The 45th National Conference of Chartered Accountants took place yesterday (16) in Colombo, featuring a rare gathering of three former Presidents of Sri Lanka—Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Maithripala Sirisena, and Ranil Wickremesinghe—on the same stage.

The former leaders shared their views on the country’s political landscape and answered questions presented to them at the conference, making the event a highlight in the nation’s political discourse.

Speaking during the event, former President Maithripala Sirisena reflected on the political state of the country, emphasizing the need for integrity at all levels of government. 

He remarked: “A country cannot progress simply because its ruler is good. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet must also be clean. There must be no room for corruption and fraud. I don’t like some people blaming politicians that the country has been corrupt for the last 74 years. I completely reject that. It’s not just about blaming politicians.”

“Politicians should also be trained from the beginning, from the Ministry Secretary to the President’s Secretary. The citizens must also play their part in building a better nation. Now when you go to vote, you can’t work without alcohol. You need a good meal, you need a good bus. That’s the situation”, Sirisena added.

Advice to a Future President

When asked to offer advice to a future president, each former leader shared their thoughts:

Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke on leadership, drawing a comparison between corporate and political leadership. “ Mr. Panditaratne became the President of UNP. He was actually like the right hand of the President. Mahaweli project was successful because of him. If they join the United National Party, these people can go up. A CEO and a president have different roles. Steve Jobs could never be President of the United States. Only Donald Trump managed to cross that line,” he said.  

Maithripala Sirisena expressed optimism about the future, humorously saying, “None of you have run for election yet, but I hope that someday one of your Chartered Accountants will become the President of this country.”

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga emphasized the need for educated and capable individuals to enter politics. “Doors should be opened for everyone. Educated and competent people should be encouraged to lead. I am no longer involved in politics but am focused on building new leaders,” she said.

Maithripala Sirisena addressed the issue of corruption within ministries, noting that it is often a collaborative effort. “There are educated individuals who steal. Ministers can’t engage in corruption without the knowledge of ministry secretaries and chief accountants. It becomes a chain reaction, and then they all get involved,” he explained.

When asked about his decision to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister during the “Good Governance” government, Sirisena humorously deflected, stating, “I could answer that, but I’m not sure if Mr. Ranil will be pleased. If anyone wants to know, they can ask me privately. It wasn’t solely my decision, but I take responsibility. Being a leader means facing many tough decisions.”