* Would be helpful to boost country’s foreign reserves
* Pakistanis, Indians sent money to their countries during a similar crisis
* President to bring 21st Amendment at the earliest
* Political crisis should be sorted out if there is to be stability
Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said that in a situation where the Sri Lankan people are undergoing severe hardships, if Sri Lankan expatriates can purchase some property, make some investment in Sri Lanka or at least send some money to their relatives through the formal banking system, it would be very helpful to boost the country’s dwindling foreign reserves.
The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said in recent times Pakistan also faced a similar crisis situation, and then the Pakistan people worldwide sent dollars to their country and helped to get rid of the economic crisis. When the Indian economy collapsed in 1989-1990 and started to recover from 1991, they started an ‘Overseas Indian’ program and all Indian expatriates helped to rebuild their country irrespective of petty political differences.
At this juncture, we also request all Sri Lankan expatriates to send their remittances to the country without considering their personal benefits. We also hope to provide some concessions to encourage all those who send their money to Sri Lanka. We request Sri Lankan expatriates to join hands to fulfill their duty on behalf of their motherland.
Q: As reported by the media certain SLPP Parliamentarians have requested Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to prioritise overcoming the economic crisis, instead of focusing on Constitutional amendments. Would you like to comment?
A: I don’t think the majority of the SLPP MPs maintain this view. A few of them may have different views. However, the President has agreed to bring the 21st Amendment as early as possible. That is why we also joined hands with the Government. Otherwise, if the President has powers, he can fulfill this task alone. There is a necessity of giving certain powers to Parliament.
This is not a mere economic crisis as it is linked with a political crisis. If we want to create stability in the country, this political crisis should be sorted out. If there is political stability, then only we will be able to find solutions to the economic crisis. Therefore, it is important to go for a balance of power with Parliament through the 21st Amendment.
Q: The Prime Minister has said that the functioning of the Parliament has been paralysed due to the weakening of Parliamentary powers by the 20th Amendment and the Executive has been given more powers. Your views?
A: Steps should be taken to abolish the 20th Amendment. Everybody is under the impression that because of the 20th Amendment, the Parliament has become powerless. During the recent past anything discussed in Parliament became irrelevant and it only paved the way for the President to take unilateral decisions.
We could see for ourselves the incidents that occurred as a result of it during the past two years. There is no argument and it has been proved with evidence that the mistake was made by the 20th Amendment.
That mistake has to be rectified. On the other hand, the country has become unsuccessful both economically and policy wise. In addition, there were instances with regard to the law and order situation and certain matters that confronted the judiciary. This lost the independence of the judiciary. Therefore, it is vital to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
Q: Are you of the view that the 21st Amendment should be moved at this juncture to overcome the current crisis situation faced by the country?
A: The 21st Amendment should definitely be brought in. If somebody attempts to sabotage this process, it is very obvious they have no genuine desire to sort out the burning issues in the country. At present, there is a serious issue with regard to people’s hunger. There are a series of other demands put forward by the people as well. We all have a key responsibility to listen to those demands.
Q: SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara has said that there is a conspiracy to defeat the 21st Amendment. Your comments?
A: Some may want to defeat the passing of the 21st Amendment in Parliament. At present, there are nearly 65 MPs who have organised themselves as the Opposition. In addition, 42 MPs have become independent in Parliament. They all are of the view that Parliamentary powers should be strengthened once again. This means 107 MPs in the Opposition are supporting this move.
Of the Government Parliamentary Group of MPs, even if half of them support the 21st Amendment, this issue will be sorted out. I don’t think there won’t be a division in the Government Parliamentary Group and they all will reach a common consensus. The views of the Party leaders on the 21st Amendment were obtained and submitted to the Cabinet this week. We would be able to finalise those views next week.
Q: The people have faced severe hardships over the past few months and they have to be in lengthy queues due to the shortage of fuel and gas. This became one of the key reasons for the people to commence their protest campaigns against the Government. Why has the Government failed to provide a lasting solution to the issue so far?
A: We all know the reason for the dollar crisis. Certain incidents occurred during the past few years and some long standing issues have led to this situation. When the country turned into the level of not repaying our loan installments, then it has turned into a situation of not obtaining any loans further.
When our expenditure is higher than our income, it is not a secret that we have faced a dollar crisis. It has become an issue to find dollars to import fuel and gas. There may be various solutions to sort out this issue such as obtaining loans, getting remittances from Sri Lankan expatriates, attracting investments and increasing our export income through production. At present, our export income has also declined.
There has been a delay in receiving foreign remittances. Some politicians and political organisations asked Sri Lankan expatriates and migrant workers not to send their remittances through the proper channels. When some politicians provoke overseas Sri Lankans not to make their remittances, then the people here would suffer and undergo severe hardships. Those who want the people to suffer carry out their campaign to mislead Sri Lankan expatriates. As a result, the country has faced a serious issue and it won’t be easy to sort it out. So, it will take some time to turn this situation into normalcy.
