Columns

• ‘How I carried infant Lanka safely across the burning rope bridge without my party,
  without my own cabinet but solely on my own’

The Sri Lankan people ‘with all their fears, with all the hopes of future years, were hanging breathless’ to learn of their fate these last few days at the news that an auspicious announcement will be made by the President on Wednesday at 8pm on national television.

With speculation rife over what he might say, and unbounded criticism flowing even before he had said it, the nation was held in palpitating suspense. With excitement mounting over a curious message stating ‘suba aranchiyak’ appearing on online pages, the people awaited the auspicious hour to hear what the ‘good news’ message was all about from the President’s lips.

Like at ‘aluth avurudhu’ times, when millions of households unite as one at the same appointed hour to light the symbolic avurudhu lamp, the nation came to a standstill on Wednesday night as millions gathered around their TV screens at 8pm to hear the auspicious message in store for the nation being read out by the President.

At sharp 8, the President began his address to the nation. Announcing the auspicious news, he said: “Today marks a significant milestone in the recent history of our country, a special juncture reflecting the hard work and dedication of our efforts. Our country is now reaping the positive results of our persistent endeavours over the past years.

“This morning in Paris, Sri Lanka reached a final agreement with our official bilateral creditors. Similarly, we signed another agreement with China’s Exim Bank today in Beijing. This is indeed encouraging news for those who genuinely care about our country’s welfare.”

“Sri Lanka won.”

He said: “Against this backdrop, all projects in our country funded by foreign loans were halted. The countries involved closed their project offices and withdrew. Consequently, development work came to a complete standstill. However, now that we have achieved a crucial milestone in debt restructuring, there are legal opportunities for these countries to resume all projects funded by foreign loans.”

THE PRESIDENT: Announcing the good news message to the nation of regainingl ostcredibility, for which alone, he merits the nation’s salute

The President asserted the quintessence of his ‘good news’ declaration: “International confidence in our country is reaffirmed as bilateral creditors have reached an agreement with us, serving as a kind of international endorsement. The global community, which previously refused to accept our letters of credit, is now prepared to grant us a certificate of confidence.”

As an immediate result, with all three main creditor States—along with America and the IMF—hailing the agreement signed in Paris this Wednesday, the Asian Development Bank announced on Friday, that Sri Lanka’s ecosystem is slated to achieve a boost to facilitate the growth of Micro, Small and Medium businesses. The Bank’s Country Director for Sri Lanka said: “We hope to support the micro finance sector and strengthen the regulatory framework governing the SME sector. We are also considering supporting startups.”

Furthermore, Japan announced on Friday, it will promptly resume its halted projects in Lanka. The Japanese Ambassador told reporters that as soon as the MoUs related to the bilateral agreements are signed, this will be done.

That’s certainly good news for starters. Time was when no lender would touch Lanka with a barge pole. Now, with the Paris agreement, they are taking the quick boat to Lanka to help us get back on our feet.

The President explained how he and his financial team had diligently worked and engaged in extensive talks to reach agreement with Lanka’s bilateral creditors, namely India, China and Japan. “The economic progress we have achieved has provided us with considerable strength in these negotiations,” he said.

And the apparent good news announcement: “With these agreements, we will be able to defer all bilateral loan instalment payments until 2028. Furthermore, we will have the opportunity to repay all the loans on concessional terms, with an extended period until 2043.”

Many assume an announcement that “the nation has come out of bankruptcy” means, that the nation is suddenly flushed with the lolly. That is not so. It simply means, international rating agencies have assessed a country’s ability to start making good on defaulted loans. In Lanka’s case, the signing of the final agreement with the country’s bilateral creditors in Paris on Wednesday morn, signified China, Japan and India, had accepted Lanka’s road map to repayment as being entirely satisfactory.

Who but cussed extremists, that for the last 50 years had staged their ritual war dance against every development project brought by successive governments, can fail to cheer the President’s strenuous efforts to arrive at this significant milepost which may well be the turning point from where the nation leaps into the future with renewed hope and determination to succeed at all costs.

The President, no doubt, deserves the gratitude of this nation for having successfully steered the condemned, leaking Ship of State through the rocky storm-tossed seas of bankruptcy and succeeded in bringing her safely to port. He had borne more insults and more curses than any leader during the two-year passage but he had weathered them all with equanimity, showing resilience of character.

It had, no doubt, been an extremely hazardous voyage, with the ship’s crew facing many food shortages. There had been many mutineers aboard demanding more from the fast dwindling meagre rations. They had tried their best to rock the boat despite themselves drowning had the ship gone under. Fuel had been precariously low but he, as master of the ship, had known ‘it’s the set of the sail and not the gale that tells it where to go,’ and had prudently navigated the vessel to safe haven, where, at last, the international community had answered Lanka’s SOS call.

And he had done it all alone.

As the President said: “At that time, our country’s economy was in a dire state. Many were hesitant to step forward to help rescue the nation. There was fear and reluctance. One faction stated they would take charge only if given control of the entire Government. Another group said they would accept if allowed to appoint their own people to the cabinet.

