As protests by students, youth and other groups continue at Galle Face, Parliament, Temple Trees and other cities in the island, one fact is becoming clear. The solution to the present political crisis, if not the economic one, has to emerge from the existing Constitution itself. A new Constitution cannot be drafted and implemented overnight and even then, it needs Parliamentary approval and a referendum too could be needed. All this will take time.
But there is no doubt whatsoever that urgent solutions are needed for both the political and economic crises. With foreign reserves at rock bottom and more shortages of essentials looming as a result, the people demand urgent solutions to their woes.
However, looking at the proceedings in Parliament, one does not get the impression that MPs on both sides of the aisle are all that keen to address the predicament of the people. Instead, they have been casting aspersions against each other at the expense of the masses who are fed up with these antics.
Finance and Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, made an honest and extensive assessment of the present economic situation in Parliament the other day and admitted that certain mistakes have been made in fiscal and economic arenas under this Government. Yet, most Opposition and even some MPs associated with the Government tore into his speech and belittled the suggestions made by him. This is not what the people expect from Parliament at this stage.
As mentioned in these spaces previously, the people’s representatives must get together and evolve solutions to the present crisis. The Opposition including the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and the National People’s Power (NPP) must not be belligerent at this crucial juncture – so far they have rejected several overtures by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to be part of an all-Party Interim Government (IG), which can be formed almost immediately without going through the massive expense of a General Election. Such an effort will be an impetus to resolve the current crises, at least until we shore up enough funds to hold an election several months from now.
If Parliament collectively does not rise up to this occasion, the funds spent on Parliamentary proceedings and the upkeep of the 225 MPs would be in vain. This incidentally is one factor that has prompted public calls for all 225 MPs to go home. Many religious leaders and other eminent persons in society have advocated this solution and Parliament must heed their call.
There is also a debate on whether the present President and the Government has lost its legitimacy and the people’s mandate. Just as the Yahapalana Government did not lose its mandate per se with the SLPP May Day rally of 2017 or even the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) victory at the 2018 Local Government Elections, the present anti-Government sentiment and countrywide demonstrations do not invalidate the massive mandate of 6.9 million votes received by President Rajapaksa in November 2019 and the subsequent victory of the SLPP at the General Election in August 2020 amidst the Covid pandemic.
In this context, the President is not obliged to step down and any such decision cannot be forced on him either, though Parliament itself has the option of Impeachment. But on his part, he has expressed regret for certain actions implemented during his administration, such as the ban on chemical fertiliser and other agrochemicals and pledged to take immediate corrective steps. He also said that the Government should have sought the help of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) much earlier. The Government has also admitted that the Value Added Tax (VAT) tax cut of 2019 was also wrong. These are good signs that the Government is aware of the grave mistakes it has made and is willing to take remedial action even at this late stage. This is indeed how it should be.
In the meantime, many professionals have proposed an alternative arrangement which does not necessarily entail the resignation of the President, the Prime Minister and the Government or even the establishment of an IG. They propose that all 29 present National List MPs should resign immediately, to be replaced by 29 eminent professionals in economics and other areas of expertise who can form a sort of an advisory council in Parliament to bring the country back on to the correct track in the short term. Then once the economic and political situation stabilises, a General Election can be held but with enough safeguards to ensure that only educated, professional and decent candidates can enter the fray in the first place. This will also obviate the need for a National List, which is actually meant for professionals and other eminent persons but which has often been used by all political parties to send their defeated candidates to the House through the backdoor.
The main demand of the Nation at this moment is a “system change”. This probably means a total change in the country’s governance system and even the economic climate. For example, there is a broad agreement in Parliament that Presidential powers should be curtailed and Parliament should have more powers. There is also the distinct possibility that some changes in the economic sphere could be foisted upon us by external organisations such as the IMF. In any case, all such measures, whether home-grown or externally suggested, must be extensively deliberated upon in Parliament, the media and elsewhere in society so that the country and the people will benefit in the end. A better country for all should be the ultimate aim of such a “system change” exercise.