Darusman Report refuted:

All political parties should defend motherland - Minister Navin Dissanayake

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Public Management Reforms Minister Navin Dissanayake said the UNP as one of the largest political parties that has been in the forefront of national development, has a responsibility entrusted by the people to fight against any international conspiracy against the country.

The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said if any foreign manipulations are made against the country, it is the responsibility of political parties to safeguard the motherland irrespective of political differences.

The Minister also stressed the importance of canvassing and enlightening international friends to overcome the challenges put forward by the Darusman Report. The Minister is confident that the Government would be able to overcome this challenge. At present some NGOs, INGOs and foreign Governments have manipulated various concocted stories about the Government’s re-construction and rehabilitation drive due to jealousy and malice.

Q: Parliament lays down policies for the bureaucracy to implement them. What are the management reforms contemplated to reactivate bureaucracy to produce better results?

A:The development goals of the Government under the Mahinda Chinthana have to be realised. In order to realise that, we need to get the public service on track. Public servants must perform in line with the policy framework of the Government.

Public servants generally do perform and we have a good public service as well. But there is lot of rooms for improvement in the public sector. We are doing this in two ways under the President’s leadership. One is by training public servants.

We want to have a perceptional change in their mentality. First they must understand that they are public servants.

They must serve the public with efficiency, dynamism and be free from corruption. We also want to have institutional changes. But it is not a 24-hour operation. We have already submitted our plan to the Cabinet.

We are doing a functional review of 60 institutions. The review will tell us the changes that should be made in these organisations. Once the review is completed we can have a dialogue with the heads of those institutions, trade unions and make those changes.

We are also going to establish Management Reforms Cells (MRCs) very soon. Through the MRCs, we will engage in consultation and dialogue to effect changes.

Q: The Opposition, civil organisations and other institutions attribute ‘politicisation’ to the decline of public service. Is there any truth in this allegation?

A: There is a truth in that. This has happened over a period of 40 to 50 years after we gained independence. But at present appointments to the public service are made strictly based on examinations. There is a minimum qualification for them.

The new recruits should have some basic qualifications to obtain jobs because they have to pass the exams. But in politics, there is no society or country in the world where a political party does not look after its political interest. In the Asian context politics play a crucial role in appointing people to key positions in institutions. That is the culture that we have. We must change that culture. But that will take some time.

Q: The UNP, JVP and sections of the trade unions have opposed the private sector pension scheme and leadership training for university students. Shouldn’t the Government launch a grass roots level awareness campaign to enlighten people?

A: As far as the leadership training program is concerned, that is a good program because it will help to change the attitude of youth entering universities. As we know, we have a free education system. So the youth must appreciate the move. New students are treated in a rude manner by senior students.

It should be stopped. Some of the students’ unions who facilitate to political organisations don’t want this system to implemented. Because it will weaken their hold on students. That is why they are opposing it. As we know President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake are keen to conduct this program. Parents and students are supporting it.

At present we are educating the workers on the Pension Bill. The President is very accommodative and flexible on this. If there are any clauses or amendments that have to be made, the Government is willing to consider it.

Q: The Opposition, NGOs, INGOs and even some foreign Governments cry foul that post conflict re-construction and rehabilitation have not benefited Tamils. Are these not concocted stories to discredit the Government?

A: I think the facts speak for themselves. When the battle against terrorism is over, there were nearly 100,000 people in rehabilitation centres. Six months later, it was reduced to 11,000.

At present it has come down to 4,000. It will be further reduced to at least 1,000 within the next two to three months. People have gone to their villages and they are now in the process of rebuilding their houses.

A large amount of funds are going into public sector development. The development of infrastructure facilities such as roads and electricity are taking place.

Naturally there will be some shortcomings in any development project. After 30 years of conflict the Government has to develop the North and the East. So the Government is keen to fulfil its obligations. It will take into account views of other political parties like the TNA.

The Government has laid emphasis on developing the North and the East. There will be tremendous development in the North and the East within the next five to six years. These are stories fabricated by NGOs and certain foreign Governments to promote racial hatred.

Q: Where the UNP failed President Mahinda Rajapaksa succeeded in eradicating the LTTE and restoring peace in the country. Should not the UNP as a patriotic party defend the Government against foreign manipulations?

A: Definitely. That is why the people like Karu Jayasuriya, Gamini Lokuge and myself expressed this opinion within the UNP.

We all expressed this view in the UNP that we must support the Government to put an end to terrorism. But the UNP leadership at that time was not hundred percent forthcoming. That is why we joined the President and he was able to put and end to the conflict. If any foreign manipulations and conspiracies are hatched against the country, it is in the interest of any political party to defend the motherland irrespective of political differences.

Specially the UNP as one of the largest political parties has a responsibility to fight against international conspiracy.

Q: Even after you left the UNP, still the internal crisis is continuing. Would you like to comment on this?

A: Basically I don’t like to comment on what is happening within the UNP. But I am sad to see the rapid decline of a great political party to which my father was loyal. I think all the UNPers love the country. But I am sad to see the pathetic situation of the party today.

Q: Nuwara Eliya is one of the backward districts in the country. What steps are you planning to take to develop the district?

A: At the moment a massive program has been launched to develop the infrastructure facilities in the district. Three roads are under construction Hatton-Nuwara Eliya Road, Hawaeliya-Ragala Road and World’s End Road. All these roads will be carpeted.

We are also in the process of finalising negotiations for the construction of a hospital in Nuwara Eliya. A town development project is also in progress.

We are also going to develop Kandapola and Meethilimana villages as agricultural villages. During the next five to six years, a lot of development will take place in the district.

Q: The cost of living has sky rocketed. Does the Government have any plans to provide urgent relief to people by cutting down on luxuries and wasteful expenditure?

A: In a market economy, we cannot restrict the wants of people. We need to ensure that essential goods are available at affordable prices.

The cost of living is an issue mainly in the urban areas. It has affected the upper middle class and the lower middle class.

In rural areas, people cultivate their own food.

Prices will stabilise soon. During the past six months, so many issues came up due to floods and drought. That is why we were not able to control the cost of living. But I think it will improve as time goes on.

Q: The Opposition is pressing for the early withdrawal of the emergency. How do you view this?

A: PTA and the emergency have been there for the past 30 years to deal with the LTTE terrorist threat. So the Government has no need for maintaining any laws that are not necessary. Having said that we have already taken out certain clauses of the emergency.

As the Attorney General has said, further changes will be made to lessen the emergency. Ultimately there will be a time where the emergency will be completely withdrawn. But that will be done gradually by assessing the security situation in the country. It will be looked at objectively.

Q: Whatever is said and done, the Darusman Report has tarnished the image of the country. How will the Government respond to the allegations in the report?

A: The Darusman Report is biased. All sovereign countries which understand things know what is happening. The External Affairs Minister has undertaken to educate and brief overseas friends like India and China.

A vote will be taken at the UN Human Rights Council in July. I think this is what some of the western countries are planning to do. So we will have to canvass hard and enlighten our international friends to overcome this challenge. I am very confident we do it.