• People cite multifarious reasons & motivations for their individual choice of candidate & preferential candidates   
• Most hinge their dicey freewheeling bets on experience, novelty, and realistic approach   

The most common question asked these days is ‘Who should be the next Sri Lankan President?’ While there are 38 options, the majority seems to be divided between a handful of candidates, most of whom have a political background. The people’s choice is dependent on diverse expectations and opinions. However, for the most part, their reasons have a great deal to do with the much-needed economic recovery. 

The people demand a President that is capable of bringing the impacts of the economic crisis to an end. Those who make this demand come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. They are from the private sector, the informal sector, out of Colombo areas, and the security forces. Speaking to The Daily Morning at the Colombo Fort Railway Station and Galle Face promenade areas, they underscored that the upcoming Presidential Election is more important to Sri Lanka than previous ones, as the country is in a bigger need of a capable leader than before.

Relief for the people, businesses

As the country is grappling with a severe economic crisis, the people noted, the main factor that they would take into account when voting for a Presidential candidate is whether that person has proved to be a competent leader in the past. They however pointed out that alleviating the economic burden on the people should be the priority.

In this regard, 44-year-old Kohuwala-based three-wheeler operator S. Fernando opined: “The Government and the President keep boasting about ending queues. We don’t have to wait in queues like in 2022, but, we have to wait until we can collect enough money to buy even essentials. The problem has turned into a newer, worse crisis, which is the inability to purchase goods. We need a President who can end not only queues but also the affordability issue.”

Fifty-two-year-old Colombo-based three-wheeler operator Mohammed Nalim said: “I am voting for someone who can develop the country. If the new President can reduce the cost of living, that would be more than enough.”

Thirty-year-old street vendor in Pettah, who identified himself as Prashan, said that he expects a President that does good things for the country as far as the economy is concerned. “As a business person, I think that we need someone who can create a favourable economic situation for us, and in addition to what we expect, I think that the new President should be someone who can serve the country as a whole as well.”

In addition, 23-year-old Chamal, who is currently unemployed, said: “What I will look for in a President is his ability to serve the country, especially in terms of development. I have not made a decision as to whom I’m going to vote for. I will make a decision before the election.” Similar sentiments were shared by a 41-year-old member of the security forces who wished to remain anonymous: “We need someone who can serve the country. I am in the defence force. The country that we saved risking our lives is being destroyed. In that context, if the leader genuinely serves the country, that is what we want. The best service that can be given is eradicating corruption.”

Sharing his opinions, 49-year-old Colombo based three-wheeler operator Roshan Perera said: “As a three-wheeler operator, I don’t expect anything special from a President other than what every ordinary person is expecting. That is the reduction of the prices of basic goods such as food. We don’t expect salary hikes. What we want is goods’ prices to be reduced. Increasing the salaries of public employees will in turn increase our expenses through taxes, and only public employees will benefit from it.”

Leadership with experience, competence

According to some, a leader with experience or, in the words of commentators, who has seen the highs and lows of governance – should take over the Government. They believe that experience is what creates a competitive President, which they claim is what Sri Lanka lacks.

In this regard, three-wheeler driver Fernando added: “Such a leader can only be created through years of experience, if not decades”. Noting that the top four Presidential candidates include only two persons with that potential, Fernando said that although he has not arrived at a final decision as to whom to vote for, he will vote for one of them.

Expressing his opinion, 36-year-old Sampath Sameera, who works as a street vendor in Pettah, said that he supports a particular candidate because the candidate’s father, who served as the President, has served the country and the people immensely. “He treated everyone well, and created housing complexes for the people,” he said, adding that he is of the opinion that his son will also be a great President. Following in his father’s footsteps, Sameera said, more housing complexes should be built for the people.

According to three-wheeler driver Perera, those who have been in politics and the people’s past experiences with regard to electing politicians should be taken into account while choosing a President should also be based on recent developments in the political arena. Noting that the political climate has changed considerably, he said that such should also be taken into consideration. “For generations, our family has been voting for one political party. Even in the last Presidential Election (held in 2019), the candidate fielded by this party received our family’s support. However, now, that party has split, and various members of that party have joined various other parties. They are saying that the Cabinet of Ministers will be reduced to 25, and that the pension scheme will be abolished. We don’t know if they would actually do what they promise. But, in the event that they do, the situation will be less intense. Of the two main contenders, this is the party against whom the least number of corruption allegations have been levelled. So, I’m going to vote for them and see what happens. During my youth years, I have engaged in scuffles. But now, I have put an end to those. In the same manner perhaps, this party will also not repeat its past unacceptable behaviour. At the same time, this party has a lot of young members compared to the other parties.” Adding that it is impossible to choose a ‘good’ Presidential candidate when looking at the four key contenders, Perera said that the people have had to choose the lesser evil, which he said he is going to do.

