The use of postal voting for the presidential election has ended. Election monitoring agencies reported that over 80% of the population utilised postal voting in this year’s presidential election.
In contrast to the previous presidential election, there appears to be a shorter timeframe for all election-related activities from the date of nomination. This situation presents both positive and negative implications.
Things people ask
The slow response to the questions asked during the presidential election is a significant issue, leading to forgotten essential topics.
Consequently, the election of the next Executive President of Sri Lanka is becoming less comprehensive. The candidates’ statements from the platforms are not extensive enough.
A severe lack of attention is being paid to the country’s real problems. It is questionable whether the candidates are disregarding the political reality on the ground this time.
The economic problems
Sri Lanka is currently experiencing economic difficulties, which significantly impact people’s lives. The main issue is the lack of adequate income to cover necessary expenses such as housing, land, and entertainment.
Citizens seek viable solutions to address these challenges as the presidential election approaches. It’s crucial for presidential candidates to outline practical measures to improve the economic situation and meet the population’s needs.
Candidates who avoid the question
It appears that the presidential candidates are currently skirting around the main issue that needs to be addressed in the upcoming election.
Many believe that whatever the candidates say is ultimately meaningless by ignoring the real problems affecting the country’s economy.
This year’s presidential election is intertwined with economic concerns. The country’s economy is facing a grave threat, mainly due to issues with foreign debt.
The credit crisis has passed, but the debt burden in Sri Lanka seems insurmountable. Repaying this debt presents a significant challenge.
In 2022, Sri Lanka found itself unable to pay off its foreign debt, leading to severe consequences that are being felt today.
The winner of this year’s presidential election will need to address this pressing issue and develop a plan to repay the country’s debt.
The current government has followed the IMF’s model without fully considering the challenges faced by the country, resorting to measures like increasing taxes to boost government revenue.
What are the strategies that drive the economy
Will the future president take a broad view in this regard? Will the winning candidate be able to practically implement the solutions that the country is asking for?
These are the questions intelligent people ask. The candidates must have a vision beyond their election manifesto and political agendas.
What are the strategies to lead the economy away from the debt crisis? How can the country increase its financial strength from foreign sources?
What are the methods to increase production in the country? Whether the presidential candidates have presented clear solutions to these vital questions is doubtful.
How to lead the country to an export economy?
No concrete solutions have been presented to the issue of leading the country for an export economy.
Exports are a crucial part of a country’s economy, and it is essential to understand that they cannot be developed by adhering to old ideologies.
This matter has received serious attention in discussions about the 2024 presidential election.
It is also crucial to focus on developing sectors such as tourism and foreign employment to maximise their benefits.
People are not receptive to hearing presidential candidates saying, “I will address these issues once I am in power.
” Those seeking a capable leader are interested in understanding real solutions to these problems. Therefore, candidates without solutions will not be valuable to the people.
The measures taken to control the import of the country
The discussion about measures to control the country’s imports seems to be moving very slowly. The candidates do not address the import or production processes that lead to it.
Topics like the division of the country, distribution of power, implementation of the 13th Amendment, employment, youth affairs, and women’s rights are commonly discussed on political platforms.
However, people have not been confident in these promises, as previous presidential candidates have failed to fulfil them.
Therefore, it is crucial for the candidates to intensely focus on discussing real solutions to the country’s problems.
