Sri Lanka goes to polls on Sept 21, poor governance remains a major concern“There are those who claim that economic development must be given priority over democracy and governance. They argue that for the sake of the economy, democracy and the rule of law may be sacrificed. Those who believe these claims are willing to ignore the rampant corruption of politicians at the highest levels costing the public billions of rupees, cronyism, violation of orders of the highest courts, attacks on the judiciary, the weakening of independent institutions, the intolerance of dissent, appointments of corrupt and unsuitable persons to highest offices,” says Peiris.“However, the reality is that democracy and governance are tied to sustainable economic development of a nation. Long-term economic stability is linked to the respect for democracy, the rule of the law, governance, and the rights of people,” he adds.The democracy agenda is going to be key to the success of the next administration. The IMF diagnostic also identified systemic corruption as a contributor to the crisis we find ourselves in. Corruption and lack of accountability were significant drivers of Aragalaya, the 2022 people’s movement.
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