This article, "A Birthday Reflection: The Leadership Responsibilities Before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake," functions as a critical and corrective commentary on the mandate entrusted to the current President on his birthday.
Key Points:
Mandate for Deep Reform: The core demand is for genuine 'system change,' emphasizing 'deep reform, institutional renewal,' and prioritizing transformation over spectacle.
Focus on Results: The piece stresses the need for 'measurable improvements' and 'faster public service delivery' over political optics and 'colourful events.'
Merit-Based Appointments: It critically calls for key administrative roles (like the Presidential Secretary) to be filled based on capability and change-leadership, not mere loyalty, to ensure reform execution.
Governance Principles: The success of the agenda depends on disciplined administration, specifically highlighting the necessity of a Clear Line of Command and Unity of Control to avoid institutional drift and delays.
Contextual Note
This reflection piece, though framed as a general commentary, is understood to have been authored by a National People's Power (NPP) activist who was recently appointed to a senior position in a key institution of the current NPP government but has recently resigned from that role. The sharp, critical tone—especially regarding execution, capability over loyalty in appointments, and the risk of the government favoring 'spectacle over transformation'—is interpreted as reflecting the deep frustrations and concerns of a significant segment of the NPP/JVP membership. It suggests that the author is voicing the sentiments of the majority who silently lament their inability to express these direct, critical opinions openly, driven by the belief that the new government must immediately correct course and ensure it truly delivers on its promise of system change.
As President Anura Kumara Dissanayake marks another year of life and public service, the occasion offers an important moment for reflection—both for the nation and for the head of state who carries its profound expectations.
Sri Lanka today stands at a decisive turning point. The people did not elect this administration for routine governance or cosmetic change. They entrusted the President with a mandate for deep reform, institutional renewal and the creation of a political culture that rises above propaganda, symbolism and the colourful events that once defined public communication.
The Promise of System Change Must Become Reality
The public did not vote for slogans; they voted for results. Citizens now expect:
Faster public service delivery
Transparent and accountable institutions
Economic reforms grounded in discipline
A government that acts, not performs
A leadership that prioritises transformation over spectacle
A reformist government cannot rely on planned events, media campaigns or politically comfortable routines. It must deliver measurable improvements that restore confidence in the state.
Appointments Must Reflect Capability, Not Loyalty
A reformist presidency must build its foundation on merit-based appointments. When loyalty overrides capability in filling key positions, the entire administrative machinery weakens.
Modern governance requires leaders who are:
Independent thinkers
Experienced in public administration
Skilled in policy delivery
Energetic and proactive
Able to drive reforms, not merely follow instructions
This is especially true for positions such as the Presidential Secretary—arguably the most influential administrative role in the country. A Presidential Secretary must be a change leader, a strategist, and a coordinator who can push reforms across ministries. Appointing individuals without proven change-leadership capability risks slowing down decision-making and obstructing institutional transformation.
Fulfilling that mandate requires not only vision, but disciplined execution and strong administrative architecture. In this context, several fundamental principles of governance become critically important.
The Need for Clear Line of Command
A government’s success depends on the clarity of its command structure. When the line of command is strong, decisions flow efficiently from the top to every state institution. When it is weak, ministries hesitate, officials work in silos, and confusion takes root.
To uphold the reform agenda promised to the public, the Presidential Secretariat must operate as the central engine of direction, coordination and accountability. Without this clarity, even well-intended policies struggle to reach the ground.
Unity of Control: One Direction, One Authority
Unity of control—one of the oldest principles in public administration—is essential for stable governance. Each official must understand whom they report to, whose instructions they follow and who is ultimately responsible.
Without unity of control, parallel power centres emerge. Decisions get delayed. Institutions drift. The public loses confidence. For a leadership that came to power on the promise of system change, maintaining a unified command structure is not optional; it is fundamental.
A Moment for Renewed Commitment
As the President celebrates his birthday, the nation hopes for a renewed commitment to the principles that can strengthen the administration and accelerate reform. Sri Lanka’s challenges are immense, but they are not insurmountable when leadership is united, capable and driven by results.
This moment is an invitation for reflection—on the weight of responsibility, the urgency of reform and the unique opportunity to build a legacy defined not by rhetoric, but by real and lasting system change.