President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the country needs a national policy that does not change with every Government that comes to power and invited everyone to commit to building the country on one national policy without party differences.
The President said that to build a developed economy and raise Sri Lanka to the pinnacle of the world, a solid economic policy as well as political stability is a must. Hence, the President invited everyone to join hands to discuss the National Policy Framework using the Jathika Sabawa (National Council) as a platform.
President Wickremesinghe was speaking at the opening of the first life-saving pharmaceutical manufacturing plant set up in Sri Lanka on Monday, October 10. He said that he is working towards establishing a National Policy to prepare an export economy using competitive and modern technology.
The President said, “Today people are facing grave difficulties. Many have lost their jobs. Some have to skip meals and be hungry. We need to find long-term solutions to address these issues. It is not possible to go back and find solutions. That is why plans are being made today to create a very competitive, modern technology-based export economy. That is why we should make policies.”
SLPP launches political campaign
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) launched its political campaign in Kalutara last Saturday at a public meeting organised by SLPP Parliamentarian Rohitha Abeygunawardena on the theme “Let’s rise together from Kalutara.”
A notable feature was that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared in public for the first time since his resignation in May as Prime Minister at the rally. Former President Rajapaksa addressed the rally which was billed as the first of many that the SLPP intends to hold island-wide in a campaign to rebuild the image of the party.
Former President Rajapaksa said he and his party will continue to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his program to take the country forward. The comments of former President Rajapaksa that aroused the greatest interest were his reference to current President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
“He was our rival in the UNP and was misled before but now he has chosen the correct path, so we must support him,” Rajapaksa said.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that during the recent crisis Wickremesinghe had come forward and had accepted the Presidency at a very challenging time. Most of the SLPP seniors attended the rally including Parliamentarians Johnston Fernando, Namal Rajapaksa, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Piyal Nishantha and Sagara Kariyawasam. Many speakers sounded a defiant note, claiming that the SLPP still remained a formidable electoral force despite the actions of “conspirators”. They also insisted that the party’s National Organiser and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, now in the United States, was still giving leadership to the party’s organising efforts.
Domestic mechanism
Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that he and President Ranil Wickremesinghe will hold talks with Tamil Diaspora leaders next month to solve the problems of Tamil people through a domestic mechanism.
He said, “If that discussion is successful, we will be able to solve the problems of Tamils through a domestic mechanism and there will be no foreign interference in the internal affairs of the country and we will get the support of other countries.”
At the press conference at the Justice Ministry on Thursday, the Minister said the Government should solve the national problem through a domestic mechanism. He said that steps will be taken to find a solution to the problem through a domestic mechanism without international interference adding that he and the President will hold a dialogue with the leaders of Tamil Diaspora organisations next month. If the dialogue is successful, there will be no international interference in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Rajapakshe said that it is the expectation of the United Nations to get a solution to the problem of Tamils under the supervision of international organisations through the international mechanism. However, Sri Lanka has to take measures to solve the national problem. Thus, the Government is taking steps to solve the national problem through a domestic mechanism.
The Minister said if the problems of Tamil people can be solved under the domestic mechanism, international cooperation will be available. Responding to the questions raised by the journalists regarding the release of Tamil political prisoners, the Minister said that the Government is working with great concern regarding the release of Tamil political prisoners.
Suitable economic model
Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena said it is the need of the hour that we all work together to rebuild this country.
The Minister made these comments at the launch of the book titled ‘Daridrathawaye Sita Samsung Dakwa Koriyawe Sanwardana Modalaya’ ‘From Poverty to Samsung - Korea’s development model’ authored by journalists Milinda Rajapakse and Chanuka Wattegama, at the Government Information Department auditorium on Friday.
Dr. Gunawardena said when taking development into consideration, Sri Lanka is going through the worst period in its history.
He said, “After Independence, our country has used various development models such as closed economy and open economy after 1977. The models have been changing at different times during the journey forward.”
The Minister said that politicians in the country did not have the strength of maintaining one policy or a development model. “Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala presented the most suitable economic model for our country before many countries in Asia such as Singapore and Malaysia.”
Minister Gunawardena said that education is the only way to save our nation. He said that our young people should be sent on scholarships to America, Japan, Germany, India, Hong Kong, France and England and provided with knowledge about new subjects such as technology, scientific agriculture, and irrigation and brought back to Sri Lanka and only then the work of nation building should commence.
He said, “Only administrative officers with competent expertise should be appointed to high positions of responsibility.”
Dr. Gunawardena said that the country was not able to do so, and the country has come to a state where we cannot pay back foreign debt premiums. “Today, we are facing the biggest economic crisis in history due to spending more than the income earned for a long time, then taking local and foreign loans to cover the huge budget gap under all Governments, taking loans to pay off the loans and stopping it.”
President meets professionals
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had a discussion with a group of professionals at the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday. A large number of professionals attended the discussion.
UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, UNP Deputy Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and former Minister Tilak Marapana also participated. The President said that he works for the people irrespective of narrow party lines.
President Wickremesinghe had extensive discussions with professionals on the measures taken to overcome the current economic crisis, change the existing political system and reduce the number of members of the Local Government bodies from 8,000 to 4,000 by setting up a ‘Jana Sabha’ system.
The President told the professionals, “It was not the political parties that initiated the protests last March. The people did not participate in protests by the political parties but they came forward independently. Unfortunately, in May and June, different political organisations took this movement into their hands and then the violence crept in. Along with the violence, they attempted to oust the Government and the struggle collapsed with it.”
