Today, December 22, 2025, marks the one-quarter point, 15 months of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s five-year term. As 25% of the valuable time entrusted by the public with the “hope for change” expires, fierce criticism is erupting nationwide that all the massive promises made by the JVP-led government remain confined solely to files.
Disaster Mismanagement and Public Distress
The government’s short-sighted response to the recent “Ditwah” cyclone has drawn intense public condemnation. Despite early warnings issued by the Department of Meteorology, reports indicate that the President and the government ignored them, engaging in recreational and political activities. This negligence is cited as a key factor in the reported deaths or disappearances of nearly 800 people. While countries like India spearheaded relief efforts amidst the displacement of over 1.4 million citizens, international media highlight that the government mechanism was paralyzed, leading to serious delays in providing relief.
Economic Stagnation and the Debt Trap
Despite promising to rebuild the economy, the JVP government has, over the past 15 months, merely implemented the exact same IMF conditions followed by previous administrations. The recent natural disaster has further devastated the country’s economy, prompting over 120 renowned economists to recommend that Sri Lanka immediately suspend its foreign debt repayments. With mounting tax burdens on the people and a destroyed agricultural sector, the country faces the risk of plunging back into the 2022 crisis.
Broken Pledges and Repressive Laws
During the election campaign, the JVP-led coalition promised to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). However, since coming to power, the government has been exposed for introducing a similar repressive law (PSTA), widely seen as a betrayal of the public. Furthermore, no positive steps have been taken toward major constitutional changes, such as abolishing the executive presidency.
Political commentators point out that after 15 months, a quarter of its term, the JVP government has not managed to eliminate corruption or improve the public’s quality of life but has instead continued to maintain the old system. The public warns that if this short-sighted trajectory continues over the remaining 45 months, the country’s future will only grow darker.
