focuses on Anura's foreign trips

As a democratic country, Sri Lanka holds elections every five years. All previous elections have changed either the political party in power or the head of the country with or without a change of the party.
Political ideology and the economic vision of each party as well as each head have been different from one another. As a result, the country was deprived of having continuing constant economic policy.

However, in 1977 President J. R. Jayewardene’s Government introduced the open market economic policy. Since then, every successive Governments have adhered to that policy but with emphasis on different aspects.

Now the time has come for the people to decide as to whether continue this practice of changing government’s and curse the rulers who have broken promises and pushed their lives into misery under the guise of poverty alleviation, giving a human face to the open economy, mega infra-structure development with Chinese loans, social market economy and the disastrous Vision for a more cohesive Sri Lanka

This week’s wide angle is focused on the past to refresh memory of the people with short memories before zoom into the post new ear week‘s political happenings and insider dealings.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, a 75-year-old lawyer, has been in politics for over 50 years. He has been an MP for almost 44 years.

Ranil has served as leader of the Opposition for about 18 years. He has been a deputy minister and Cabinet minister. Above all Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as Prime Minister six times. Impressive as it is, this record of service will not be Wickremesinghe’s lasting political legacy

The first advantage is that Wickremesinghe has a proven track record in this so far. He took over when the country was facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Shortages were rampant amid an acute lack of foreign exchange. There were queues everywhere but supplies were unavailable or inadequate. Power and fuel shortages had virtually paralysed the country

In a climate of Ranil-bashing, many seem to be happy that Wickremesinghe’s courageous decision to accept the challenge of leading the country on the road to economic recovery and the limited yet commendable progress achieved by his Government has been acknowledged.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated his commitment to prevent any regression of the country to its previous state, emphasizing his determination to transform Sri Lanka into a fully developed nation by 2048.

He has put forward National Transformation Roadmap” to the country, with constant economic policy to achieve his vision for 2048.

Now over 16 million voters including the 207000 first time voters have to decide continue their aged old practice of changing the government and suffer or contusing with the present economic policy keeping faith on present trusted leader and make Sri Lanka a fully developed nation by 2048.

Ranil Wickremesinghe perceives himself as a unique selling proposition in the presidential election. He regards the poll as a single-issue election namely the economic resurrection and emancipation of Sri Lanka. Ranil is positioning himself as the best person to lead the country towards that goal

In this context, speculation is rife that a group of MPs who are on the fence at present would mount the UNP stage on May Day with 100,000 people are expected to converge on Mardana.

The leader of the National People's Power Anura Kumara Dissanayake prospective presidential contender is continuing his foreign trip spree with his visit to Sweden this week to participate in a public meeting in Nakaola, Stockholm, Sweden.

He left for Sweden on the 25th to participate in several public and amicable meetings .These engagements have been organized by the Swedish Foreign Committee of the National People's Power.

Nobody knows the hidden agenda of Anura Kumara’s overseas tours organized by Sri Lankan expatriates with short memories which will definitely exposed to the people of Sri Lanka in the coming months.

In this context JVP leader’s very secret visit to China recently has been exposed and now it is in the public domain. Although he kept this trip to China as a secret that no word about it ever came out from either side. At least no related photo was published in any media.

It has been revealed that he is extending the begging bowl to foreign expatriates and collecting massive funds for the election campaign, several expatriates Sri Lankans who expressed concern on this mattersaid. .

His popularity of winning the confidence of floating votes at stake due to his eagerness of becoming show man has been wane due this attitude, political analysts said.

Anura Kumara has garnered attention as a preferred choice for President according to opinion polls. However, the crucial question remains: Can he navigate the complexities of governing a country? As the election approaches, Sri Lankans are closely watching to see if his leadership can match the promise of victory.

The country is not out of the woods yet and has miles to go but Wickremesinghe is seen as heading in the right direction. This demonstrated track record is Ranil’s one of the advantageous points. Neither Sajith nor Anura can compete with Ranil in this.

Both are untested, unknown personalities. People are not sure whether they could face the challenges as Ranil has done let alone do better than him. Also in the case of Sajith his refusal to accept the challenge when Gota offered the PM post to him first is a black mark.

Both Anura and Sajith have failed to provide valid alternative suggestions or proposals about what should be done. They pinpoint negatives and faults but have no positives or remedies

Besides the presidential race will be a keenly contested triangular tussle with Sajith Premadasa of the SJB and the NPP/JVP’s Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the running. Already “election experts” anticipate a result where no candidate will get 50% in the poll first count

Foreign countries having bilateral relations are watching political developments with key elections pending. However, countries such as the United States, India, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and other Western countries take particular interest in the possible outcome of elections. They have strategic and competing interests in the country.

Currently, a delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is in town for an assessment of the current political situation. The delegation comprising Deputy Minister of the International Affairs Department of the CPC Ms. Sun Haiyan held talks with the political parties including, the NPP and SJB.

Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, visited the island to inaugurate the Umaoya project several other international political developments took place while the Iranian President was in Sri Lanka.

One of them was the special announcement made by the United States that there was a risk of imposing economic sanctions on countries that sign trade agreements with Iran. Apart from this, the Asia-Pacific Command, for which America has the main responsibility, informed that an emergency military exercise should be conducted in Trincomalee.