Sri Lanka at present is experiencing a severe economic crisis, and as citizens, we are well aware of the aftermath of years of questionable policy decisions.
As Economist and University of Colombo Department of Economics Lecturer Umesh Moramudali put it: “The current financial crisis is a series of policy mistakes made by the Government. Existing issues and economic vulnerabilities have been exposed because of those bad choices. This crisis is unprecedented because we have never been in a position where we haven’t been able to repay our debts.”
So, what can we do as Sri Lankans as our next step as we move toward rebuilding? According to Moramudali, first and foremost the public must understand the magnitude of this crisis, which is “really bad”. He stressed on the importance of “knowing” and how, moving forward, we must all educate ourselves on what is going on in this country, not only about the financial state of the nation but also its laws, policies, and political structures – all of which have contributed to where we are today and what processes will have to come in to play for change to happen.
Political ignorance inexcusable
As the people come together to express their opinions, there has been an emphasis on information. There is a thirst for knowledge and an awareness of the importance of knowing.
With the integral role that social media is playing at present, online platforms are being rather effectively utilised to disseminate important and necessary information. Political ignorance has become inexcusable, as information is now readily available.
Even in the protests that have been happening all over the island, there are attempts to educate. An example was seen on 8 April 2022 at Independence Square, where a group of young organisers scheduled a session featuring Attorney-at-Law Luwie Ganeshathasan and Historian Shamara Wettimuny, who addressed the protestors, taking a few minutes to speak to them on topics such as the executive presidency and the history of protests in Sri Lanka.
We have also seen social media personalities sharing extracts of the Constitution, breaking down the law, and giving policy updates on the ever-changing political structures in our current Government.
We have to learn the law
Attorney-at-Law Ganeshathasan, who conducted a brief session at Independence Square for protestors on the executive presidency and how it came to be in Sri Lankan law, the importance of educating oneself, and learning the law, said: “People are protesting because they are angry. They are angry with the Government, especially the all-powerful Executive President, for allowing the economy to deteriorate to this extent. People have lost faith in institutions. This frustration is only made worse by the lack of empathy shown by politicians. Knowing about the Constitution and understanding how institutions work gives people a way to navigate their frustration.”
He added: “It’s important that people don’t feel hopeless or feel like these institutions can’t work for them. It’s important for people to understand that they have agency in navigating these political institutions. For this people need to learn and understand how these institutions work. Under different circumstances, people might be less interested in this, but in the midst of this crisis it seems as if there is a renewed interest and that’s a good thing.”
In order to have agency and to trust in the people’s power, they must first be aware of the people’s power. The current crisis at the very least has brought with it a sense of urgency for the public to finally sit down, listen, and learn.
Political literacy
Author and political activist Rasika Jayakody, who has been making efforts via his personal social media to educate the public on policy matters and the political landscape of the country, also shared his thoughts on the importance of political literacy, noting that we were currently experiencing this state of affairs due to a historical lack of political literacy. “Democracy, universal franchise, all of this is of no use if the voting population is not educated on these policies,” he said.
He noted that in Sri Lanka, despite being regarded as the oldest democracy in Asia, with universal adult franchise being extended to both men and women before its independence and before being extended in many other countries, we had continued to exercise these rights without care and paved the way for this manmade crisis which we were now experiencing.
However, he noted that it was encouraging to see that those protesting now were the youth because they had been empowered, largely due to their access to the digital space. They are digitally empowered and are able to access information, and now it is up to the youth to drive this change and transform our nation.
Jayakody also added that we were not at an age where external parties could come in and educate the youth and it was a striking characteristic that must be admired – they are looking to educate themselves. What public figures and activists must do is guide them in the right direction, to inspire them to seek out information – once this guidance is afforded, they will do the rest.
Knowing our future and our economy
Knowledge can be a powerful tool, and for us, as we await Sri Lanka’s fate, it is important to know what’s to come so that we are prepared to face it.
Shedding some light on what’s to come, Moramudali said: “This crisis is not going to get resolved overnight or even in a couple of months. The upcoming years, I would say two to three years, are going to be tough and if Sri Lanka is to get out of this crisis it’s important that everybody understands its magnitude.”
He added: “The public needs to understand that, while yes, there were bad choices, some decisions were taken because of public pressure as well. We need to comprehend that to fix certain problems, whichever government is in power will have to take certain measures; it doesn’t matter who, some of these measures will have to be implemented.”
What can we expect?
“We have to increase our tax revenue. We need to pay more tax, largely on your income, meaning your salary may be taxed. As a nation, we haven’t been paying enough taxes. The middle to upper classes should be ready to pay more taxes,” said Moramudali. “Secondly, we need to acknowledge that the Government shouldn’t and cannot subsidise services like oil or electricity. You should be able to pay for the real cost of electricity. The Government as of now provides it at a cheaper rate. These subsidies will be taken away because more such subsidies means more expenditure for the Government.”
He said that while it would be tough moving forward, these were compromises that would have to be made for recovery. “The middle to upper classes will have to compromise on some of the nonessential expenditure. Of course, not all will agree with me on the definition of essential, but the choice for you is whether you are willing to pay a higher fuel price or a higher electricity bill or have a shortage of fuel or electricity.”
Moramudali stated that while it was understood that those in need, those who suffered from poverty, should be provided with subsidies, that would be an entirely different case as it would then be a targeted subsidy, perhaps in the form of cash transfers, but this would mean that only those who required subsidies would be allocated such relief.
The future, at least financially, may look bleak. However, if the public is made aware of these changes and compromises that are sure to happen, then it is not an impossibility to assume that the public will support the rebuilding of our country and its economy. Transparency and information are integral to building trust between a government and its people and the first step for us all as citizens is to take a moment and learn what needs to be learned.
