Without a Plan will Sri Lanka Overcome?

• What we have is a crisis with regards to a serious lack of foreign exchange. The struggle is that we cannot enjoy the luxury of having petrol, diesel and domestic gas like we did because we cannot afford to pay for them
• The PM’s constant message that the ‘next two weeks are going to be difficult’ has become a mantra that people no longer take seriously
• People feel that they have been systematically robbed and they still have to pay for the loans that have been obtained

 It’s been about six weeks since a ‘new’ government was formed by the President after inviting all the parties to come forward. Fundamentally, all the parliamentarians should support the present Prime Minister to steer this country out of this crisis. Without a new strategy, approach and support, we might not be able to bring some significant improvements to this ailing situation.

Give a true picture

I must lodge my disappointment however when the PM stated that the economy has collapsed. What we have is a crisis with regards to a serious lack of foreign exchange. The struggle is that we cannot enjoy the luxury of having petrol, diesel and domestic gas like we did because we cannot afford to pay for them.  This message has not been clearly communicated to the public.  The PM’s constant message that the ‘next two weeks are going to be difficult’ has become a mantra that people no longer take seriously.  The people must be told the hard and bitter truth about why we all need to cut down on our expenses and change our lifestyles.  The dangerous situation is that when the PM has stated that the ‘books are cooked’ and does not give a true picture of what the books should state, there are many groups and individuals who present many other ‘versions’ that completely confuse the common masses. 

Cut down 

The people who are standing in queues for days on end have not understood the reality. It appears that the politicians too have no clue about the reality.  As a nation, we have to drastically cut down on the costs. We have to change our lifestyle at least in the short term.  This must start with the Government. The burden is always on the public. But the leaders should demonstrate at all levels that they are making the sacrifices before asking people to cut down on their expenses. The excessive number of vehicles and unwanted programmes should be immediately stopped because people are now being forced to cut down on many aspects of their daily lives.

The Government must ensure that the small and medium-scale private sector ventures are also fully supported as they have created more employment

Support the Private Sector

The ’Aragalaya’ has reached a point where many politicians will be out of the game by the next election.  People are truly disgusted with the ineffective politicians who are neither claiming responsibility nor accountability for the sad state of affairs that we are in. People feel that they have been systematically robbed and they still have to pay for the loans that have been obtained. The economy is majorly governed by the private sector. Their investments and large-scale employment have always ensured the stability of the economy. The Government must ensure that the small and medium-scale private sector ventures are also fully supported as they have created more employment. The Government must have a plan to ensure that people do not lose their jobs. What can we learn from countries like Greece or Zimbabwe?

Acknowledge the feelings

The public does not trust the governing body anymore. There are many reasons for this. No one has come forward to state that they understand the people’s problems. Neither the President nor the PM (past and present) has expressed their understanding of what parents are going through and come up with a plan that can help everyone.  Crimes are increasing, black markets are thriving, fuel is being stocked up and there is a constant lack of fuel, fuel prices are being increased and in parallel, all other items are going up in price. How can people live? Are we having a plan to look after the “extremely vulnerable” sector in this country? That is of prime importance. 

Aid Agencies

For decades we have seen the state making NGOs the scapegoat for everything. I believe at this time, we must as a nation request the support of the international humanitarian aid agencies.  Particularly with regards to Food, Nutrition, Livelihoods and Education they are in a better position to obtain aid from institutional donors than the government. We need the support of everyone.

Media must step up

The Electronic Media in this country can do much more for the people.   At this juncture, the electronic and print media should focus more on guiding the public with positive alternatives to this crisis. The media need to bring in experts who will teach people how to be agile in this situation; how not to waste, how to preserve food, how to guide the children and focus on home-schooling and skill-building during this time, how to commit to work harder and longer, how to be creative in this crisis. We must turn to indigenous solutions to the current problem. Sri Lanka is NOT the first country to go through such a crisis and will certainly will not be the last. But without a plan with a timeline, we cannot overcome.