Similar opinions were expressed by a 58-year-old retail owner who wished to remain anonymous: “We don’t have good candidates to choose from. Who we can elect is the one with the most experience and the least number of allegations against him. I have not decided to vote for any specific candidate yet. But, I will vote for the candidate with the comparatively best track record. While not having candidates with a good past is an issue, voting is the most that any of us can do. The country’s situation is bad and hopeless, and it is what we have had to see everywhere. However, we should not let our desperation blind us to the point where we ignore all the red flags. While what we can do is limited, we should do it right.” According to him, the ongoing debate as to whether Sri Lanka should elect a new leader or someone who has governed the country before is focused on the wrong criteria. “In my opinion, that is a wrong approach. We should not be concerned about maintaining stability or creating a newer form of stability. Instead, we should be concerned about how capable these candidates are in restoring the economy.”

A new leadership

However, not everyone thinks that experience is what makes for a competent President. Some support the election of a leader who has not held the Presidency or Premiership before and also represents a party that has not been in power before. More importantly, they should not have faced corruption allegations.

55-year-old lottery seller at Pettah, who introduced herself as Malini, also opined that the country needs a new leader. She added: “We are expecting a President that will treat the country in a better manner. Our time is over. But we have to think about our children’s future, and that is our only hope when it comes to electing a new President. I think that a new leader who has not been in power before should be elected. Those who have held office before have done nothing beneficial. I think that a new leader who can serve the country is whom we need. Look at the cost of living. If we earn today only we can make ends meet. I used to sell around 500 lotteries per day when the price of a lottery was Rs. 20. But now, only around 250-300 lotteries are sold a day because the price has increased to Rs. 40 and it is almost impossible to win the prize. This situation has to change, and the new President should be able to change this situation for the better.”

Not only those residing and employed in Sri Lanka but those employed overseas also support a new leadership. They seek a President who represents a party that has not been in power before. Speaking to The Daily Morning, 30-year-old chef Clemen Dilshan said: “If I am voting, I would choose a new candidate, and I will be looking at his conditions. All other candidates are alike. They are looking at the budget and essentials. But, this new candidate will take care of both the culture and the economy. I came back to Sri Lanka two years ago. But up to now, nothing much has changed, and the people are still suffering. This new leader that I support is different.”

“Look at the main candidates. Their track record cannot get any worse. Various allegations, especially corruption-related ones, have been levelled against them on many occasions. Their parties are not that different as they too have faced various allegations. I think that this criteria is applicable only to one of the leading candidates, and therefore, the choice is easy,” 40-year-old private sector finance officer Kamal Ananda said, adding that a candidate with no corruption-related history or ties with corrupt individuals or parties should be the people’s choice. He opposed the widespread election slogan that ‘this is not a time for experiments and that the country needs a seasoned politician as the President’, and added: “That is pro-Government political activists’ attempt to prevent the rise of a new President. Rejecting failed politicians and electing newer, better ones is exactly what we should do now.” 

Interest in exercising the suffrage 

The question some are pondering is not whom to vote, but why they should vote. While there are many who are yet to make a decision as to whom to vote on 21 September, some are not convinced that at least one of the 38 candidates are capable of addressing the country’s pressing issues.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, a 33-year-old information technology technician who identified as Udaya said: “Who do we have? Candidates with different agendas in which the people are not the priority. Some have failed more times than we can count, while some with potential are surrounded by failed and rejected politicians. Some want to contest just to be called a ‘Presidential candidate’. I don’t wish to watch this drama merely because the actors’ dialogues and stage are new and the script has been rephrased.” Udaya said that he has decided to refrain from voting: “There is no suitable candidate to vote.”

Meanwhile, 37-year-old resident of Ratmalana, Ratna Kamalini said that she too has decided not to vote. Her decision is based on the Presidential candidates’ response to the economic crisis. “One candidate keeps looking for ways to increase the Government’s revenue. Some candidates keep saying that they are going to revoke the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement just because they are against the present administration. They even promise 25% salary hikes for public employees which is extremely foolish. Some have no idea and don’t say anything about how they are going to deal with the economic crisis. If they cannot bring in solutions for the biggest issue affecting my family, I’m not electing them as my country’s leader.”

During these interviews, a 23-year-old student of a higher education institute said that regardless of who wins the Presidential Election, the Government will be handled by those accused of corruption, and that therefore, he is not convinced that his vote would make a considerable difference. On the condition of anonymity, he observed: “We are talking about the Presidential Election as if the President alone can create a favourable situation for the ordinary people. Even if we were able to elect the best President that the world has ever seen, that President still has to form a Government to govern the country. I don’t think that any President can form a stable, people friendly Government with most of the existing Parliamentarians. Establishing a stable Government will be impossible with existing members of the ruling party because most of them are among those who created the economic crisis to this level. Forming a Government with opposition MPs will also be difficult because they have their own interests and agendas, and supporting a President from another political party is something that they rarely do unless they can benefit from it such as by receiving high positions.” In this context, he added that he has no faith that Sri Lanka will have a stable, people-friendly Government regardless of who becomes the next President, and that most of the promises given during the Presidential Election season will not materialise as promised. “I won’t vote for any candidate because I know that as soon as the election is over, corrupt and opportunistic politicians from other parties will join the new President supposedly to ‘strengthen the President’s hands’, get ministerial portfolios which the new President will have to give in order to form a stable Government, and continue the same cycle of corruption and waste,” he opined.

PHOTOS Ishan Sanjeewa