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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the current Government has put an end to the political culture of granting privileges to ministers and parliamentarians. He highlighted that former leaders regarded wasteful and extravagant lifestyles as their entitlement.
While he refrains from commenting on past destructive practices, the President emphasised that from now on, all must align themselves with a new political culture.
The President made these remarks while addressing a gathering at the Vivekananda Grounds in Anuradhapura on Sunday (26).
Reflecting on the mandate given to the current Government, he noted that the public voted with a focus on several key concerns. One of their primary expectations was to eradicate wastefulness and corruption by transforming the existing political culture.
The President also stated that while efforts to put an end to destructive political practices are being made, there are attempts to misrepresent these actions as political vengeance.
He also said “Historically in Sri Lanka, political power has often been passed down through generations within families. Fathers and mothers in positions of power have paved the way for their children; brothers have handed power to siblings and uncles to nephews. Additionally, Governments have historically been established through large-scale financial expenditures, conspiracies, or media propaganda.
“In contrast, the NPP Government was built through direct public participation and involvement. It has now been two months since this Government, founded by the people themselves, came into power. This gathering is an opportunity for us to connect with and engage directly with the people who made this victory possible.
“When we achieved our victory last September, we started with a small Government. On November 14, the General Election was held, and by November 21, we were able to establish the Cabinet. Initially, some groups propagated concerns that international relations would deteriorate under an NPP Government. Others claimed that industrialists and investors would leave the country.
“At that time, Sri Lanka’s economy was not in a position to withstand further shocks. Had the situation continued, the Government could have lost control over the currency. Therefore, we focused on rebuilding trust in the Government. Today, the Stock Market is advancing rapidly, reflecting growing investor confidence.
“However, it is important to note that the stock market alone does not represent the overall economy. Instead, it serves as an indicator of investor sentiment. Since December, the Stock Market’s value has been steadily rising.
Our nation was facing severe bankruptcy. However, the current Government successfully stabilised the situation and completed the debt restructuring process last December. As a result, the National People’s Power (NPP) Government was able to rescue Sri Lanka from its State of bankruptcy”.
