Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera said that at this juncture everybody should extend their support to the incumbent Government without dragging its feet.
If they don’t disturb and attempt to take political advantage, some sort of program can be implemented to overcome the current crisis. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said at present there is no major issue with regard to political instability in the country. If the present Government doesn’t have 113 MPs in Parliament, then there is political instability. Still the Government commands the majority in Parliament. However, we have to admit that there is a public protest outside the Parliament. That is what we should address and rectify immediately. It is the responsibility of the Government to provide essential commodities to the people and bring solutions to their burning issues.
Excerpts of the interview
Q: Some Government and Opposition Parliamentarians are of the view that an Interim Government should be formed in collaboration with all political parties represented in Parliament. Otherwise, no solution can be found to the current crisis. Your views?
A: Actually, our intention was also to form an Interim Government. We tried our level best for it. However, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa avoided that opportunity. Even JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake didn’t accept that challenge. As nobody took over the Government, there was a country without a Prime Minister. After that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe accepted the premiership.
It took another one week to appoint the Cabinet of Ministers. That is why we decided to accept ministerial portfolios and this is the situation which prevails in the country today. This doesn’t mean that all the problems will be sorted out. At this juncture everybody should extend their support to the incumbent Government without dragging its feet. If they don’t disturb and attempt to take political advantage, some sort of program can be implemented to overcome the current crisis.
Q: At present the Cabinet of Ministers has given approval to the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. However, some say this is not the appropriate time to bring a Constitutional Amendment when the people have faced severe hardships due to the current economic crisis. Would you like to comment?
A: This Constitutional Amendment will not solve all the problems faced by the people. Earlier, intellectuals and professions in the country were under the impression that the 21st Amendment should be brought as early as possible. We have to sort out these problems one by one. It would also help to build international confidence in us which would eventually pave the way to get international assistance. Bringing the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was a request by all political parties, civil society groups and intellectuals. Now that request is going to turn into a reality.
Q: Do you believe the 21st Amendment would help to eliminate the current political instability in the country to some extent?
A: At present there is no major issue with regard to political instability in the country. If the present Government doesn’t have 113 MPs in Parliament, then only there is political instability. Still the Government commands the majority in Parliament. However we have to admit that there is a public protest outside the Parliament. That is what we should address and rectify it immediately.
I think it is the responsibility of the Government to provide essential commodities to the people and bring solutions to their burning issues. As the Agriculture Minister, I will somehow sort out the issues faced by farmers. The major problem faced in the agriculture sector was to provide fertiliser to farmers. Similarly, we have to provide fuel to farmers to carry out their paddy cultivation. Both of these requirements will be fulfilled.
The fertiliser required for the Yala Season will be provided while the fertiliser requirement for the Maha Season will also be addressed. Then we would be able to sort out the problems faced by farmers to a certain extent. The fuel and gas are other major issues faced by the people. Immediate steps should be taken to address these issues as well. Then we would be able to minimise these public protests.
Q: The JVP and the TNA are of the view that instead of going for a General Election, there is no way out for the current crisis. However, some are of the view that this is not the time to go for an election whatsoever when the people are faced with immense hardships. Your views?
A: They have no idea as to how this issue is sorted out when we go for an election. Their sole intention is how to consolidate power. Their attempt is to further destabilise the country. None of these parties are in a position to get 100 MPs at an election. Therefore, after an election, an unstable Government which cannot secure even a simple majority in Parliament will be created and it would lead to more crises in the country. The present Government has at least 113 MPs in Parliament.
Do the people request for an election at this juncture? The people have faced severe hardships due to the current situation. Therefore, their request is to provide solutions to the fuel, gas and other burning issues. Who is going to contest the election? If the politicians of some political parties want to conduct an election, have the people raised their voice to conduct an election at this juncture? That is not so. Nearly Rs. 7,000 to 8,000 million has to be spent to conduct an election. In addition, a lot of time has also to be spent to conduct an election by postponing all the work planned by the Government. Therefore, it won’t bring any fruitful results by conducting an election at this juncture. Perhaps, it may be a deliberate attempt by certain political parties to just increase their numbers in Parliament.
Q: How do you view the attempt by the SJB and the JVP to boycott Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday adding that convening Parliament in this manner doesn’t provide any solution to the current economic crisis and other issues?
A: There is no issue with regard to that decision. I don’t say the Parliament can provide solutions to this issue. A massive task to be done by the Parliament was fulfilled on Tuesday. As a SLFP MP who represents the Cabinet, I could also contribute to approve the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. If we were outside the Government, we would have missed that opportunity. I am happy that I could also contribute to this victory which would strengthen the country’s democracy. I also expressed views in Parliament on Tuesday regarding this. The Cabinet has given approval to the 21st Amendment.
