It is important for the President to act in accordance with his responsibilities entrusted upon him:
United National Party (UNP) Chairman MP Wajira Abeywardana said that holding the Local Government (LG) elections at this juncture will not solve the country’s burning issues and provide any kind of solution to turn this bankrupt country into some stable level and provide any kind of relief to the people.
The UNP Chairman in an interview with the Sunday Observer said at present the people are under the impression that the existing system of paying salaries to 8000 Local Government members and 8000 candidates contesting the upcoming LG polls should be changed. The total number of Local Government members has to be reduced to at least 4000.
Abeywardana said, “If there is any deliberate attempt to destabilise the country without reaching a consensus on matters of national importance, the people will realise it and act accordingly. I don’t think at this time there will be much enthusiasm among the people to go to the polling stations and cast their votes.”
Excerpts of the interview
Q: It has been decided to accept nominations for the Local Government elections from January 18 to 21. However, the Government has decided to consult the Attorney General regarding the division within the National Election Commission as the dates for the LG elections are very close. Would you like to comment?
A: This is a situation where the country has been turned into bankruptcy. Under these circumstances, if somebody recommends conducting an election as the UNP, we are ready to form a broad political alliance and contest the upcoming LG elections. However, that doesn’t solve the country’s burning issues and provide any kind of solution to turn the bankrupt country into some stable level. It will also not provide any kind of benefit or relief to the people. The people are under the impression that the system of paying salaries to 8000 Local Government members and 8000 candidates contesting the upcoming LG polls should be changed.
The total number of Local Government members has to be reduced to at least 4,000 and the distorted preferential system should be abolished. If there is any deliberate attempt to destabilise the country without reaching a consensus on matters of national importance, the people will realise it and act accordingly. I don’t think at this time there will be much enthusiasm among the people to go to the polling stations and cast their votes.
Q: President Ranil Wickremesinghe has officially informed the UNP Leaders that he will not participate in any campaign activity in the election to elect members to the Local Government bodies adding that he was given a mandate not to go for an election but to recover the country from abyss it has fallen into within two years. Could you explain?
A: The decision taken by the President is right. At present, under a national program, the President is trying his level best to get the bankrupt country out of the current crisis. Therefore, the President should not take part in a process which will have any adverse effect on that national program. The President’s responsibilities are different. So, it is important for the President to act in accordance with his responsibilities entrusted upon him.
Q: A member of the Freedom People’s Congress Prof. G.L. Peiris and some Opposition MPs have said the Local Government elections must be held before March 20 adding that a referendum is mandatory to delay elections. Your views?
A: I don’t think so. There is past precedence for this. In 1987, nominations were called for the Local Government elections but certain forces posed death threats and killed nearly 300 to 400 people. Under those circumstances, LG elections were not held. Once again, LG elections were held in 1991 by calling for fresh nominations. Past precedence is there so that we can act accordingly. Therefore, the people should act by thinking of the country.
Q: Earlier, discussions were held between the UNP and the SLPP on contesting the LG elections together. However, SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara kariyawasam has said that the SLPP will contest the upcoming LG elections under the ‘Lotus bud’ along with all allied parties. What is the position in this regard?
A: We can’t say anything when political parties express views based on their identities. When there is a need for a national program and national consensus in the country, there is unity among political parties at national level as well. Based on that, political parties and groups who have come to a national level consensus jointly extend their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Q: Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has said that the funds exceeding Rs.10 billion to be spent on holding the Local Government elections should be given to purchase paddy for this season. What is your view regarding this?
A: At present, the price of each commodity has gone up by nearly fivefold. The expenses on the Government officers, elected public representatives, news prints and other printing costs of holding the LG polls have been rapidly increased. This is not the time to unnecessarily spend nearly Rs. 20 billion public funds for an election. Instead of wasting such national wealth at this critical juncture, we are of the view that all communities and political parties should come to a national consensus to sort out the burning issues faced by the country.
Q: You had told the media what the youth of the country expect is a change in the system and not a Government which keeps printing money and deceiving people with falsehoods. Would you like to comment?
A: If we try to enact the same old drama that will not help to make a system change in the country. What the younger generation expects is that of the 4,000 members to be elected to the Local Government bodies, at least 2,000 should be youth representatives. These changes should be made. However, those changes cannot be made by resorting to the same old drama. Under the prevailing atmosphere, there is no money to conduct an election. Otherwise, money will have to be printed by leading the country to yet another disaster. First all the political parties and representatives should realise the bankruptcy situation faced by the country.
Q: United Nations Assistant Secretary General Kanni Wignaraja who met President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday has appreciated the efforts taken by the President to resolve the economic crisis. Would you like to air your views?
A: After President Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed office, he has taken more than 80 important decisions. Actually, these decisions are interconnected with the people. In addition, more decisions are being taken by the President on behalf of the people. Therefore, we should be thankful to the President for these national level decisions taken.
Q: The President has called for explanations from the heads of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and SriLankan Airlines regarding the payment of bonuses to employees, despite the Ministry of Finance informing loss-making corporations and boards not to pay bonuses to employees. What action has been taken regarding this?
A: We should realise that the people are the country’s majority and the state mechanism is the minority. If any loss-making institution is paying a bonus, those who get those bonuses should be ashamed.
Q: The main Opposition SJB has said that IMF assistance will not totally solve the crisis faced by the nation as political stability is also needed. Would you like to comment?
A: There is a strong political stability in Parliament. For example, in order to continue the affairs of Parliament and take measures to ensure the security of the people, there are a required number of elected MPs in Parliament. Therefore, these activities are operating fully. Actually, there was a need for local and international leadership for this. Therefore, the people’s representatives of Parliament have selected that capable leadership from Parliament. Therefore, there is no political instability and the political stability is fully ensured.
Q: The Cabinet of Ministers have been given time until this week for their observations on the proposed electricity tariff proposals. However, the people are vehemently opposed to the move and say it is not prudent to go for an electricity tariff hike at this juncture when they have faced severe hardships. What is your view?
A: The people have faced a serious issue due to changing the national policies from time to time over the past couple of decades on power generation, distribution and future plans on power generation with the political influence and interference of certain Government officials. That is why President Ranil Wickremesinghe is of the view that we should reach a consensus as to how we should implement the national power policy. When the Government in power gets the assistance from China and India and if the next Government comes to power changes it and seeks assistance from another country, obviously this industry turns into a massive crisis.
There is an urgent need to reach a national consensus on this issue. Until then the people will have to face a serious issue. In order to provide temporary relief measures, the Cabinet of Ministers should focus key attention and act accordingly.
Q: At present some constituent parties of the Government have quit the Government and formed their own political alliances. Will this pose any threat to the stability of the Government?
A: We need to go for open discussions with those who are in these political alliances as well. The issues they raise should be analysed in the presence of the people who are the most supreme segment in democracy. If the facts and issues they highlight were there at that time, the country should have not turned into this crisis situation. Some of them were in the Cabinet and it was their ideas and suggestions which were implemented at that time. Therefore, how can a group of people who were in such a failed movement rebuild the country? However, we should consider how we should get their important ideas and implement them for the benefit of the public.