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| Sunday, 5 June 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Visit to South Korea : Prime Minister content by Rohan Mathes
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse found time to dwell on the outcome of his visit to South Korea where he participated in the 6th Global Forum on Reinventing Government. In this interview with Sunday Observer staffer Rohan Mathes, the Prime Minister referred to the generous pledges made by Korea towards post tsunami reconstruction, the Korean Government support for Sri Lanka's candidature for the post of UN Secretary General and the commitment of the business community to further enhance bilateral trade. He also touched on the recent happenings in the local scene and rounded off the interview with the comment that President Chandrika Kumaratunga on her visit to India would discuss matters connected with Sethusamudram canal project. Here are some excerpts of the interview. Q: Your official visit to South Korea to participate in the 6th Global Forum, it has been reported was a success. Could you please elaborate on this? A: In the course of the cordial bilateral discussions with my South Korean counterpart Lee Han Chan, Korea pledged to grant US$ 3.5 million for post tsunami reconstruction work in Sri Lanka. US$ 1.5 million from this would be an outright grant, and the balance would be a loan on easy terms.
The Korean government agreed to solicit and support the candidature of our Peace Secretariat Chief Jayantha Dhanapala for the post of General Secretary of the United Nations. My request to construct an Administrative Secretariat for Hambantota District, was well received. I also handed over a message of goodwill from President Chandrika Kumaratunga to the President of South Korea. Q: How did your visit strengthen the long and traditional links with respect to Buddhism? A: I visited the Chogye Buddhist Temple, order which is closest to Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka. They were interested in building an orphanage for children, based on a new concept of 'Orphanage Housing' inclusive of technical education as well for the inmates. Korean Buddhist pilgrims are enthusiastic to visit Sri Lanka. Our Buddhist priests wish to visit Korea. Both parties requested facilitation in travel, such as in the issue of visas etc, to ensure a smooth flow. Q: What was the outcome of your Korean visit in the sphere of Investments and Industry for the mutual benefit of entrepreneurs of both countries? A: In response to my request to extend Korean Advanced Technology to Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Lee requested me to send a group of Sri Lankan industrialists to Korea as an initial step. Most of our Sri Lankan industrialists are engaged in the coir business. The Sri Lanka-Korea Chamber of Commerce meets annually in Korea or Sri Lanka. This year they met in Korea and I had the opportunity of participating at the meeting. I learnt that Korean investors who had invested in China and elsewhere, due to various reasons, were now keen on investing in Sri Lanka. I have invited leading Korean industrialists such as Daewoo, Construction and Engineering, Samsung Electronic Company and KT Networks among others, to set-up their plants in Sri Lanka. However, I was told that an investor had to wait over two years, for an approval from the UDA. This kind of red tape should stop or minimised and we must create a conducive environment to attract these investors. Q: Did you succeed in making a breakthrough in the 'now defunct' Kabool Lanka Garment factory? A: I explained at length, the plight of nearly 3,500 odd employees of Kabool Lanka, who had become destitute as a result of the unexpected closure of the factory. In response, the Korean Premier promised to send the Kabool Lanka Chairman to Sri Lanka to review the situation and resolve the crisis with a view of re-opening it. Q: Coming back to our local scenario, what are your comments on occupational hazards of security forces? A: This is a tragedy which has to be overcome. Journalists have been killed and more recently top men in our intelligence service have been killed. The culprits have not been found. Our armed forces should be more vigilant in this situation. Furthermore, the CFA has permitted the LTTE to roam legitimately and infiltrate the entire society of Sri Lanka. This has aggravated the situation. Q: What has been the progress in resolving the CEB issue ? A: The CEB trade unions are discussing the matter and there has been considerable progress. Nevertheless, proposals coming through will have to come from the employees themselves. The subject minister will handle it well. Q: As a further step to 'Maga Neguma', you have now embarked on another venture to develop rural roads. Why? A: Yes. 'Maga Neguma' has performed well during the last one year. To ensure that the rural economy gets a boost from a sound network of rural roads which have been badly neglected in the past, I have initiated this programme to develop 1500 rural roads islandwide. The development of these roads will automatically develop other rural infrastructural facilities as well. ########### Excerpt of the speech by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse before the 6th Global Forum in Seoul, South Korea on reinventing Government on May 27. Let me now briefly explain how Sri Lanka engages in the agenda of reforming public services. The government of Sri Lanka has enunciated Good Governance as a policy guideline and expressed it in its National Development Strategy. It also considers, Good Governance as the major policy drive in architecting its public policy and economic policy. In an era marked by incredible advances in globalisation, information technology and democratisation, the government has emphasized the importance of public sector reforms so as to gear up the country's political, economic and social development. We have attached a great importance to re-invent the government sector, emphasizing its productivity while encouraging the private sector and civil society, to a great extent. With the intention of reinventing the state sector, the government has identified key administrative reforms, including the elimination of political interference in State administrative matters, and introduction of structural reforms to make public administration more efficient. It will be the toughest challenge, but it is our mission to change and reform, through elimination of all weaknesses, such as deep-rooted delays, corruption, negligence, unethical transactions and place-related discomforts. In time and with reform, it is possible to convert the centres of public service delivery to more modern efficient and corrupt-free places of respectable public relations. During the past few days, these subjects were discussed at greater length, and with deeper insight, informed by the collective wisdom of the glittering array of practitioners and scholars, gathered at this forum. The outcome, I am hopeful, will be of immense practical use to all of us,
entrusted as we are, with the destinies of so many millions, of our fellow
human beings. I wish all of you success. |
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