Sri Lanka, Aug. 16 -- The single most important practical task facing the new Cabinet and the new Government is probably the management - nay resurrection - of the economy, after the ravages of five years of misrule, and then the Covid pandemic.

Next in order of priority, and when taking into consideration long-term implications, is constitutional reform.

To put things mildly, the two-thirds will help. But the political opposition or their support base at least is - as is customary in Sri Lanka - making noises about tangential issues such as Ali Sabry's appointment, hoping they will be able to make mountains out of these molehills.

Will they succeed? Muddying the waters is their only tactic - and they started it by denigrating the vote...