With around two months to go for Christmas, this is the time that children are encouraged to write to Santa Claus with their wish list. We in Sri Lanka, children included, have no necessity to write to Santa Claus because an election is upon us and every conceivable concession is being promised by the candidates in the fray. From free midday meals to schoolchildren to free uniforms to tablet computers, WiFi, and the works are being promised. The sad part is that politicians are simply exploiting the mentality they themselves have created over the years of a benefactor state in which the masses are made to believe that the biggest giver of handouts should be made the winner. No politician has so far had the guts to speak the plain truth that there is nothing called a free lunch. If any handout or concession is to be given, it first has to be taken from somewhere else for nothing falls from the sky nor does it come out of the pocket of any politician. Therefore, when statements are made that taxes will be cut, prices will be reduced, or certain services will be provided free of charge, those promising these goodies must also explain how it will be paid for. At the end of the day, it is the people themselves who are made to dole out and fund everything that politicians promise. It is time, even 71 years after Independence, that someone stood on a political platform and said what needs to be said. Continuing to provide handouts will only make this country more backward. By all means, assistance should be provided and indeed must be provided, but it should be done in a scientific manner, first identifying and then specifically targeting the economically and socially marginalised groups. The assistance given should not be for consumption but designed to stimulate economic activity and self-reliance in the long term. It is only such a well-planned, long-term programme that will gradually wean people away from the culture of entitlement that has been the bane of this country's progress. For rapid economic development of the people, jobs need to be created which in the current context means attracting investment. For that to happen, there needs to be a conducive environment for investment. In simpler terms, the country should posses an efficient and independent law enforcement system, legal system, proper investment framework and incentives, an efficient workforce, unambiguous labour laws, stable government, consistent policy, the least possible room for bribery and corruption, and of course satisfactory infrastructure. Lagging behind on any of these basic requirements will divert investment to regional players that have got their priorities right. It is no secret that the state sector is packed with cronies of politicians. Soon after an election, the first thing that usually happens is doling out jobs which in effect is payback for support received. The job scope of these political lackeys, who are misfits in these institutions, is usually limited to signing the register. These folks are then entitled to pension benefits, bleeding the nation. Discipline must be instilled in the public sector and performance indicators must be introduced, especially in the loss-making state-owned institutions. What needs to be created is the culture of proper, productive work for pay. If this culture is to take root, the example must come from the top. Today, we have a President who will go on retirement in less than a month, having clocked less than five years in the job with a lifetime benefits package that includes a luxury bungalow in the heart of Colombo 7, a fleet of luxury vehicles with STF security protection, amongst a host of other benefits a normal, hardworking man or woman could only dream of. With this kind of example from the top, it is no wonder that everyone in the system is hell-bent on milking the coffers dry. We are not a country blessed with oil, gas, or other high-value natural resources that could fill the Treasury coffers. Every cent that is spent has to be earned the hard way. When we spend money we don't really have, loans have to be taken to bridge the deficit. Today, our debt repayments and public sector salary obligations are as high as our entire government revenue. It is a dangerous place to be in and requires urgent attention from the top. Which is why those contesting to be president need to tell it like it is without further dragging the country over the economic precipice. It is no secret that the deadly cocktail of corruption, labour unrest, and strikes are driving away investors to countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. The next president has to make revitalisation of the national economy top of the agenda. Our people, even after 71 years of independence, deserve a piece of the pie that politicians have baked for themselves. Poverty, unemployment, and malnutrition should no longer be on the agenda five years from 17 November. Jobs that are a burden to the country should be scrapped and instead, new jobs that benefit the economy need to be created. Agriculture must be developed, enhanced manufacturing activity must take place, both for domestic consumption targeting import duplication as well as for export. Trade deals have to be negotiated so that what is manufactured can be exported to readymade markets. The services sector and the knowledge economy must be leveraged to benefit the youth, especially in the IT sector, while the country's tourism potential must be exploited to the full. All this requires a leader with vision who will not hesitate to step out of the box and not hesitate to branch away from the road that has got us nowhere 71 years after Independence. Therefore, it goes without saying that the next president has his work well and truly cut out for him. He must start by setting the example through his work ethic and shunning the goodies enjoyed by his predecessors.