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| Sunday, 4 December 2005 |
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Politics |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Acclaim for President's policy statement by the News Desk People in all walks of life yesterday commended President Mahinda Rajapakse's Policy Statement as a good set of principles to address burning issues in the country but they expressed that the President had a tough task ahead to achieve set goals. They appreciated his vision to install good governance and moves to achieve lasting peace but questioned how he was going to do it with the same old lethargic bureaucrats and corrupt politicians. Former Ombudsman Dr. Bertram Bastianpillai said that the President's vision was good but he had a tough task of achieving those goals. He said that the Policy Statement covers an entire ambit of issues but the problem was how the President was going to achieve the set goals with financial constraints. The President's special note on bringing the public sector to order is the need of the hour. Training for public servants should be given for them to efficiently handle increasing work loads and render a quality public service, he said. Setha Sri Lanka Foundation Executive Director Dumidu Punchihewa commending the President for making a bold Policy Statement on many public issues forgotten by past political leaders emphasised that the President had clearly identified the burning issues of the common man but if he failed to fulfil them it would be political suicide. But if the President can fulfil them, he will go down in the political history as the only politician who looked after the common man, Punchihewa noted. According to rights activist Javid Yusuf the President's speech is indicative that he is "keen and serious" in pursuing the peace process. "It is a clear and precise speech. He (President) said that he is seriously pursuing the peace process," Yusuf who was a one time Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia told the Sunday Observer. He said the President's peace strategy is an all-party consultative process where all sections of society would be kept informed about the developments. "As far as Muslims are concerned, it is heartening that the Muslim representation in the peace process will be given special attention," he said. Commenting on the President's rejection of Federalism in favour of a Unitary state, Yusuf said haggling over words would be futile, adding that the President in the same statement had offered maximum devolution. "There are federal structures with various degrees of devolution," he said. "The President was clear and serious about the peace process. We hope the LTTE would respond positively," he said. The Public Service Trade Union Committee (PSTUC) yesterday highly praised the Policy Statement made by President Mahinda Rajapakse in his maiden speech at Parliament on Thursday and described that it was one of the best Policy Statements made by a President in the country in recent times. "As the new President has already directed the authorities to pass on the fertiliser subsidy to farmers, the other main pledge he made on the rice meal will also be given to school children without further delay," PSTUC Convener, W. H. Piyadasa told the Sunday Observer. Piyadasa also thanked the President for increasing the salaries of public servants by Rs. 1300 from January next year and also giving the Cost-of-Living (CoL) allowance to all public sector employees and said that it was the first time the public servants in the country are receiving a CoL allowance. |
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