Sri Lanka should hold a general election soon to have a strong, capable government

Today is a week since newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took office and began work for the entire nation.

President Rajapaksa’s victory at the recently concluded Presidential Elections is proof of the change people were yearning for, following the sever failures of the former UNP government.

Just within the first week of office, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who before 2015, led the country towards a path of prosperity have already started a change. 

Several projects are already on the cards to strengthen our economy and provide much relief to our citizens and a massive clean up operation is already underway to keep the island clean and its environment healthy.

There were several obstacles and allegations that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa faced before being democratically elected through a vote but both of them faced it with courage and honesty and their hard work for the nation, even while in the opposition has given them the opportunity to lead this country towards a bright future once again.

Within a week, both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa did not waste any time in appointing an interim cabinet. Infact within hours after former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped down from his position a new interim cabinet of 16 members was appointed consisting of those experienced and new, young and old. 

There was never a battle for portfolios. Those loyal to the party with years of experience in politics, came forward and suggested they would stay away from portfolios and paved the way for a temporary cabinet to be selected. 

And today, I am glad to see that the interim cabinet, although only 16 members, is a strong, efficient and capable cabinet with a mixture of young and old. 

This cabinet proves that once the SLPP wins the general elections, we can see a good mixture of young and experienced ministers in the government as well as a higher female representation for our country to prosper.

Now that the Presidential Election is over, I call upon Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to dissolve Parliament at the earliest so that we can go in for a general election. 

It is very vital that as much as it is important to have a strong President and Prime Minister, we also need to form a strong government at the earliest so that we can begin work for the citizens.

Sri Lanka has suffered much within these past four years and it is now time we get back on a path to prosperity. There is much work to be done. 

And the SLPP led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who himself is one of the most successful and experienced members in our Parliament, is ready to work for this country and take Sri Lanka forward.

We have finally been freed from the clutches of political instability, lies, power struggles and failures. Sri Lanka is now ready to take it on.