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| Sunday, 14 March 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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'UNF will get 124 seats'
by DEEPAL WARNAKULASURIYA Question:- The UNF government was trading on the no-war situation and trading off valuable resources of the country. With the dissolution of Parliament the UNF is seen as being caught with its pants down with many an exposure. How could you face the electorate in these circumstances? Answer:- We still consider the peace process as one of the major and fundamental issues. Any country can't reach the expected development with a war. We were fighting for a long period and had lost a lot of properties, lives as well as opportunities to solve the problem. We the UNF are very happy because we reached the first step of finding a solid solution to the problem. The Ceasefire Agreement was signed in February 2002 and we were trying to reach the next step. Unfortunately President Chandrika Kumaratunga prevented coming into a compromise with the LTTE with regard to an interim management. I think that the LTTE proposals had some ability guiding both the parties for a permanent solution. The Bribery and Corruption Commission was established in 1994 with the consent of both the PA and the UNF. But, we understood that functioning of the commission was neglected by the PA. The President should have worked with the Justice Minister to make amendments to the composition of the commission and allow it to function. However, it did not happen. If I speak about the privatisation, it is a mere laughing factor because the whole country knows what the PA did in 1994 selling national resources to foreigners. For an example, we sold the Insurance Corporation, but it is still a part of the wealth of the nation. But, PA sold Gas company, Telecom, Air Lanka and several resources to foreign companies. Question:- The Education Ministry was trifurcated and the education vote has been slashed over the years while a parallel education system has come up benefitting only the affluent. As education Minister didn't you feel the need to close the gap or were you acting under the dictates of the money lenders and donors? Answer:- That is again a misunderstanding or some one deliberately doesn't want to understand the situation. The Education sector has two major components, the allocation given by the Treasury and the other is allocation coming through foreign aid. I must emphasise that free education was introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara and it was strengthened by Late President J.R. Jayewardene. Late President R. Premadasa provided free uniforms preserving it, but, what the PA did was cancellation of the mid-day meal of school children. We understood the gap and brought several projects to avoid the drop out of children from education. We began to provide mid morning meal to 150,000 students in the East and North Central Provinces as a pilot project and we have also planned to implement it islandwide. We also began the scholarship programme "Sisu Saviya" to assist low income family students in grades 10,11,12 and 13 to avoid them dropping out. There was no gap when free education was introduced. It was "Swabhasha only" in 1956 that paved the way for this. I accept that some social injustice took place while some parents were sending their children to international and private schools. Therefore, we introduced a bilingual scheme in 2002 in selected 375 schools to teach 3 or 4 subjects in English to fill the gap. The first batch of these children even from remote areas will be facing their GCE O/Levels in 2007. Our regime provided 2012 fully equipped computer centres for islandwide less-facilitated schools under the project of "Universe at your finger tips". One can shout that they don't need any support from the WB, IMF, ADB etc. But, I don't accept that. Even the PA had a number of agreements with these organisations. They have brought some disastrous plans with these `so called money lenders'. PA closed down some schools under a project "Restructuring Schools" in 1996 working with these organisations and the MEP, JVP and other parties were silent. Question:- The UNF was pinning its hopes on the success of the TNA in North and East to form the next government. With the crisis in the LTTE have not those hopes been dashed? Answer:- I don' t want to comment on this since we have no access to an intelligence report. It is not fair for me to say anything as a Cabinet minister depending on newspaper reports. However, We don't want to depend on the TNA. We had 114 seats at last elections and I can assure you that we will be receiving another one seat from 10 districts bringing the total up to 124 at this elections. Question:- Even those who voted for the UNF in 2001 were unable to identify themselves with the way the negotiations with the LTTE were going culminating in the LTTE ISGA proposals. How do you think the UNF would win back their support within the next three weeks? Answer:- We entered into the ceasefire agreement on February 2002 and received ISGA proposals on October 2003. When we entered into the Ceasefire Agreement the PA and JVP were against it and criticized the Prime Minister and the Government. However, they have not proposed to change any condition of the ceasefire and they don't have alternatives. Mr. Wickremesinghe who understood the reality offered the ceasefire and discussions bringing peace into the country. The SLFP or the JVP don't have such leaders who can forecast the future. Both the parties initially refused the Provincial Councils and later entered into it. JVP is any more not a radical party and it has become another conventional party. Question:- Peace talks with the LTTE were halted on the way. Have you recognised where you went wrong and what are the UNF's plans to resurrect the peace process? Answer:- Ups and downs are common in any process. Reasons like reconstruction and rehabilitation process was not accelerated enough and several others. Those might have led to withdrawal from the talks temporarly. The LTTE had given some assurances to the public and when they were unable to fulfil those in time they were frustrated. However, It doesn't mean that they withdrew for forever. Therefore, they brought Interim Management to meet an efficient implementation of the process. Do you think the JHU will erode the vote bank of the UNF? Answer:- I have read only about them through media and not seen their public meetings. Therefore, it is very difficult for me to asses it. The other thing is how one can guess the enthusiasm of participants. Anyhow, the UNF has a very strong voter base and that is why we have been continuing almost five decades on the same principles, same colour and the same symbol. We are the only party with such a record. Fears are expressed that if the UPFA forms the next government the peace process will breakdown. Has the UNF a secret understanding with the LTTE to ensure this? Answer:- We didn't have secret understandings and we don't have any. But, there may be some secret understandings between the SLFP and the JVP. The SLFP-JVP document is only for the people. We don't know their plans. Even the signed agreement indicates while the SLFP accepted the principle of devolution of power the JVP has not accepted it and say something else. However, They will not be forming a government at all. If it were so, both the parties will have to sit and discuss again for a long period. However, making a UPFA government is only a dream and there no use of commenting over dreams. Any comments on the partiality of the State Media? Answer:- I have only one question. Can all these editors of print and electronic media stand before a mirror judge themselves? The circulation of Lake House Sinhala daily will indicate the public judgment. The English daily and the Weekend don't have news value but the commercial value. Anyhow, today's business community has no alternative except going for these papers. What are your future plans in your political career? Answer:- As a party we will be continuing our good work for the public. We have a number of plans to be activated and also have resources enough to run them. Opportunities will be given only to right persons. A permanent solution to the national problem will be definitely met under a UNF government. In my case, I expect nothing in return for serving the people. |
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Minister
Karunasena Kodituwakku artfully dodges pitfalls and predicts a
clean UNF victory at the April polls in the interview with 'Sunday
Observer'.
