Presidential candidates Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, and Anura Kumara Dissanayake have recently unveiled their manifestos, revealing a notable similarity in their content. Each manifesto reflects a similar vision, with some points appearing almost identically across the different documents.
One area of similarity is their proposed policies on increasing public employee salaries. In the lead-up to the presidential election, State sector employees from various sectors staged strikes and protests demanding higher wages and allowances.
In response, President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a committee to investigate and report on salary discrepancies within the public sector. He announced that, based on the committee’s recommendations, the 2025 budget will address wage disparities and implement salary increases.
The committee submitted its report within a month, recommending a living allowance of Rs. 25,000 for all Government employees and raising the minimum wage in public service to Rs. 33,000. President Wickremesinghe presented the report to the Cabinet, which approved the implementation of these recommendations starting January 1 next year.
Accordingly, starting from January 1 next year, the minimum salary for Government employees will increase to Rs. 53,000. Additionally, the salaries of all Government employees will rise by 24 percent to 35 percent.
Meanwhile, presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has also highlighted plans to increase Government employee salaries in his election announcements. He has prominently featured this promise in publications and advertisements, emphasising his commitment to implementing salary increases that are already scheduled to be introduced by President Wickremesinghe.
The fact is that President Wickremesinghe has already implemented plans to raise the cost of living allowance to Rs. 25,000, increase the minimum salary to Rs. 33,000, and set the basic minimum salary in the public service at Rs. 55,000. Despite this, Sajith Premadasa has promised similar salary increases in his campaign, presenting figures that closely mirror those already outlined by President Wickremesinghe.
The key implication is that Ranil Wickremesinghe’s policies have significantly influenced the election promises of the country’s leading presidential candidates. The striking similarities between his proposals and those presented by other major political figures suggest that Wickremesinghe has a substantial impact on the policy and actions of the main political parties.
I provided just one example. Following the release of Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s manifesto, a viral Facebook post read: “Haven’t you read Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Education White Paper? Then read Anura Kumara’s Manifesto.” Reading Dissanayake’s manifesto, it’s clear how accurate this statement is.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s manifesto contains proposals akin to those in Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Education White Paper, such as the cluster school system. Dissanayake promises a Rs. 10,000 allowance to some of the country’s poorest individuals, while Sajith Premadasa has pledged Rs. 20,000. Historically, Sri Lanka has seen Vesak and Poson Dansalas, and there is now speculation about the possibility of Binara Dansalas being introduced post-election. Such promises, detailed in the candidates’ announcements, highlight a trend of making significant pledges. However, candidates can make numerous promises before winning the presidency, knowing well that voters in Sri Lanka are often swayed by such assurances.
Promises
Some voters fail to consider whether these promises are realistic or achievable. It’s evident that some people are swayed by candidates who offer enticing promises of gifts and benefits, almost like voting for a “Father Christmas” who brings a fairy-tale bag of goodies.
There are numerous instances of the public being misled by political promises in Sri Lanka. For example, in the 1970 general election, Sirimavo Bandaranaike promised to bring rice from even the moon and restore rice rations. However, after coming to power, she reduced even the remaining rice supplies.
In the 1977 general election, J.R Jayewardene promised to establish a righteous Government and provide 8 pounds of grains, but these promises were never fulfilled. Similarly, Chandrika Bandaranaike pledged to abolish the executive presidential system, a promise that also went unfulfilled.
Nandana Gunathilaka, the JVP candidate, withdrew his candidacy based on the agreement that Chandrika Bandaranaike would fulfil her promise to abolish the executive presidential system. However, that promise was never realised. I have presented a report detailing several notable promises made in the political history of Sri Lanka and their outcomes.
It is no secret that State sector employees have faced significant pressure due to the economic crisis, with rising costs of goods and transportation impacting them heavily. After this presidential election, any improvements in their situation would be welcomed. However, history shows that both State sector employees and the general public have often been deceived by promises. It is crucial to ensure that decisions are made to prevent such deceptions from occurring again.
During the 2015 presidential election, Ranil Wickremesinghe promised to increase public servants’ salaries by Rs. 10,000. While many viewed it as a mere election promise, State sector employees placed their trust in it. On the other hand, Mahinda Rajapaksa, before the election, distributed motorcycles to civil servants, added an interim allowance to their salaries and provided new appointments to 50,000 graduates.
Public servants
Despite scepticism, public servants placed their trust in Ranil Wickremesinghe at that time because he had a reputation for keeping his word.
They knew that losing the promised salary increase would have a significant impact on their lives. Until then, most Government employees had supported Mahinda Rajapaksa, but this shifted in 2015.
Wickremesinghe fulfilled his promises. State sector employees received a salary increase of Rs. 10,000 in 2015, which was gradually added to the basic salary starting in 2016. Today, more than 60 percent of the current salaries of State sector employees can be attributed to the increments initiated by Ranil Wickremesinghe. Even when the country faced bankruptcy, he prioritised the interests of State sector employees through the budget proposal. In 2024, another salary increase of Rs. 10,000 was implemented in two phases.
There aren’t many choices for state sector employees in the upcoming presidential election. Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared that Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposed salary increase is not feasible. Meanwhile, Sajith Premadasa has adopted the same proposal into his own policies. Some candidates are arguing that the failed political system of the past 76 years needs to be reformed.
I believe that the young people who fought for change will remember the unexpected outcomes they faced after their struggle. Voting based on slogans or appealing narratives often leads to disappointing consequences.
However, it is crucial to consider that if the proposal to increase Government employee salaries is implemented, it would result in a monthly gross salary increase of at least Rs. 5,000 for each employee, providing significant relief to their households. The question then becomes whether this tangible benefit should be sacrificed for the sake of slogans.
