Daily News Editorial

SLFP should buckle down

22 December 2016

Certain quarters in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party have developed a phobia in regard to a so called Super Minister. Some have already gone on overdrive vowing to resist the creation of such a post with might and main. They say that the passage of the Development (Special Provisions) Bill, gazetted on November 25, would lead to the creation of a Super Minister. Some Ministers in the SLFP are also habouring fears that the Super Minister will encroach on their preserves.

Petroleum Resources Development Minister Chandima Weerakkody has already read out the riot act. Says he; “If there is a move for a so-called Super Minister such an attempt will not be accommodated by this government, particularly the SLFP”, as reported in our main story yesterday. He is however not opposed to a framework to regulate the development process by accelerating economic growth and facilitating foreign direct investment.

SLFPers, particularly those who held ministerial office under Rajapaksa, opposing the concept of a Super Minister is quite understandable. As Weerakkody himself stated, they had a bitter experience under a Super Minister in their time and is not prepared to relive the experience. His fears are not unfounded. Like the popular local saying goes, ginipellen beta kapu miniha kalamediriyatath bayai which roughly translated reads the man who was clubbed by a firebrand is frightened even of a firefly. That Super Minister, as Weerakkody admitted, was solely responsible for the downfall of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

But far from causing the downfall of the government, what is envisaged by the proposed legislation is the creation of a Ministry that will coordinate all development activities in order to accelerate and streamline the process. There will be no stepping on the corns of the Provincial Councils by the creation of such a Ministry, as the Prime Minister has assured.

It regrettable indeed that the SLFP has viewed this whole matter from a narrow perspective. That is to be expected, given the party’s retrogressive policies in the past that left the economy stagnant and moribund. What is needed today is progressive thinking and thinking out of the box. The era of living on slogans is now over, the SLFPers in the government, it is hoped, would understand. Political bickering has taken the country backwards. A rare opportunity has presented itself where the two main political parties are jointly at the levers of power. The maximum benefit should be obtained from this opportunity.

It is readily accepted that the UNP had right along being good administrators and known for innovative thinking and fresh concepts. It introduced the open economy in Sri Lanka before India even thought of it. The SLFPers may be uncomfortable to be in be a milieu that is quite alien to them. But they should learn to coexist and corporate with the UNP which posses the necessary skills and wherewithal to take the economy forward. It is also regrettable that the SLFP ministers in the government are providing ammunition to the Joint Opposition for its political project to undermine the government and wreck the economy. It will be virtually playing into the hands of the JO if the SLFP segment of the government continues to stick to its guns and oppose the Bill on the grounds that it would lead to the creation of a Super Minister.

President Sirisena, as leader of the SLFP, should prevail on party members not to rock the boat at this stage. After all, it (the SLFP) has entered into a pact with the UNP to govern together for a full five years. Whatever credit that the UNP expertise would bring would also accrue to the SLFP by virtue of being partners of the government. The SLFP of course should acquit itself with modern thinking and not indulge in playing to the gallery. It should shed its populist image and accept reality. Some SLFP stalwarts are still living in the Bandaranaike era and do not hesitate to invoke the pancha balamaha vegaya and other such time worn shibboleths.

The party should move forward with the times, embracing new and innovative concepts. There are even murmurings among some SLFP ministers about the agreement with China to develop Hambantota, overlooking the fact that this was the best deal for the country that released us from an astronomical debt obligation. All this, therefore, is a boost to the JO campaign. Hence the SLFP should steer clear from being critical of the UNP, with which it is cohabiting as a government and stop giving mileage to the JO propaganda drive. Conflicts are bound to rise as in the case of all coalition governments, chiefly on policy matters. But these could be ironed out within, instead giving a handle to the government’s opponents bash it with. Garrulous SLFPers, such as Dilan Perera, who has a penchant for bad mouthing the PM in public should be reined in.

Hitherto, both parties took different paths in almost all spheres, be it economic, social, cultural etc. Now there is an opportunity for the two chief protagonists to work together to take the country in a single direction. Let no one from either party pay spoiler and wreck this opportunity.