Provincial Councils serve people better - Athula Kumara Rahubadda

BY Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Athula Kumara Rahubadda, who entered local politics from Pelmadulla Pradeshiya Sabha and later entered Provincial politics in the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council in 2004, became the Minister in charge of Tourism and Road Development in 2010 achieving his highest in the political life within a short span of time.

He is now given the task of leading the UPFA candidates in the Ratnapura district at the forthcoming Provincial Council elections.

He sees the Provincial Council as a political institution which could serve the people at the grassroots level in a more efficient way. Whilst paying his gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for enabling the people like him to serve the people, he feels that there is no challenge from the opposition for the UPFA and believe that the elections will be peaceful.

Following are excerpts of the interview the Sunday Observerd with UPFA Ratnapura district leader and former Provincial Minister Athula Kumara Rahubadda.

Q: As a person engaged in Provincial Council politics for several years what kind of changes do you think you could make in the Sabaragamuwa Province?

A: After entering politics from the Pelmadulla Pradeshiya Sabha and later entering Provincial Council politics and having become the Chairman of the Provincial Council for two consecutive times and acting as a Provincial Minister for two years I think we could make a considerable change in the province in terms of development.

We have been able to make a visible change in the province with the improvement of the infrastructure facilities and improving the education level in the province.

We could make Sabaragamuwa Province another tourist attraction through various programs to develop tourism. During the past few years the income level of the people has also been improved very much.

Q: As the Provincial Minister in charge of road development what kind of program could you implement in the province and what are your plans if the UPFA become victorious at the election?

A: First and foremost, on behalf of the people of Sabaragamuwa Province, I must be thankful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and also Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa for extending their support for the people in Sabaragamuwa to develop almost all the roads where buses are operating.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the only leader who complied with the request we made to him to initiate a project to carpet the road network of the province considering the state of the road network and also considering the geographical locations and the climate of the two districts.

We have been able to implement that program successfully after starting the program with the carpeting of 25 Kilometres of road in each electorate. A 275 km stretch of provincial roads in Ratnapura district were carpeted under this program, in the year 2011. I want to emphasise that almost all the roads where buses are plying have been carpeted.

I agree that there is more to be done. We are committed to develop the rest of the road network in the future also. For the maintenance also we have been able to allocate a lot of funds. We will take necessary action to keep these roads in good conditions.

Q: What is your target for the Ratnapura district at the election?

A: We have made the UPFA victorious at the previous elections. The entire country is now rallying round President Rajapaksa to take the country forward towards prosperity. People in the Ratnapura district have always been with the President and they really want to become the partners of the development drive carried forward by the President to make Sri Lanka the Miracle of Asia.

So we hope that people in the Ratnapura district will be with us in the forthcoming election to make the UPFA victorious. The people in the Ratnapura district represent more than 60 percent of the total population in the province and they really want to make us victorious and we are trying to get the most number of Members to Ratnapura district.

Q: There is a perception that the Chief Minister's post should be given to each district rotational basis. What is your opinion on this issue?

A: The population in the Ratnapura district represents more than 60 percent of the Sabaragamuwa Province. The Chief Minister was appointed from the Kegalle district at the past two Councils. Ratnapura district was given two Ministerial portfolios.

If people in the Ratnapura district feel that they should need the Chief Minister's post for Ratnapura district now they have the chance to elect a person from Ratnapura district as Chief Minister as they have a good vote base in the district.

Q: Do you think that people in Ratnapura district was subjected to injustice due to Chief Minister being appointed from the Kegalle district?

A: No. I don't think we have been subjected to injustice. Ratnapura district got its share in all sectors whether it is development or any other issue. Now the President has given us equal chance to get a Chief Minister from the Ratnapura district. Therefore it is up to the people in the Ratanpura district to select a Chief Minister from their district.

Q: You have been appointed as the UPFA team leader for the Ratnapura district. As the UPFA team leader what kind of challenge do you expect from the Opposition?

A: As a Member of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council I have become the Chairman of the Council twice with the support from the Opposition. The Opposition Members know very well that except for our arguments within the Council we will not engage in any hostile acts towards them.

I don't think there will be a challenge for us from the Opposition as I have never engaged in confrontational politics. That is why the opposition proposed my name as the Chairman of the Council. So, we do not think that we will have any challenge from the Opposition. On the other hand we have a very weak opposition.

Q: When there are no challenges from the Opposition there is a tendency to have big competition among the candidates within the same party. As the team leader of the UPFA in Ratnapura district how do you manage such a situation?

A: Yes, as you said we don't have a strong Opposition for us in the Sabaragamuwa province. In 2005 we contested the election with a strong opposition and the Members of the UPFA contested the election as one team. What we wanted was to win the election rather than getting more preferential votes. But things have changed now as the opposition is becoming weaker with the successful programs carried out by the Government to develop the country.

In Ratnapura also we do not get an opposition capable of challenging us. Then this will create a problem within the party. President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed me as the team leader in the district and I will discuss with all the organisers in the district to avoid unpleasant incidents among the candidates of the UPFA over cut-outs, posters and over preferential votes. I will ensure that all will contest the election as one team.

Q: Many of the Members who entered Provincial Council have entered national level politics. Don't you have any plan to enter national politics?

A: I entered active politics from Pelmadulla Pradeshiya Sabha. When we get Pelmadulla electorate we get six prominent personalities including Ministers and MPs representing Pelmadulla electorate at the past general election. Many of them are hailing from well established families in the district.

It was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who gave opportunities for the people like us from small families to enter politics. In the past, ordinary people were not given any chance to contest elections. I think it is a great achievement in my life to become a Provincial Minister. So I think this is the best place for me to serve the people as I can deal with the people very closely when I am a Member of the Provincial Council. I don't have any dream of entering national politics.

Q: Gem industry is the main industry in the Ratnapura district. How do you plan to do justice to this industry?

A: This is not a subject that comes under our purview. But as a person engaged in the gem industry I know very well that it was this Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa that did justice to the gem industry by removing taxes from the gem and jewellery industry.

The people engaged in the industry are grateful to President. As a person engaged in the industry we should do something for the uplift of the industry. We will do justice to the industry enabling the gem miners, traders and those who indirectly depend on the industry to benefit from that industry.

Q: How do you see the Provincial Council system? Do you think the Provincial Council is a better institute to serve the people?

A: Our politics mainly depend on district level politics. The central government is doing its best to the nation at the national level through the Parliament. At the National level they are rendering a yeoman service to the nation. I think the Provincial Council system is a better institution to serve the people at the grassroots level because we can interact with the people very closely compared to national level politics. I have felt that very much during the past few years.

Therefore, I think Provincial Councils is the most appropriate political institute for the people like us to serve the people.