On the other hand, the NPP leaders are very keen on a debate between their leader and the SJB leader rather than a debate between the Economic Committees of the two parties, obviously with an air of self-assurance over the outcome of such a debate.
Although their contention to justify a showdown between the Presidential candidates of the two parties seems to be logical, a veiled hesitancy on their part in meeting the SJB Economic Committee could also be sensed.
Despite the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (National People’s Power –NPP) having been throwing challenges at each other for a debate over the economic recovery of the country, they seem to have their apprehensions as well in meeting the challenge.
The SJB seems to be hesitant to field their Leader Sajith Premadasa for the duel with NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissnayake, even though it is a Presidential election that is to be held this year according to the Constitution and Premadasa’s candidature for that election has long been confirmed by the party. They instead give more weight to a debate between the Economic Committees of the two parties apparently with the belief that their committee would be able to outsmart the NPP easily.
While occasionally throwing the challenge – though in most cases without aiming at the NPP - Premadasa also sometimes trivializes the idea for a debate, by claiming that working for the people even without being in power is worthier than debating between political parties.
Veiled hesitancy
On the other hand, the NPP leaders are very keen on a debate between their leader and the SJB leader rather than a debate between the Economic Committees of the two parties, obviously with an air of self-assurance over the outcome of such a debate. Although their contention to justify a showdown between the Presidential candidates of the two parties seems to be logical, a veiled hesitancy on their part in meeting the SJB Economic Committee could also be sensed.
The NPP is of the view that it was a one-on-one debate between the two party leaders that was first mooted and that the SJB is attempting to dodge such a debate by prioritizing a committee-level encounter that was suggested by the SJB at a later time. And they claim that their Economic Committee was prepared to discuss the economic issues faced by the people with their SJB counterparts if Premadasa is not agreeable to a debate with Dissanayake.
This is an argument that corners Premadasa as well as the SJB to accept an encounter at the highest level. If they reject it and insist on a committee-level debate alone or first, it would not reflect well on Premadasa. On the other hand, if the Economic Committee members of either of the parties outshine their own leader, in the event two debates are held at both levels, as suggested by the SJB, that would also reflect badly on the concerned leader.
Additional issues
Nevertheless, the suggestion to have a debate between Economic Committees while challenges had already been thrown to have a debate at the highest level has complicated the situation. The rationale behind the suggestion by the SJB to hold a debate between the economic Committees of the two parties in addition to a one-on-one debate is not clear. Are the members of the two Economic Committees going to discuss matters that are different from those that would crop up at the two leaders’ encounter? Or, are additional issues going to be discussed between the members of the Economic Committees?
The SJB under no circumstances should sidestep a highest-level encounter, whether a committee level debate is going to be held or not, as it would be a permanent blot on its leader Premadasa’s image, in the face of the NPP’s insistence on a one-on-one debate. And both Premadasa and Dissanayake are running the risk of being outshined by one of their own subordinates in case of having two debates at two levels.
In a country ruled by an executive President, the Presidential election is the most important poll, as it brings to power a dictator-like administrator. The way President Ranil Wickremesinghe whose party has only one seat in parliament has taken control of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is more than proof of it. Besides, the Presidential election would be the next election that the country is going to witness, unless it is postponed through a manipulation of the country’s basic law.
Policies, plans and programmes
Against this backdrop, it is important for the leaders of the main political parties that are likely to win the election to place their policies, plans and specific programmes for the economic recovery and the development of the country before the voters, so that the latter can take an informed decision on the election day. Especially, the candidates of the election having a clear vision and a plan for the economic recovery rather than purely depending on advisors is paramount. It must be recalled that it was under the government of a leader without such a vision that one of his advisors proclaimed that printing money would not have any impact on inflation. Therefore, a debate between the candidates that would rouse maximum interest of the voters would appropriately serve the purpose.
Meanwhile, satirical remarks that have been floated these days that Ranil Wickremesinghe would be the winner of the debate between Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake are in fact an ironic truth. Wickremesinghe would get the maximum use of ammunitions propelled by Premadasa and Dissanayake at each other at the forthcoming election. Within that context, the newspaper reports that President Wickremesinghe has instructed his officials to ensure that the state-owned ITN broadcasts SJB-NPP leaders’ debate are comprehensible.
Despite Wickremesinghe having not officially announced his candidature his silence over the conceited statements by his party subordinates on it indicates his plans for the election. Having started by their Chairman Vajira Abeywardena, the other leaders of the UNP have been claiming that their party which failed to get at least 300,000 votes at the last Parliamentary election would get ten million votes at the next Presidential election. They time and again have been boasting that it would be Wickremesinghe who would run the country next year as well.
If Wickremesinghe is also a candidate there isn’t any point in having a debate between only two candidates, as the purpose of such a debate is to facilitate the voters to make an informed decision on the election and not watch fireworks in a televised debate between two politicians.
Candidates
On the other hand, a debate between all possible candidates, including those like the former Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, Janaka Ratnayake is not practical. It is in that context that the Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa extended an open invitation on April 8 pending an official one for a Presidential debate to Wickremesinghe, Premadasa and Dissanayake for a live debate which would be aired on the Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Lankadeepa and Tamil Mirror digital platforms.
Yet, there are hiccups on the success of any political debate in the country. Are our politicians cultured enough to constructively discuss issues purely meeting points with points, without personal mud-slinging? For the past several decades after the advent of television in Sri Lanka, we were fortunate to watch only two such debates - one between former Minister M.H.M.Ashraff and Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thera in 1999 over an allegation of encroachment of lands belonging to the Deegawapi Viharaya and the other between Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera in 2012 over a private member’s Bill to bar clergy from entering politics.
The other question is whether the people are mature enough to listen to the arguments with an open mind, without taking sides from the beginning. If politicians and the people lack these traits any debate would go down the drain.
