Any intelligent UNPer must realise why the government has launched a campaign against the Leader of the Opposition. If he was a useless leader would they attack him on a daily basis in their media? Ranil Wickremesinghe is human; he is not a God, and like of all of us, has human frailties. All one can say of him is that he doesn’t smile or pat you on the back. But then one can be sure that he will never stab you in the back either. Among his achievements, as Minister of Education, was to initiate radical educational reforms, aimed at the qualitative improvement of school education, with special emphasis on the teaching of English and Science. It was he who introduced educational TV and computers to schools and insisted on special attention being given to the disabled and handicapped in schools. Major improvements in the teaching service, activated by him, included the criteria of an education administrative service and a principal’s service. The Colleges of Education and a National Institute of Education were established during his tenure of office. He established The National Youth Centre and the formulation and implementation of The All Island Youth Development Programme. The second round of economic liberalisation, which began in 1989, was the entire responsibility of Ranil Wickremesinghe. Industrial infrastructure was developed by him and he established many investment promotion zones and industrial estates. The promotion of the IT industry was his brainchild. His ceasefire agreement, brought us peace for a while. It also brought relief to so many. No killings of soldiers, no barriers, and more investment.

People tend to forget that the last Presidential election was won with the narrowest majority ever, and the circumstances under which it was won, - agreements with the enemy, prevention of thousands from casting their votes in the north, and thousands of UNP supporters being struck off the electoral list in the South. The worst UNP defeat ever was when Srima Dissanaike contested the Presidency and didn’t even get the sympathy vote for her murdered husband.

Wake up UNPers. Stop criticising the elected leader. Be thankful for his integrity, his vision, his sense of history, his talent as a strategist and a negotiator, his vast international contacts. The Leader cannot market himself. It is up to MPs and UNP supporters to market his sterling qualities which no other politician today can boast of.

‘A Time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; men whom the lust of office does not kill; men who the lust of spoils cannot buy; men who possess opinions and a will; men who love honour; men who cannot lie.’