his fold.
A step that had been long overdue has been taken by appointing a new Health Minister whose very first directive after assuming duties has been calling for a report on the drug situation.
It will be a boon to clinic patients to be able to get their expensive drugs such as Finasteride and Tamsulosin free from the hospital pharmacy.
Chandra Edirisuriya