We also think there is no necessity of convening Parliament continuously as scheduled. That is why this week’s Parliament sittings were restricted to two days on Tuesday and Wednesday. Actually, we had an idea whether we could even postpone Wednesday’s Parliament sittings. Amid the ongoing fuel issue, if there is no essential matter to convene Parliament, there is no use of wasting time to conduct Adjournment debates.
Q: The Opposition says after one and a half months of assuming duties, the Prime Minister has not been able to bring any solution to sort out the current crisis. Your views?
A: I don’t know whether the Prime Minister or any other capable person is there who can provide an instant solution to the current crisis. If there is any such capable person, he should present his plan without just making mere criticisms. They should tell the people when they take over the Government as to how they are going to sort out the fuel and gas issues, repay loans, provide employment and develop the country. However, there is not a single person who has presented such a plan. They are just making various comments outside Parliament by asking them to give power and then they will show how to solve the problems. Anybody can make such utterances but that will not solve the issues faced by the country.
Q: Some say this is a crisis created by the rulers and not the people. Therefore, it is the prime responsibility of the rulers to find a solution to it. Would you like to respond?
A: We will bring a solution to it. For example, whoever created this crisis in the agriculture sector, I will have to sort it out. After the forthcoming Maha Season, there is no need to import rice to Sri Lanka and we would produce all required amounts of rice locally. Arrangements have already been made to cultivate all the abandoned paddy lands. That is how we should increase our rice production. In addition, we also provide chemical fertiliser and other pesticides to farmers.
This is what the farmers ask to continue their cultivation. We will cultivate the maximum amount of paddy lands for the next season. Our target is to cultivate at least 40,000 to 50,000 acres of paddy lands. At present, there are over 90,000 acres of paddy lands in the country. Some paddy lands cannot be cultivated due to water issues. However, we think we would be able to cultivate at least 50,000 acres of paddy lands.
Q: Do you think the IMF assistance to Sri Lanka is very much needed at this juncture?
A: Definitely. Actually, we had to face unfavourable consequences due to the delay of obtaining the IMF assistance.
Q: SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara has said that the Government and the Cabinet should sort out the ongoing issues in the country. Otherwise, there is no use of convening the Parliament. Do you also maintain the same view?
A: The Government has that responsibility. It cannot shirk that responsibility. However, the Government has accepted the responsibility. I don’t think a new Prime Minister and the Government can solve these longstanding problems within a few weeks or months. Actually, we had to take over a bankrupt country. For example, how long will it take to turn a bankrupt person to normalcy? Similarly, it will take some time to turn the country to normalcy. Therefore, the challenge before the new Government is to rid the country from bankruptcy.
Q: Is there any shortage of fertiliser for this cultivation season as highlighted by the farmers?
A: No. A fertiliser shipment is due to arrive from Oman on July 6. Our intention is to provide that fertiliser to farmers before July 15. Certain sections of the farmers did not have fertiliser to engage in their cultivation in the Yala Season. Now the farmers have commenced the paddy harvesting for the Yala Season.
Q: There is an allegation that if a Cabinet paper has been submitted, no compensation has been paid to farmers whose crops were damaged during the previous Maha Season. Have you focused your attention on this issue?
A: Actually, there is a financial problem to provide these compensations. However, I am also trying my level best to provide these compensations to farmers. I am also of the view that it is fair to provide such compensation to farmers.
Q: Speculation is rife on an imminent food crisis in the country. As the Agriculture Minister would you like to respond?
A: At present there is a world food crisis. We also have to face its impact and I can’t deny that. That is why there is an increase in food commodities. At the inception, we had to face the paddy issue as the paddy lands were not cultivated by the farmers. When I was appointed the Agriculture Minister, farmers had cultivated only 248 hectares of paddy lands. We were also afraid that there would be a rice shortage.
Therefore, the people were also scared of such a food crisis. As a result, the total number of paddy lands cultivated has been increased up to 475000. Therefore, there won’t be any rice shortage by the end of November or middle of December this year. If there is any rice issue, that will be by the end of December or January next year. This is our prediction.
Q: If a certified price has been declared on rice, there is an allegation that certain traders sell rice by exceeding these price limits. Could you explain?
A: That is true. There are certain traders who sell rice at higher prices than the certified prices. The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) should take the responsibility of tracing such errant traders. The Agriculture Ministry is not in a position to do so. However, if this situation should be controlled, we would also provide some assistance on our part. We also release the paddy stocks to the Paddy Marketing Board. In addition, a large number of paddy stocks in the Civil Defence Force is converted into rice and released to the market. We will do such things on our part. The CAA also conducts its raids as usual. I also admit that this problem has not been sorted out by hundred percent. However, I will do my level best on my part to address this issue. The Trade Ministry has also taken a decision to import rice. Then we hope this rice issue will be sorted out.