Young MPs will infuse new blood to Parliament - Sajin de Vas

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

New faces elected to the seventh Parliament from the Government and the Opposition have given a new outlook to the composition of the seventh Parliament paving the way for a new political culture and upholding the democratic traditions of the House.

The Sunday Observer interviewed Galle district UPFA MP and SLFP Chief Organiser for Balapitiya electorate Sajin de Vas Gunawardene who was elected to Parliament for the first time.

The leading businessman turned politician, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa welcomes ideas of new and young MPs. As the leader of the SLFP and the Parliamentary Group he wants young politicians to come up with new ideas as there is freedom of expression within the Government.

Q: You are new to Parliament, though not new to politics. How do you contribute to the Parliamentary process?

A: I am not new to politics. I have a long experience in politics under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

All MPs make a vital contribution to parliament in terms of taking our country forward.

They have taken an oath to protect the Constitution. I think it is pertinent now because there are lots of young members in Parliament. Over 65 new MPs have been elected to Parliament. What I see is that there is a good rapport between the senior Ministers, MPs and the new MPs. We have lot to know. We are just new and this is the first time we are in Parliament. We would definitely fulfil the aspirations of the people who elected us to Parliament.

Q: What is the collective contribution that can be made by young Parliamentarians on both sides?

A: At present there is good governance on one side. Then there are parliamentary procedures as well. The functions of Parliament are to legislate and propose plans to develop the country. We have been given the leadership and the focus by the President who expects young MPs individually and collectively take forward the proposals of 'Mahinda Chinthana'. As new MPs we must play a more active role in strengthening the Parliament and also participate in all parliamentary procedures and the activities that we are called upon to do by the constitution.

Q: Some are critical about inexperienced people entering Parliament. What are your comments?

A: Politics is a strange thing. To do politics, it is the people who should decide. If I am a candidate and if the people think I am suitable, that is all right. There is no hard and fast rule to say that you have to be a degree holder or Phd holder to enter politics. If the people think that this particular person can work for the benefit of the country and their electorate, that is their wish to elect him. The President has chosen people from every strata. Today our parliamentary group represents doctors, actors, actresses, lawyers and businessmen.

Q: Is the party leadership open to ideas of new and young MPs?

A: Very much. The President as the Leader of the SLFP and the parliamentary group always wants to come up with new ideas and there is freedom of expression. Sometimes in our parliamentary group meetings, many Government MPs express their views. The President is very liberal about what he expects to cultivate through Parliamentarians into the system.

Q: What are your views on the constitutional reforms process? What do you think should be included in a new Constitution?

A: I think we don't need a new Constitution. There are certain anomalies in this constitution that should be looked into and rectified. But at the end of the day, it is the people of this country who can do that. That is what the President always says. The President has got a verdict from the majority of the people of this country mandating him to govern the country. My personal view is that the Executive Presidency should remain.

Because after a 30 years of war the country is poised to advise economic growth. When you look at the politics in the region-South East Asia, South Asia and even in the world, democracy is only there when they mature and moving through the parliamentary system. Because in our set up and in our part of the world, my personal view is that a parliamentary system is not enough to govern the country. In every country, people conspire against stable governments.

The UNP and the government are continuing discussions. Let us see what is the outcome of it so that we would be in a better position to comment.

Q: You represent the Southern Province. What is the impact of the Government's new development programs on the region?

A: The President through the 2011 Budget has focused on infrastructure development in the province. Roads, education, electricity and water are what people expect most. Livelihood comes after all these things. So we are going to focus initially on the aspect of completing all those pending infrastructure development projects. What we are looking at is to develop the rural economy. We have to strengthen the rural economy electorate-wise and district-wise and give that economic power to the people. That is the phase that we are trying to go through. I represent Galle district and Balapitiya electorate. But I have been elected to represent Ambalangoda electorate. Now I will be representing both electorates in Parliament. I think we are in a very strong position. We have a good Government and majority in Parliament. We have a President who understand the needs of the people. We can within the next five years implement fully the 'Mahinda Chinthana'.

Q: What more can be done to provide employment more youth in the country?

