September 05, Colombo (LNW): Amid ongoing discussions about the potential abolition of Sri Lanka’s executive presidency, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has signalled that the matter will be deferred to the next Parliament.
His priority, he stressed, lies in reviving the country’s struggling economy, which he views as more urgent than immediate governance reforms.
Speaking at a public “Ask Me Anything” session held at a prominent Colombo hotel, Wickremesinghe noted that the debate over abolishing the executive presidency has been ongoing for decades, but during that time, the economy had been overlooked.
In his address, Wickremesinghe remarked, “The executive presidency has been debated for 20-30 years, but the real focus should have been on the economy. For me, the economy comes first, governance second.”
The President expressed satisfaction in observing that the current presidential election has been centred on economic issues rather than divisive factors such as race, religion, or caste.
“For once, we are seeing an election that unites us over the shared challenge of economic hardship. Everyone’s pockets have been affected equally,” he said.
Wickremesinghe also outlined the government’s efforts to address social disparities, citing new measures aimed at improving protections for women and children.
“We have introduced women’s and children’s desks at every police station to address issues like domestic violence, but there is still much more to be done,” he added.
Whilst economic recovery takes precedence, Wickremesinghe acknowledged that several key reforms, including the Economic Transition Bill and the Public Finance Management Bill, remain unfinished, despite their repeated inclusion in prior government and IMF programmes.
Addressing the ongoing negotiations with International Sovereign Bond (ISB) holders, the President dispelled rumours of an impending ultimatum, clarifying that discussions would only continue after the presidential election scheduled for 21 September.
“There is no mid-September deadline. Talks with bondholders will resume once the election is concluded,” he stated, without revealing further details.
On the topic of passport issuance delays, Wickremesinghe admitted that the current crisis is the government’s responsibility. He affirmed that the move towards implementing e-passports was a key part of the strategy to modernise the system and reduce the ongoing backlog, offering a glimpse of the future of Sri Lanka’s public services amidst its broader economic reforms.
