Engagement is essential for national progress

There is a high level of political polarisation in the country today. Specific manifestations of this polarisation can be seen in the criticism of the government's proposed educational reforms.

- BY JEHAN PERERA

There is reluctance on the part of the opposition to give the government any credit for what it is doing. Even what it is doing well, such as keeping the economy stable, is downplayed due to a simple following of the policies of former president Ranil Wickremesinghe. Criminal and drug-related violence that have existed in the past, and was worse in the past, is being blamed on the government's ineffectiveness.

However, more objective authorities such as the IMF appear to be satisfied with the government's performance both with respect to meeting economic targets and governance in general. Their position is that the government is delivering on its targets in relation to the agreement it has with the IMF, and this reflects commitment and genuineness in relation to both economic and governance reform. In fact, the IMF has opined that Sri Lanka's economic turnaround, and the discipline of the government, is an example to other countries.

While political rivalry is not new to the country, what distinguishes the present moment is the sharp rupture in relationships at the highest levels of government and opposition. This is an estrangement that can undermine efforts to solve problems that demand unity of purpose. The main cause of the acute polarisation in the polity at this time is likely to be the unprecedented manner in which the government has been pursuing those guilty of economic corruption and abuse of power in the past. The past several months have seen a spate of corruption cases being filed in the courts against political figures once thought to be beyond the reach of the law.