A: Gone are the days where people depend on a Government job. The Government is not going to expand it in terms of employment generation. We believe in making the Government strong. We believe in a managed liberalised economy. The UNP stand point is that they want a totally liberalised economy. But we don't agree on that. In terms of that the Government is also sphereheading certain development programs in terms of making markets and capital available for the empowerment of youth. That is our number one priority. We have to cater to the youth and make them self sufficient to contribute to the economy. It is not a transformation that could be done within a day. With the war being over the private sector is expanding Tourism industries and the agriculture sector is booming. I have to start commercial agriculture in my electorate. I want the people in the village to benefit from the project.

Q: What measures could be taken to foster national reconciliation?

A: This Government is addressing that at a very steady pase.

The Opposition parties expect us to do it overnight. We have eradicated terrorism and now we need to provide infrastructure facilities to the people in the North and the East. They don't even have their shelter and they were living under trees owing to terrorist activities. The Government has taken steps to address the needs of the people in the North and the East and thereafter focus on national integration.

Q: Certain elements are disrupting university education. What should be done to address the problem?

A: The JVP has been disrupting university education for a long period. A person can be a Leftist, Communist or Capitalist. That is an ideology that one believes. All these three can exist together. But the JVP is neither. Leftist Communist or Capitalist? They are a ruthless bunch of people who only wants to destabilise the country. In the pretext of revolutionising some thing, they want destabilisation. Where there is chaos, there is a profit for them to be made. That is what they want. The best tool for them are the university students. I think Higher Education Minister S.B.Dissanayake is taking steps to address the issue. We have to change the mind set of the university students. That is a process that has to take place. If we see the numbers that are with the JVP at the moment, they are dwindling in comparison to the numbers they had ten years ago. We have to transform these students who have been political victims.

How do you view the present crisis within the UNP?

A: I don't see a crisis within the UNP. I only see UNP MP Sajith Premadasa trying to stake a claim to say I am the next leader. I don't think he wants to be the leader. He is only making a huge drama by showing that he is the next leader of the party. Veteran politician Wickremesinghe always knows what to do. He looks like one particular character that I have read in Charls Dickens novels. The principle of that character was very simple. He waits for something to happen in the eventual. He does not know what is going to happen or when it is going to happen. But something is going to happen. Then he thinks when that something happen, he will benefit from that.

The people have spoken clearly about the work we are doing for the benefit of the people. Hambantota port is a perfect example for this. This is the first time in the history of this country where one President had gone and laid the foundation stone and that same President is establishing a mega project like this. This is because of his proper management and his leadership. The project of that magnititude even all the world experts have also agreed that the President has completed this within just three and half years. That goes to show the commitment, good governance, responsibility and the development that this Government has made. Coming back to Ranil Wickremesinghe, he can never change this until the will of the people is there. I believe it is not a crisis in the UNP. Every year they do this. After elections some names comes up. But this time of course I think Sajith Premadasa has been quite successful in terms of claiming himself as the next leader, not Karu Jayasuriya or Ravi Karunanayake. I think he has achieved that. Ranil Wickremesinghe has achieved the fact that he is still the leader. So what is the crisis within the UNP? Unfortunately some innocent party supporter put himself in flames. That is the final result of their crisis.

Q: What is the outcome of the ongoing talks between the SLFP and the UNP?

A: I don't know the exact details of that because I am not involved in that committee. But I believe it is progressing well.

Talks have been centred around electoral and constitutional reforms.

Q: What is the current status of Mihin Air. The Opposition complaints this is a waste of public funds?

A: Most of the Opposition MPs who criticise us have travelled on Mihin Lanka even when I was its CAO. I don't want to mention their names. Some people even went on complimentary tickets.

But they are shameful enough to get up in Parliament and criticise it after enjoying the hospitality. That is a different matter. Today Mihin Air is a strong airline. It is a regional airline and expanding day by day. They are getting their second aircraft very soon.

We drew a business plan when we started it and said within a period of three years we will break even. That has happened. We are at break even after two years. In another year, we will turn it around and that will become a very strong regional airline. There is no airline in the world which you can start today and fly tomorrow and make a profit. It is a new process.