Q: With the increase of VAT and several other taxes recently, the people have faced severe hardships due to the hike in prices of consumer items. Would you like to air your views?
A: This will increase our local income and not dollar income. Locally, the Government’s income had collapsed by nearly 40 percent due to giving various tax concessions. It is difficult to find any other countries in the world which have given this kind of tax concession. Our tax rates are comparatively low compared to other countries. What happens here is taxes are charged from the food commodities of the people. The method of charging more direct taxes from the medium and large scale businessmen should be increased. It is nothing wrong to increase these direct taxes. As a result, food prices may go up. However, these food prices have mainly gone up not because of increased taxes but mainly due to high inflation and the depreciation of the rupee.
Q: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the relevant officials to immediately launch a comprehensive public-private partnership program on food security. Your comments?
A: I think at this juncture, the Government, private sector and all other stakeholders should join hands to sort out this issue. It is the private sector which has mainly got involved in importing food commodities to the country. As a Government, we don’t import food products. The Government doesn’t engage in cultivation activities and it would mainly play the facilitator’s role. We are of the view that the maximum private sector participation should be obtained to import foods and the cultivation of food crops.
As a Government, we have taken a policy decision to allocate lands on temporary basis for cultivation activities and grant permission to cultivate in each and every land in the country which can be cultivated.
At present certain issues have been created to import goods due to shortage of dollars. Steps have been taken to properly secure food items to be imported for the next two months through alternative methods.
Q: Delivering a special statement in Parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the next three weeks will be tough for Sri Lanka urging the general public to use fuel and LP gas sparingly. Would you like to comment?
A: As the Premier said, this issue will be seriously affected during the coming three weeks. That is mainly due to the inability to receive dollars instantly. We hope our Sri Lankan expatriates will send at least US$ 500 to 600 million to Sri Lanka. We also hope we would be able to get foreign aid and concessions through the IMF and other international financial agencies. In addition, a program is being formulated on petroleum to preserve dollars by adopting another methodology. Therefore, the next couple of weeks will be crucial as it will take some time to implement these methodologies.
After that, we would be able to see some green light. That is why the Prime Minister requested the people to limit their trips.
However, the country’s industries should function. A decision has been taken to declare Friday as a non-working day for the public servants. Actually, this is not a holiday given to them. As the Labour Minister who represents the entire working community, I would like to say that at present there is a surplus in the public sector.
During the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, public servants completed their assigned task within three days. The Friday has been declared as a non-working day to save fuel and electricity and prevent public servants wasting their time on the roads. In a situation where the public sector has more holidays and other benefits, the private sector may get a wrong impression as to why they are not given such holidays and benefits. However, this is not a holiday and this is an opportunity given for the public servants to complete their five days duties assigned within four days.
Q: Has the Cabinet Ministers unanimously agreed to serve without salaries for a period of one year?
A: Yes. All Cabinet Ministers agreed to the proposal put forward by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe not to draw their salaries for a period of one year.
Q: You played a leading role to form the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and vociferously campaigned for SJB Presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa at the last Presidential Election. What led you to quit the SJB and join hands with the Government?
A: We had only one reason to do so. We entered into active politics to do something on behalf of the people. Our ultimate goal was not to make a party leader, President or a Prime Minister.
We made a lot of effort to form the SJB and capture the country’s power with a group of clean people to help the people to overcome their hardships.
When the people have faced severe hardships, if the party doesn’t have any intention to capture power, our main focus is to help the people in this difficult time. If we can’t make this sacrifice at this juncture and think only of our political future, we will fail.
Our policy is not to accept portfolios or govern the country after it turns to normalcy. We were of the view that we should help the people when they have faced severe hardships.
That is why we decided to quit the SJB and become independent in Parliament. Even today we think the SJB will also join hands to sort out this problem and help the people to get over their hardships.
We would further remain as members of the SJB, even though there are attempts to remove us from the Party. We would like to say they are not in a position to do so. Actually, this is the party where we all joined hands and formed. Therefore, we have a right to be in the party.
Q: You have made an urgent appeal to the country’s migrant worker fraternity to make their remittances through the formal banking system, instead of using illegal methods and help boost the country’s dwindling foreign reserves. Could you explain?
A: Actually, we don’t tell them to send their money to the Treasury or any other fund. We only request them to send their remittances through the formal banking system. If they send money through illegal channels, there is no use of it.
Then there won’t be dollars to purchase gas, fuel and medicine. We need dollars to purchase fuel, gas and medicine. That is why we request Sri Lankan expatriates to send their remittances to their bank accounts.
Lot of Sri Lankans who have studied and graduated from our universities with the help of the free education and taxpayers money are working worldwide.
They spend a luxurious life in those countries by paying a lot of taxes and we are happy about it. In a situation where the Sri Lankan people are undergoing severe hardships, if Sri Lankan expatriates can purchase some property, make some investment in Sri Lanka or at least send some money to their relative’s bank account, it would be very helpful to boost the country’s dwindling foreign reserves.