Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said the investigations have very clearly revealed that the Swiss embassy employee has made very contradictory statements with no substantial evidence. In an interview with the Sunday Observer, the Minister said it is very clear there was an attempt to bring the Government to disrepute in the international front without the knowledge of the Swiss Embassy. Once all the investigations are concluded, a firm comment can be made on this incident, he said.
Dr. Pathirana further said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has very clearly stated that, when it comes to international affairs, he wants to remain one hundred percent neutral. Sri Lanka will not take sides in international affairs. Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation. “We want to be friends with everyone and enemies with none. So we will carry out our policy framework in relation to that. Some of the elements in the international community try to upset our position internationally,” he said, adding “We should be able to convince them through our strategies and foreign relations that we are an independent and sovereign nation and we are doing the right thing.”
Q. Would you like to elaborate on the political background in the country which led to the victory of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa?
A: From the day when the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated in 2015, the Government that came to power in 2015 didn’t have a policy direction for the economic and social development to provide health and education benefits to the people. Instead, they started taking revenge on their political opponents and some Government officials. Gradually, the economy began to deteriorate due to such activities. There arose the serious problem of balance of payments. Consequently, the investors were not confident to make their investments and our economic activities descended to the lowest in recent history. On one side, there was the economic recession and, on the other, the then President and Prime Minister were in two different camps and, as such, there was no one policy direction for the Government. Policy-wise, they were heading towards two different directions. Thereby, a very unstable situation was created in the country politically and socially. Therefore, the people desired to have a change of administration. This is what we witnessed at the recent Presidential Election in which Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected President with an overwhelming majority.
Q: What are the challenges to be faced by the new Government?
A: The people wanted us to ensure the security of the country. That is why the majority voted for SLPP Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The second important factor is the economic recovery. The people wanted to revive the failing economic growth. The people are also very concerned about other social benefits such as healthcare and better education facilities for their children. These are the main challenges that have to be addressed.
Q. What is the Government stand on the proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement?
A: Nobody in the country has had a look on the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement. What is known to the outside is that it might have a negative impact on the country. There was an overwhelming opposition from the then Joint Opposition and they were very outspoken about the impact of the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement. As a responsible Government, we have to show that particular agreement to the people. We should also refer it to Maha Nayaka theras and the Cardinal as well so that they will also express their stance. Before rejecting it outright, we have to show the agreement to the people. We have to tell the international community, as well as America, that we are rejecting it and these are the key reasons for us to reject it. Then it would be very clear to one and all. For the time being, we have not taken any decision about the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement.
Q. What is your take on the Swiss Embassy incident? Is this an attempt to embarrass the new Government internationally?
A: There is a complaint from the Swiss Embassy that one of the local officials working in the Embassy has been harassed. This alleged abduction case and harassment have been looked into and the investigations are being carried out. However, those investigations have very clearly revealed that the Swiss Embassy employee has made very contradictory statements and there is no substantial evidence. It is very clear there was an attempt to bring the Government to disrepute without the knowledge of the Swiss Embassy. There has been a move to bring discredit to the Government on the international front. I think we will be able to make a firm comment once all the investigations are concluded.
Q. What is the present crisis within the UNP? When will the ‘tug of war’ between the Party Leader and the newly designated Opposition Leader end?
A: That is an internal matter of the UNP. The UNP has been in the Opposition for the last 22 years. Whoever the leader that will come to the helm of the party, we don’t think it is an easy task for him to bring the party back to power. Because the supporters of the UNP at the grass root level and other UNP activists are highly disillusioned with what is going on. So whoever comes to the leadership, it is very evident that the party is at a very weak putting. We need not have to look into their issues. We should concentrate on our own affairs and ensure a better society for the Sri Lankan people.
Q. There is an internationally organized campaign to discredit the new Government and spoil the image of Sri Lanka. Your comments?
A: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has very clearly said that when it comes to the international affairs, he wants to remain hundred percent neutral. So we don’t want to take any side in international affairs. We are a sovereign nation. We want to be friends with everyone and enemies of none. So we will carry out our policy framework in relation to that. We will remain a non-aligned country. Now some of the elements in the international community try to upset our position internationally. We should be able to convince them through our strategies and foreign relations that we are an independent and sovereign nation and that we are doing the right thing.
Q. Would you agree that economic development of the North and the East deserves priority over political issues?
A: During our Government from 2010 to 2015, most of the social benefits of the people in the North and the East were addressed. The railway line to Jaffna was restored and hundred percent electricity supply was provided to the Northern part of the country. Schools also started functioning and hospitals were provided with better equipment and health care. All those projects came to a standstill after the 2015 Presidential Election. We will recommence that process and we want to ensure that the people in the Northern and the Eastern part of the country will also enjoy the same benefits as their counterparts in the Southern and Western Province do. I think with economic development, other issues will become much less important in time to come.
Q. What are the political, social and other reasons for the setback suffered by the JVP during the Presidential Election?
A: The JVP supported former President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 Presidential Election. Afterwards, they totally aligned with the UNP and its leadership. This became clearly evident during the last four and a half years. In view of this, the JVP deviated from its ideology while the people didn’t want the JVP to have any links with the UNP. That is why their vote base eroded to one of the lowest percentage of 3 percent at the recently concluded Presidential Election. The leaders of the JVP should rethink and re-strategise if they really want to deliver something meaningful to the people of this country rather than getting into petty political lines.
Q. Is the Government for the total abolition or amending the 19th Amendment?
A: We have not yet taken a policy decision on the 19th Amendment but that discussion had been going on during the last five years. After the 2015 Presidential Election, an Executive Presidency with lesser powers was created. As a result of that there were two power centers. The President and the Prime Minister were elected from two different parties. Policy wise, that created a very confusing state of affairs and that is what we witnessed ourselves during the past four and a half years. It was at all in the best interest of the country. It is more appropriate that we should rethink about the 19th Amendment and we have to retain whatever the good things in it. We have to look at how to draft a better constitution for the country.
Q. Will the next General Election be contested under the symbol ‘Pohottuwa’ or any other symbol as there is controversy over this?
A: We have not made any firm decision on this so far. However, the people who have been supporting the SLPP over a period of time are of the view that ‘Pohottuwa’ is a victorious symbol so they are in favour of it. However, we have to reach a final decision on the question of symbol after a comprehensive discussion with other constituent parties of our political alliance.
Q. Ceylon Electricity Board, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Sri Lankan Airlines are reeling under financial crisis due to corruption and mismanagement. Do you have any proposals to make them viable projects?
A: As an initial measure, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to curtail the salaries and other perks of the chairmen and other political appointees to Boards. From the Government side, the President is setting a very good example by reducing his own cadre, fleet of vehicles and Government expenditure. All of us should follow this strategic example. financial management is something which is of paramount importance for a country. We should tell the Chairmen and other Board members to commission those organisations to deliver the goods rather than wasting public funds. We will definitely strategise and cut the expenditure and ensure that those state organisations are run as viable entities.
Q. Have the Cabinet of Ministers decided to convert the Z- score system used for university admission to a school criteria-based system instead of the district criteria?
A: We would suggest that schools should be assessed to create a different Z- score system. What we now have is the district based system. Even by utilizing the district based system, we have observed that there are so many differences within the region when it comes to facilities, equipment and teachers and also the other areas concerned. It is not justifiable for us to have the same Z- score throughout the whole district. So we are going to categorise schools depending on the facilities they have. So the Z-score would be based on the facilities that are given to those schools. The schools which have lesser facilities such as teachers and privileges would be entitled to a lower level of Z- score rather than the schools with higher level of facilities.