Are You Comfortable Now..?

2026-05-26 1255

The Current Socio-Economic Crisis and Political Reality – Where Do We Truly Stand Today..?

(Sudath Chandrasekara)

Today, the Sri Lankan citizen lives without peace of mind or any real optimism about the future. Fear, mutual distrust, and deep uncertainty have engulfed society to such an extent that even maintaining day-to-day life has become an overwhelming challenge. People are being forced to endure unbearable physical and psychological pressure merely to meet their daily needs and survive from one day to the next.

At the heart of this social tragedy lies the failure of the present administration — a government that has proven incapable of even fulfilling the basic needs of the people, while lacking a practical vision for the country’s future.

Social Instability and Brain Drain

Against this painful backdrop, the number of people attempting to leave their homeland and migrate abroad continues to rise rapidly. As Sri Lanka steadily loses its valuable human capital, the majority of ordinary citizens — those without the financial means or opportunity to leave — are left trapped in helplessness and despair. This raises a deeply important question that society as a whole must seriously reflect upon.

Has the country’s economy and future become this uncertain purely because of global crises? Or is it primarily the result of the administrative weaknesses and incompetence of the current inexperienced government..? This is not a question that can be answered superficially. It demands deep and honest examination. Administrative and Financial Failures. Several serious irregularities in the government’s conduct can be clearly identified.

Crisis in the Energy Sector

Allegations of corruption surrounding the coal procurement process forced the responsible minister to resign from office. Yet the problem did not end there. Due to the importation of diesel at excessively high prices to generate electricity, the enormous financial burden was ultimately passed on to ordinary consumers through soaring electricity bills.

Weaknesses in Financial Management

Public treasury funds — maintained through taxpayers’ money — were exposed to cybercriminals and hackers due to severe negligence and technological weaknesses within the government system. Once again, the burden of those financial losses has fallen upon innocent citizens.

Foreign Exchange Crisis

The previous administration had worked tirelessly to rebuild the country’s dollar reserves. However, the current government has failed to make any effective effort to strengthen them further. Instead, unnecessary vehicle and goods imports have driven the value of the US dollar sharply upward once again.

Empty Promises of Populist Politics

On political stages, grand promises were made that expelling former presidents from official residences, auctioning luxury vehicles, and cutting pensions of politicians would refill the state treasury and create a prosperous future for the people.

But the reality has been starkly different. None of these emotionally charged decisions delivered meaningful economic relief to the country. Instead, the public has continued to sink deeper into economic hardship. The present situation clearly demonstrates that seeds sown through hatred and vengeance can never produce a successful harvest.

The Role of the Voter and Political Reality

There is a familiar phrase repeatedly heard on Sri Lankan political platforms, “The intelligent voter of our country.” Yet in reality, politicians do not use this phrase to genuinely honor the intelligence of the people. Rather, they understand all too well how easily public emotions can be manipulated and exploited for political gain. In that sense, the phrase often serves as nothing more than a sarcastic compliment.

Today, the promises passionately made on election stages by Anura Kumara and others once again come back to public memory — promises and dreams that inspired great expectations among the people. In the face of all this, one decisive question remains for every Sri Lankan citizen to ask themselves today: “Are You Comfortable Now”