“I was confident that I could garner international support for our recovery efforts. That was all I had. I had no Members of Parliament. I did not have my own Cabinet. I did not have a Government to call my own. Despite these challenges, I accepted the daunting task. At that critical juncture, I recalled a quote from the renowned creator Walt Disney: ‘The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.’ Without hesitation, I got down to business.”

Certainly, it was no mean feat to have raised the nation from the gutter where it had been lying two years ago and to place it on the pavement in so short a time frame. Especially amidst trouble-rousing extreme parties—as the President said—“engaging in populist or partisan rhetoric, were displaying a limited understanding of economic and political dynamics beyond elementary levels, despite my consistent efforts to highlight the gravity of our challenges.”

He had a word of warning for critics from political parties who “appear more focused on gaining power. These few individuals attempted to disrupt our progress and continue to do so, but they have not succeeded in halting our journey. In the future, these detractors will face the shame of having betrayed their country.”

‘”These groups,” he said, “eyeing future electoral victories, have already envisioned presidential appointments and speculated about cabinet compositions. Reports suggest some individuals are even contemplating familial succession within ministerial positions.”

He asked: “How many among these aspiring leaders have misled the nation with false promises and press conferences? The falsehoods propagated about the accomplishments I highlight today are now exposed for what they are—a fabrication.”

“Why do they react with such disdain to our nation’s achievements? Why do they view good news for the country as inauspicious? Why do they seek to capitalise politically on every development? Their actions reveal a culture of opportunism, driven solely by ambitions for personal gain and political positioning.”

The SJB, for its part, welcomed the auspicious announcement. The SJB’s economic expert Dr. Harsha de Silva said, “We welcome the good news. We are not that cussed to reject something that is good for the nation. In fact, we are the first who said in Parliament in 2020 that the government must seek IMF assistance to avoid default. However, there are some clauses to which we strongly do object and we intend to determinedly negotiate them with the IMF.”

Finally, the President rounded his ‘suba aranchiyak’ announcement by inviting the people to join him on a sight-seeing tour down memory street of two years past and compare it with what they see today.

He said: “I made a promise that day and I have kept it. I have safely guided the child named Mother Sri Lanka through treacherous waters. What has transpired since then? Much like the tale of the Caucasian Chalk Circle, those who once hesitated to shield the child during difficult times, those who offered no support, now clamour to claim the child’s rights. Even before we have crossed the perilous vine bridge, they vie to seize the child, tugging in every direction.”

“Yet, as we know from the Caucasian Chalk Circle, the rightful claim to the child belongs to the true mother. In the words of Mother Grusha from the play: Things should belong to those who do well by them. Therefore, akin to Judge Azdak in the drama, I urge you to make the right decision. Let the deserving receive their due.”

The only fear that must face Ranil Wickremesinghe who won the economic war for Sri Lanka, is whether akin to his role model, Winston Churchill, who won the war for Great Britain but was booted out at the next election by an ungrateful British public, he will meet the same fate at the forthcoming presidential election, and be booted out by an ungrateful Lankan public?

After all, as a student of world history himself, the President will know, history has an unnerving way of repeating itself.

Wijeyadasa: ‘When I am President, injunctions against me will cease’Since his initial decision to moonlight in Maithri faction’s SLFP while working full time as Justice Minister in the SLPP Government, his legal troubles seem to be endless. From the very first announcement by the Maithri faction—already removed by a temporary court order from holding SLFP offices, and Chandrika’s chosen clan installed in their stead at Darley Road’s SLFP office—that he will be SLFP’s presidential candidate, every successive announcement by the Maithri faction to make him the SLFP’s acting chairman, and then as the party’s chairman were struck down by the courts as contrary to the interim order. Even the petition to the Court of Appeal to remove the interim injunction by Wijeyadasa himself was dismissed out of hand. WIJEYADASA: Smothered by the adulating Maithri faction after being named on May Day as the SLFP’s presidential candidate This week, while the SLPP of which he still is a card-carrying member was planning disciplinary action against him for obtaining SLFP membership recently, the Colombo District Court extended the interim order preventing him from functioning as the Chairman of the SLFP when the plaint filed by Chandrika’s faction was considered. But Wijeyadasa, being the top President’s Counsel he is, remains undaunted even while being embroiled in a soup of interim injunctions. Earlier this month, he, with Maithripala beside him, had announced he would contest the presidential elections this year. In answer to a reporter’s question, he had replied: ‘It’s definite.’ Last week in Kandy, he spelt out his electoral strategy to reporters. He said he plans to contest the presidency under a new symbol, distinct from the SLFP’s traditional hand symbol. “We have formed an alliance. They have decided to appoint me, representing the SLFP and the alliance and I am ready to face it accordingly.” Wijeyadasa, whose appointment as SLFP Chairman by the Maithri faction has been suspended by a Court order, explained how he will transcend the gauntlet of injunctions against him and his party. Being the top President’s Counsel he undoubtedly is, he had taken his own legal advice, and revealed the trump card under his legal sleeve. Brimming with confidence, he said: “I will become the President this year. Then all legal cases against me will be nullified as per the provisions of the Constitution.” Brilliant. What a legal mind. Except one question bugs. Predicting the outcome of a presidential contest by attempting to read the people’s mind, is like stating who the murderer is in an Agatha Christie mystery novel, with the last page torn off.