Approximately 50% of Sri Lanka’s outstanding international sovereign bonds (ISB) are held by bondholders who have privately expressed concerns with political parties. They are anxious about the potential honoring of any debt restructuring agreements if there is a regime change following elections.
The NPP avoids facing SJB’s economic committee, while Sajith hesitates to meet Anura Kumara alone. To overcome this stalemate, we propose two alternatives. First, arrange two sessions: one-on-one between the two leaders, followed by two committees engaging in debate. Alternatively, the one-on-one debate could be followed by a grand round where Ranil meets both Sajith and Anura in a three-cornered debate or two separate duals. Let the Sri Lankan electorate, historically politically illiterate and inclined to experimental voting; make an informed judgment before casting their vote, unlike in 2015 and 2019.
Under the Executive Presidential system, such ‘advisory committees’ hold little significance. Throughout history, leaders like JRJ, R Premadasa, CBK, Maithri, and Gota have made decisive decisions on vital issues, often disregarding the advice or input of their closest allies and intellectual groups. JRJ took drastic measures without consulting Premadasa, Athulathmudali, or Gamini. R Premadasa operated as a one-man show, ignoring Lalith and Gamini. CBK defied her closest allies, SB and Mangala. Maithri disregarded Ranil’s advice, despite the UNP’s role in his success. Even Gota set aside not only the Viyathmaga group but also his own family, leading the country to bankruptcy. This history suggests that intellectual groups have little influence over the Executive once in power. Therefore, the second alternative is the most viable option.
History of Debates
In 1956, a student named Fred Kahn from the University of Maryland in the USA attempted to host a presidential debate between Adlai Stevenson and President Dwight Eisenhower on university. Kahn’s outreach efforts, which included correspondence with newspapers and Eleanor Roosevelt, garnered national attention. Despite the debate not occurring, Kahn’s initiative laid the groundwork for the historic first debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960.
Debates are formal discussions where individuals present differing views on a topic. In politics, debates involve discussions or arguments among individuals or groups with differing opinions, often related to government policies or decisions. In US history, political debates encompass the disagreements and discussions among political leaders and citizens on various issues.Candidate debates have become integral to electoral campaigns globally, with over 60 countries embracing this tradition. Civil society groups have actively advocated for and organized these debates, recognizing their role in fostering informed voter decision-making and prompting candidates to prioritize policy issues.
Debates Help Reduce Political Tensions
In divided election environments or countries transitioning from conflict, debates serve as platforms for political rivals to showcase their ability to engage respectfully despite ideological differences. Moreover, debates provide candidates with an opportunity to publicly pledge to uphold a peaceful electoral process, committing to accept election outcomes and resolve disputes through nonviolent legal means.
The National Democratic Institute, a Washington-based nonprofit think tank, provides guidelines on what constitutes a candidate debate:
The analysis examines the extent to which voters acquire candidate information from debates, using an open-ended measure of candidate information. The findings suggest that debates do contribute to learning among the public, with the context influencing the effectiveness of information acquisition. Specifically, early debates appear to facilitate more learning than subsequent debates, and individuals tend to learn more about candidates they are less familiar with compared to those who are better-known.
United National Party (UNP) has unequivocally rejected the notion of a proposed debate between its rivals, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the National People’s Power (NPP), dismissing it as nothing more than a superficial display of hollow rhetoric. UNP conveyed the party’s stance tothe press emphasizing that both opposition factions had clearly shirked their responsibility during the 2022 financial crisis, a time when the nation urgently required stanch leadership.
Bandaraopenly highlighted the mockery of the situation, noting that it is exactly after the painstaking efforts to stabilize the economy were successfully undertaken by a UNP president that the SJB and NPP suddenly expressed an interest in engaging in a debate. He underscored the opportunistic nature of their proposal, suggesting that their recent eagerness for discourse emerges only after the heavy lifting of returning economic steadiness has been accomplished by theirparty.
NalinBandara-SJBproposed a debate between the Economic Policy Councils of the two parties, countered by Sunil Handunnetti suggesting a debate between Presidential candidates Anura Kumara Dissanayake and SajithPremadasa. The NPP’s response, represented by former COPE Chief, hinted at unwillingness to accept the challenge.With the economy at the forefront of the election cycle, an open debate would allow the public to assess who is better suited to lead the nation. However, while the SJB has outlined its economic policy in the Blueprint 2.0 document, uncertainty remains regarding the NPP’s stance. This stems from conflicting statements by NPP members HariniAmarasuriya and K.D. Lalkantha, indicating that the party has yet to finalize its policy.
The NPP’s economic policy, released during the last two national elections, faced scrutiny when a UNP Political Activist questioned the practicability of some proposals during a recent television debate. In response, the NPP representative acknowledged inconsistencies in the policy document highlighted by the UNPer. Paradoxically, the NPP Leader had previously made public statements contradicting the party’s own Economic Policy statement from the previous election cycle.
During the NPP Banking and Finance Sector Stakeholder Forum in Colombo, Dissanayake pledged to abolish the PAYE tax and relax tax policies, contrary to the party’s Economic Policy document, which advocated for a formal plan to increase government revenue to 20%-25% of the GDP.
Some of the NPP’s economic policy positions closely resemble those of the Rajapaksa family, particularly regarding State-owned Enterprises (SOEs). During a recent address in Vancouver, the NPP leader confidently advocated for Sri Lankan Airlines to remain under state ownership, highlighting its significance in attracting tourists to the island. Additionally, he emphasized the necessity of a government-owned budget airline alongside the national carrier to bolster tourism.
While the first general presidential debate wasn’t held until 1960, several other debates are considered precursors to these events. One noteworthy example is the series of seven debates in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Senator Stephen A. Douglas for the U.S. Senate. These debates were true face-to-face encounters, devoid of a moderator.
The NPP avoids facing SJB’s economic committee; Sajith dilly-dallies in meetingAnura Kumara. We initially proposed alternatives: one-on-one debate followed by the committees, or have a one-on-one debate followed by Ranil meeting both Sajith and Anura in a three-cornered debate or two separate duals. Let the politically illiterate Sri Lankan voter make an informed decision, unlike in 2015 and 2019.
Elect the leader who demonstrates capability and a track record of effectively managing the economy without reliance on external influences. Choose a leader who has exhibited competence and adeptness in navigating economic challenges autonomously, implementing sound policies, and fostering sustainable growth.
