ON the global airways Sri Lanka likes to boast (and with every reason given its ancient history and natural beauty) that it is “a land like no other.” Now it can also proclaim that in recently installed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the country has “a President like no other.”

Within hours into his presidency Rajapaksa announced that the unbending decades-long practice of the official photograph of the reigning president staring dax0own benignly at the citizenry from all public buildings, schools and other institutions nationwide would end forthwith. Known for his hands-on style, the tough though amiable Rajapaksa — who, in his previous spell in government as Defense secretary, spearheaded the total defeat of the Tamil Tiger terrorist group that had plagued the island nation for over 30 years — was signaling from the outset that he would neither reign or rule but instead govern without the optics of power.

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