Civilised manner
UNP Chairman MP Wajira Abeywardena said President Ranil Wickremesinghe never came forward to save politicians accused of fraud or corruption and a number of such politicians left him in the past.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, Abeywardena said that some of the people who left the President are accusing him of saving the corrupt, fraudsters, rapists and said that if it is proved that the President has influenced the court at any time, he will retire from politics forever.
He said that President Wickremesinghe is the only leader who has the ability to govern the country in a civilised manner by maintaining the balance of the three pillars: the judiciary, legislature and the executive. Abeywardena said that there was an era where there was political influence on judicial decisions and added that under the administration of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the independence of the judiciary will never be interfered with.
‘Secret’ meeting
A secret discussion of the nine SLFP MPs who represent the Government was held at a SLFP stalwart’s residence in Colombo on Wednesday. The discussion had been organised in a secret manner as it had been called to talk about a secret operation to be launched.
SLFP seniors Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Jagath Pushpakumara, Shantha Bandara, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake and Suren Raghavan had attended the discussion.
One SLFP senior who commenced the discussion had said, “We should somehow safeguard the SLFP before it becomes a cat’s paw of Sajith Premadasa. Now only Maithripala Sirisena, Dayasiri Jayasekara and Shan Wijeyalal de Silva are in the SLFP.
Then another party representative had said “Look at how many groups are there in the Opposition including the groups led by Sajith Premadasa, TNA, Anura Dissanayake, Dullas Alahapperuma, Wimal Weerawansa and Maithripala Sirisena. At present, the SLFP has become the smallest group in the Opposition. Therefore, we want to turn the SLFP into a strong political entity.”
One SLFP senior had said that Maithripala Sirisena and Dayasiri Jayasekara are not SLFPers. Then another SLFP MP had queried as to why he said so. “Because both of them joined the UNP. Dayasiri contested from the UNP while Maithripala Sirisena became the Common Candidate after he became the UNP Presidential Candidate.”
Elections
SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that the SJB will not hesitate to take legal action against the Government if it attempted to postpone the elections unnecessarily.
He said the country is in need of an election to revisit the people’s opinion and not amendments to the electoral system. Elections are also essential to build the country’s economy. Madduma Bandara said. “The President promised to amend the Provincial elections system, but it did not happen. All these are just tactics to postpone the elections. Therefore, we tell the Government to hold the elections on time without postponing them. ”
Singapore of the African Continent
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said he would never work with the Rajapaksa family and betray the people’s mandate to seek political power. At a recent meeting at Dehiaththakandiya, Premadasa said that Rwanda was in a worse situation than Sri Lanka due to war. However, it is now called the Singapore of the African Continent. “The reason why Sri Lanka could not reach a position like that was because the Rajapaksa family used racism, religious animosity to do politics while thriving on corruption,” Premadasa alleged.
Premadasa criticised the appointment of Namal Rajapaksa, who was a part of the Government that bankrupted the economy, to be the Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the identification of priorities in short, medium and long term national policy formulation. Premadasa said that a country and a nation proud of its history and heritage lost its self respect due to the actions of the Rajapaksa family and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government.
The Opposition Leader said that farmers, the fishing community, pregnant mothers and children have to undergo untold hardships as a result of the shortsightedness of the SLPP Government.
He said that while the children of Parliamentarians study in the English medium in schools equipped with the latest technology, the children of poor families are not privy to the basic facilities to receive education.
Low-income country
SLFP General Secretary, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said all those responsible for the shift of Sri Lanka from a middle-income country to a low-income country should be prosecuted.
At a media briefing at the SLFP headquarters on Wednesday, Jayasekara said the entire Cabinet ought to be ashamed of themselves for allowing the country to be struck by poverty. He said that all those responsible for the economic crisis should be dealt with severely.
“Lost people’s mandate”
National People’s Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath alleged the Government is attempting to postpone the Local Government elections again.
At a press briefing at the party headquarters, Herath said the Government is unwilling to go before the people because it has already lost the people’s mandate.
He said, “The Local Government election was due this February. However, the Government deliberately postponed it by a year to next February. The main reason for that was because the Government could not go before the people. This Government has lost the people’s mandate. Since the people are ready to use their vote against it, the Government is afraid to call for an election.” MP Herath said.
“The Elections Commission received the power from mid March to hold the Local Government elections. Thus, the Chairman of the Election Commission said, after registering the new voters, the Provincial Council election would be held at an appropriate time. However, the Government is trying to postpone the election again. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena questioned why we hastily called for an election. There is no haste. We are already late to hold the LG polls,” he said.
Honest leaders
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said that we wish to create a younger generation of leaders who are honest and free from corruption. Former President Kumaratunga was speaking to the media following a Dhamma sermon at the Ranpokunagama Maha Vihara, Nittambuwa on Sunday to commemorate the 22nd death anniversary of Prime Mime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the 77th birthday of actor-turned politician Vijaya Kumaratunga.
She said that the country’s leadership should be entrusted to a set of young honest leaders who will not rob the country of its resources. Former President Kumaratunga also said that there are plenty of such young leaders in Attanagalla.
The former President also said that to rebuild the country, they will create young leaders who will dedicate themselves to the country and those who will not steal or kill. She said, “We are now too old to rule the country, adding that the young leaders who take over the country’s leadership need not be from the same family.”