The End of Socialist Politics in Sri Lanka

The President’s recent remark that “the Government cannot do business” has driven the final nail into socialist politics in Sri Lanka. This marks a watershed moment—a long-overdue recognition that economic progress depends on private sector–led growth, not state control. For the first time in decades, a consensus appears to be emerging across the political spectrum on key economic fundamentals. That means future governments, regardless of party colour, are unlikely to reverse course. Seventy-six years of misguided policies — from state monopolies to populist subsidies — bankrupted the nation, while leftist experiments, driven by strikes and terror, dragged the country a century behind. With the withering away of socialist illusions, Sri Lanka finally has a chance to move forward — driven by policy consistency, competitiveness, and private enterprise. 
Upali Weerasinghe