In a bold statement to Parliament, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya explained why the government cannot deliver every promise in its policy statement at once, stressing that priorities must be chosen based on urgent social and economic realities.
When Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya addressed Parliament, she admitted the obvious challenge: delivering on every point in the government’s ambitious policy statement immediately is not possible. Instead, she emphasized that the administration is acting strategically, focusing on urgent needs such as poverty reduction, strengthening democracy, and restoring economic stability.
The policy statement originally outlined sweeping goals. It included eradicating poverty, introducing digitalization, establishing the rule of law, ensuring equality before the law, eliminating the drug menace, building national unity, and protecting democracy. Yet the Prime Minister clarified that priorities must be chosen depending on the prevailing social and economic situation when a government takes charge.
She pointed out that the administration inherited a nation that had ground to a halt. Economic activity was suspended, development projects were stagnant, and poverty was deeply entrenched long before the current leadership took office. Stabilizing the country was therefore the first mission. Dr. Amarasuriya highlighted the achievement of holding three peaceful elections under the government’s watch, even at a time when public confidence in governance was shaken.
On the political front, she dismissed claims that her government fears elections, noting that they successfully oversaw polls without major disturbances. She added that provincial council elections remain part of their roadmap, reinforcing the government’s commitment to democratic accountability.
This realistic acknowledgment of limits serves as a reminder of the balance between ambition and execution. Governments often draft visionary policy documents, but the ability to select priorities based on the immediate social climate is what separates rhetoric from results. The Prime Minister’s focus on poverty reduction, digitalization, and restoring law and order underscores her administration’s chosen risk management strategy.
While critics may argue that progress is slow, the deliberate pace signals caution in a country where past leaders rushed into ambitious promises without securing the foundations. Dr. Amarasuriya’s message to Parliament was clear: action is underway, but transformation will come step by step, not overnight.
