Sri Lanka’s New Directions After The Parliamentary Elections
Dr. Siri Gamage
Sri Lanka’s New Directions after the Parliamentary Elections: National Needs vs. International Dimension
Leaving aside the ongoing horse-trading going on for positions in the new ministries, appointment of defeated candidates to the national list by the party secretaries, and the concept of national government mooted by both the UNP and the SLFP leadership, there is no doubt that the country will experience a new direction in political, economic, diplomatic and other arenas in the near future. Political and civic forces that were behind the change initiated on January 8th and strengthened with the results of the parliamentary elections held this month –though at present are in a state of flux- are potent enough to introduce and implement policies and programs that are different from those implemented by the previous regime led by former President Mahinda Rajapakse. We are yet to get a feel for these new policies and programs. It is early days. However, it is possible to imagine the nature of foreign policy to be adopted by the new government and some of the policies as well as challenges facing the country and the new government. Election manifesto of the UNFGG led by the UNP provides some ideas in this connection.
Questions can however be raised about the directions in economic policy to be adopted by the new government. Is it going to be full-blown neoliberal, free-market driven policies similar to the Open Economy policies adopted by JR since 1977? Or is it a combination of a nationally focused policy with some encouragement given to indigenous industries, manufacturers, farmers and other entrepreneurs while pandering to the multinational corporations from the US, Europe, Australia and the Asian region? Is it going to be a Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysian style economic development where the local and international capital run the show or is it going to be an economic policy oriented toward a more sustainable development with a firm foot on the natural environment, local culture, needs of the population at large rather than the well-to-do segments of society- including those with close links to the Sri Lankan diaspora? Read More 