Seventy sixth anniversary of Lanka Sama Samaja Party:

Realisation of the Mahinda Chinthana

by Prof. Tissa VITARANA

After the great victory over terrorism and separatism on May 2009, the door was opened for Sri Lanka to follow the road to rapid economic development so that we can overcome poverty and become a developed nation. Together with the scientific community of Sri Lanka I prepared a strategic plan to lay the foundation for this development, the Five Year Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation, which the Cabinet of Ministers accepted in October 2010, as a national Strategy. This needs to be implemented if we are really to become the knowledge Hub that the Mahinda Chinthanaya envisions.

But the preconditions to development must also be there - National unity and good governance. Without that not only is the required development a mere mirage, but our country is in great danger of once again becoming a theatre of war, and even losing our national independence and sovereignty, and becoming a neo-colony.

On this 76th Anniversary of the LSSP, we wish to warn the nation of the dangers that threaten us and calls upon the UPFA government to avoid the pitfalls and traps that are being set for us, and with determination adopt the path of development based on a science culture. It is time we discarded colonial mindsets that prevent us from generating the advanced technology that the country needs for high value addition to our raw materials, to enable our exports to capture global markets, and thereby win the economic war.

The country needs: National Unity; Good Governance and right road to national development Dangers of global and local situations.

As the global economic crisis of the capitalist system deepens it will affect all countries and it can also have grave repercussions on Sri Lanka, both economic and political. The debt crisis has had maximum effect on the USA and Europe, who purchase 70% of our exports, and it is very likely that these markets will fall badly. It may become more difficult for us to access other emerging markets too. The capitalist economists and politicians in the developed countries can find no economic solutions and they are forced to cut spending, thereby deepening the crisis, leading to mass protests, threatening the very rule of the capitalist class. The only way out is through the sale of armaments, which is one of their main industries. Increasing the demand for arms requires the promotion of conflict and wars. Following the 1929-33 global economic depression, the way out was the Second World War from 1939-44, which was followed by the post-war economic boom, a period of prosperity that lasted 25 years. With the availability of nuclear bombs a world war is unthinkable, but multiple small localized wars is feasible, and that is what we are witnessing in the Middle East. Even what begins as a mass struggle for democracy is high jacked by imperialism led by the West to bring about regime change, as we saw in Libya. By levelling false charges, such as of human rights violations, the leader they want to topple is demonized to satisfy world public opinion and the UNO.

President Mahainda Rajapaksa is unpopular with the USA for not handing over Prabhakaran and LTTE leaders to them, thereby ending the war and the effort to divide our land, and for following a non-aligned foreign policy, and being friendly with their enemies like Iran and Cuba. As he is in power for five more years, and may be a further term, the party that would carry out the pro-West agenda, the UNP, is unlikely to be able to come into power through the democratic electoral process. Therefore it is necessary to overthrow his regime though an armed struggle.

The effort to demonise Mahinda Rajapaksa on alleged human rights violations etc., and to use the UN mechanism and the ICCJ against him continues, though without much immediate success.

US Imperialism is now falling back on the JVP to do its dirty work once again. Led by Wijeweera the JVP carried out an armed uprising to topple the popular SLFP, LSSP, CP coalition government led by Sirimavo Bandaranaike, within 9 months of it coming into power in 1971. The JVP also saved the UNP Government led by Premadasa from imminent electoral defeat by disrupting the election through a second armed uprising in 1988/89. The outcome was disaster for the misled youth and for the country.

Kumaran Gunarathnam, a JVP leader who went to Australia in 1989, was joined by Koswatte the youth leader of the JVP, who was away in the USA for 3 months, to form a ‘radical group’ who, claiming to be the true JVP, are committed to the direct armed struggle approach of Wijeweera to topple the UPFA regime. They seem to have unlimited funds and being well organised are rapidly gaining ground in the JVP. They are trying to attract Left cadres by claiming to be the true Left as well. Having a Tamil leader Kumaran, they have called on the Tamil people and leaders to join them promising them the political solution that they desire, and which is apparently being denied to them by the UPFA leadership. The many LTTE activists present in the North and East may join them, so that there will in effect be a JVP/LTTE alliance to topple the UPFA Government. Even the main Somawansa-led JVP are talking about leading a mass uprising against the government on the lines of Tunisia. They will inevitably be drawn into the struggle of the Kumaran group, once it begins. The 18% youth unemployment level will help the JVP.

