By Adolf
Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads. The country is reeling from one of its worst natural disasters in decades, while still navigating the fragile path of economic recovery. At a time when leadership, experience, and institutional maturity are essential, the question of who should guide the State machinery has taken centre stage. In this context, there is a compelling case for Ranil Wickremesinghe to join Parliament and share his experience – not out of political necessity, but out of national urgency.
The current Parliament is home to more than 150 first-time or inexperienced legislators, many of whom have never managed a grocery, let alone the machinery of government. Governance is not merely an extension of political rhetoric; it requires administrative literacy, understanding of systems, and the discipline to manage crises. Many parliamentarians, despite good intentions, are far from equipped to navigate the interplay between policy, institutions, crisis management and public expectations. The gap between political enthusiasm and administrative capability has never been more visible than during the ongoing disaster response.
President AKD
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, though widely respected as an opposition parliamentarian and a formidable critic of past administrations, is now learning firsthand that running a government demands an entirely different skill set. Opposition politics allows space for critique, for idealism, for exposing flaws. Governance, however, demands execution—timely decision-making, coordination, command over institutions, and the ability to foresee risks before they mature into crises. The current administration’s struggle to respond swiftly and effectively to Cyclone Ditwah reveals this painful transition. The President’s lack of experience in managing State machinery is evident, and it has contributed to delays and institutional paralysis at a moment when decisive leadership is most needed. The worst was shutting down the public services, by declaring a holiday during the crisis.
Experience
Furthermore, the President lacks an experienced team. Beyond a handful of private-sector professionals—many of whom have shifted loyalties repeatedly based on business or personal advantage—the administration does not possess the institutional bench strength required to manage a full-fledged government. Private-sector executives bring valuable skills in planning and strategy, but governance is a different arena altogether. The State is not a corporation; its operations rely on public administration, national security, diplomacy, legal frameworks, welfare, multi-layered bureaucracies, and systems of accountability. Borrowed executives, however capable, cannot compensate for the absence of deep administrative experience and political maturity.
Ranil Wickremesinghe
This is where Ranil Wickremesinghe’s relevance becomes clear. Whatever one’s political leanings, his understanding of governance, constitutional processes, and institutional systems is unmatched in the current political landscape. His track record—whether praised or criticized—shows a consistent ability to manage government machinery, restore stability, negotiate internationally, and steer the country during turbulence. Sri Lanka’s recovery from the economic meltdown was significantly shaped by his leadership, diplomacy, and calm handling of crises. Today, when the country is simultaneously confronting economic fragility and a humanitarian disaster, experience is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Wickremesinghe in Parliament is not about undermining the current administration; it is about reinforcing it where reinforcement is desperately needed. Parliamentary debate would allow the government to draw on institutional memory, stable decision-making, and the required administrative muscle to steer through the crisis. In moments of national emergency, coalitions of competence—not coalitions of political convenience—are what sustain nations.This is also an opportunity for President Anura to demonstrate statesmanship. Instead of criticizing and insulting the opposition at every turn, he would do well to reach across the aisle. Collaboration is not weakness—it is leadership. The country needs unity, not political theatre. It needs partnership, not polarisation. Sri Lankans are watching closely, and confidence is eroding fast. If the administration continues to isolate itself, it risks making the same mistakes that doomed leaders before it. In this grave hour, the Government must rise above party rhetoric. Ranil Wickremesinghe should shed his personal ambitions aside and join parliament and play a role in stabilizing governance, and the President should embrace experienced hands rather than alienate them. Sri Lanka needs competence, maturity, and unity—and it needs them now.
