Govt. to continue economic reforms

With nationalist sentiments are rising in the North and South, the government needs to make a major effort to continue economic reforms and rural development in the face of upcoming Presidential elections, civil society activists claimed.

They added that global financial institutions and development agencies could extend support to encourage equitable sharing of costs and benefits of growth from economic reforms and minimise risks of social conflict from abrupt economic liberalisation.

The country is locked in a political battle between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe hindering the progress of the country, a leading civil society activist said.

SLFP ministers during their time in the unity government had failed to contribute their share and were never enthusiastic about being the junior partner in a unity government with their long-time rival, the United National Party (UNP)

They were unhappy with what many termed as UNP arrogance led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s less-than-consultative style.

Afraid of being outflanked by Rajapaksa’s nationalism, the Sirisena SLFP wing resists key governance and reconciliation promises.

This has weakened the support from constituencies that brought Sirisena to power:

Majority of Sinhalese Tamils and Muslims are dismayed by corruption, abuse of power and high cost of living under Rajapaksa regime.

Civil society activists claimed that the current government has also failed to uplift the living standards of the people due to inaction of ministries headed by ministers of two different political parties and the lethargic attitude of officials with different political affiliations.

Addressing a recent meeting, Wickremesinghe emphasized the need of building an economy with the ability to repay massive foreign debts without resorting to foreign borrowings towards this end.

The government has been able to sustain the impacts of economic setbacks in provincial council elections, floods, drought, 52 day political impasse precipitated due to back stabbing of the President and Easter Sunday terror attacks, he said.