The sections of the Tamil diaspora who are pro-LTTE (the Transnational government of Tamil Eelam et al) are also getting activised, in the absence of credible moves from the government to offer a political solution to the Tamil people. They and the West can fuel the revival of the LTTE. The West have another trump card in reserve to achieve regime change, Fonseka, with some military backing, to step in if the need arises. The unpopularity of price rises and maladministration can be used as tools to turn the people against the Government.

The way out for UPFA

1. A political solution for the national question

It is unfortunate that what was promised in the Mahinda Chinthanaya Way Forward before the last Presidential Elections has not been implemented. An undertaking was given that the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) deliberations would continue, with the participation of the new Tamil representatives elected without LTTE pressure. But this was not done. Instead a bipartisan discussion was initiated between a mainly SLFP team and the TNA, which is today deadlocked because there has been no positive response from the SLFP side to the proposals made by the TNA. As a result the Select Committee of Parliament, which was to provide an alternative to the APRC process, has not taken off. Without the TNA the UNP would stay out.

Clearly there is a loss of confidence among the Tamil people and their political leaders in the government’s intentions. The Left (LSSP, CP, DNF, SLMP, DJVP) still retain the confidence of the Tamil people and we must be made a party to the process. Unless a speedy solution is found the pro-LTTE forces in the country, among the diaspora and in South India, will make use of the issue for the LTTE to recover, with support from the West.

The campaign against the President on the issue of human and democratic rights violations will continue and it will gather momentum and credibility. The JVP/LTTE anti-Government campaign will get more support among the Tamil people, as the only way to obtain their rights according to their perception.

Without a political solution acceptable to the Tamil people (and also to the Muslims) for the national question it will not be possible to achieve the national unity that is essential for economic development. As indicated here it will provide the opportunity for the evil forces that would like to topple the government to succeed in their efforts by getting the support of the Tamil and Muslim people. Therefore the Select Committee in Parliament must be convened, with the Police and Land powers issues remaining on the agenda. The TNA must act in a constructive manner in the interest of the Tamil people, and not in that of the LTTE or the West.

2. Good governance

Without good governance the achievement of a significant degree of development is an empty dream. Often only a part of the money allocated for a road is used, and the road may have to be redone.

The other part of the money goes into the pocket of some politicians, officials or contractors. This situation must be changed. Corruption, inefficiency, waste and general maladministration in government institutions must be actively eliminated.

At a political level the closer the governed are to those governing, the better the interaction and the answerability. With the 1978 constitution this gap was widened by making the district the electorate, and for local government a hole division. As a result the link between the elector and the elected has been more or less severed, and the MP can act without any responsibility towards the voters. To get elected much money and power is required, so that the wrong people can get in and misuse the power.

The LSSP is for actual empowerment of the people at village and local government levels, as this will ensure good governance, and for small electorates at provincial and national levels. In order to arrive at a consensus we decided to compromise at the Parliamentary Select committee on Electoral Reform more than a year ago, but it is sad that even the agreed compromise is yet to be passed by parliament.

The other requirement is honesty, integrity and the spirit of committed service to the people, the poor in particular, at all levels of government, from top to bottom. For this the correct example must be set.

The Jana Sabhas must be made properly functional with active people’s participation.

Those guilty of corruption and maladministration must be punished, however rich or powerful they may be.

The COPE and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Reports have exposed these shortcomings in the Government sector, and they must be acted upon. Frauds, some amounting to billions of rupees have been exposed, but those responsible are yet to be punished.

The LSSP has always stood for employees Councils with a legal standing in each workplace to check these frauds and improve the workplace performance. By computerization, greater efficiency and transparency is being achieved, and bureaucratic impediments reduced this is welcome but needs to be speeded up.

The human and democratic rights of the people must be protected. Arbitrary arrests and disappearances must be stopped, and due processes of law must operate at all times. It is only then that we can retain the confidence of the people.

3. Right road to national development

The problems of unemployment (5% totally, by 18% among youth), not being self-sufficient in food and fuel leading to the rise in the cost of living when the prices rise in the world market, the lack of money to develop infrastructure, the inadequate funding of health and education and transport services, the low salaries and other problems are all the result of Sri Lanka being financially poor. It is only by national development that we can become a rich developed country and overcome these problems.

The path to such national development in all rich developed countries has been by industrial development through the generation of new technology from scientific research and innovation.

Unfortunately Sri Lanka invests only 0.15% of GDP on Science and Technology, one of the lowest in the world; while nearly all countries exceed 1.0% of GDP, the developed countries exceed 2.0% of their large GDPs, and Korea 3.2 of GDP. We must invest at least 0.4 of GDP now, and progressively raise it to at least 1.0% of GDP.

The National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation presented by me was accepted by the Cabinet in October 2010.

My mandate as the Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs enables me to properly coordinate and monitor the implementation of this strategy through the many relevant line ministries.

If is is successfully implemented it would increase the Hi Tech component of our exports from the present low level of 1.5, to 10 by the year 2015. This would enable our per capita GDP to be raised above the $ 4,000 targeted in the Mahinda Chinthanaya by 2015.

A mega project was developed to fund the line ministries and establish the coordinating mechanism. Unfortunately the necessary budgetary and financial support is lacking, though there was foreign donor interest.

What has made the developed countries rich is the fact that they have produced superior industrial products by high value addition to their raw materials through the application of Hi Tech (that is advanced technologies like Nanotechnology, Electronics, Biotechnology, etc.) e.g. The proportion of Hi Tech products in their exports is for Japan 85, Korea 70%, Singapore 60, Malaysia 50%.

That is what has enabled Korea’s per capital GDP to rise from $ 84 in the 1960s (less than Sri Lanka’s $ 320 at that time) to $ 26,000 last year (while Sri Lanka’s went up to $2,800, doubling in the last five years).

As a result Korea has jobs for Sri Lankans as well. We too must become a true knowledge economy. The emphasis in the 2012 Budget is only on ICT which provides services, but the support for other Hi Tech areas which are required for the production of goods is much too small.

To really become a knowledge Hub, we have to continuously create new knowledge through research.

The number of researchers is too low, about 4,000, whereas to reach world standards we should have at least 18,000. there has to be an adequately funded drive to produce the necessary PhDs locally and abroad, and to attract back the Sri Lankans from abroad, many of whom are at the frontiers of research (USA, Canada, UK, Australia etc.) i.e. Reverse the brain drain. To build a knowledge economy it must be recognised that the scientific researchers are the key players, who through their research and development can improve the quality of the products that our industry puts into the market.

As our products must outsell those from abroad, in Sri Lanka and outside, they are the essential soldiers to win the economic war.

Therefore, so long as they are productive they must be given living and working conditions to match that abroad. The necessary laboratory facilities have to be established and made functional. Foreign links must be strengthened so as to update knowledge.

Our whole society must be made scientifically aware, we must build on our rich ancestral scientific knowledge to develop a truly modern scientific culture.

The lack of science teachers and laboratories in our schools must be remedied. Every child must have access to knowledge through computers and internet. Education is the basis of a knowledge society and the level of funding must be doubled or trebled. While infrastructure development is essential, without the development of our human resources we cannot advance as a nation.

Our strength is the village The raw materials (natural, agricultural and human) must all be harnessed for economic development. The micro, small and medium (SME) sector is the heart of our economy. I am glad the Budget is giving them good incentives. But they need marketing and technological support. To provide this I established 263 Vidatha Resource Centres, one per Division. In four years they helped over 8,000 entrepreneurs to come up, 4,000 of them newly. 17 of them are exporting their products, 64 are supplying Cargills and other food chains, and about 60 are supplying hotels. Unfortunately these Vidatha Centres are being run down. They need to be adequately funded, strengthened and properly activised.

They can provide all the scientific know how to the village, including the farmer, and through the computers bring the entrepreneur in touch with the relevant scientist to get the necessary advice and also to upgrade the quality of his product. The Vidatha Centre can also provide market intelligence and access.

4. Win and retain the support of the people

Policies must be designed to win the support of the people for the development process by making them active partners in the process right throughout the country.

The economic burden should not be placed on them. Particularly the support of the workers in the government and Private sectors must be retained by giving them a suitable salary, as indicated in my Budget speech.

The public transport services must be improved and remain affordable. While the cost of living is bound to increase due to external factors that the government cannot control, like the increasing price of fuel and food in the world market, the real answer is self sufficiency and we welcome the support for this in the Budget. While the duties and taxes on some essentials have been reduced, the LSSP would welcome this being extended to all essentials.

While we welcome the commitment of the UPFA Government to welfarism, in a world that is moving away from this, the need to eliminate undeserving people from the Samurdhi net and the inclusion of those who deserve it, specially from the plantations, should be a priority.

We warmly welcome the steps being taken to increase the free supply of all essential medicines in the government hospitals by implementing the Senaka Bibile Drug Policy by the Minister of Health. But the health budget needs to be doubled. More attention must be given to preventive health.

We are opposed to the devaluation of the rupee, not only because of the resulting spiral of price increases, but also because there are better ways of increasing our export earnings as mentioned earlier. The funds for development can be found by raising the taxes on luxuries and the upper limit of direct tax to 45%, and by promoting development banking.

The writer is the Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs and General Secretary of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.