Cracks imminent in TNA after PC polls – Minister Lakshman Senewiratne

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Sugar Industries Minister Lakshman Senewiratne, an eloquent Sinhala speaker could true to form fulminate his opponents in the political arena with a few sharp words. Similarly his mild words could thaw the bitter broadsides of his critics.

The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said if the people in the North are fair they will vote for the Government at the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council election. They should recall the severe hardships encountered by them over the past 30 years due to LTTE terrorism. They can also witness the social and economic transformation in the North after the eradication of the LTTE. At present the Government has launched programs to ensure the rapid development of the infrastructure facilities in the North. The overall development drive has immensely benefited the people in the North. Therefore, they should take the right decision at the forthcoming Provincial Council Election.

Minister Senewiratne said President Mahinda Rajapaksa after assuming office, took a bold decision to safeguard the motherland. That is why even the Opposition politicians like us also joined hands with him. President Rajapaksa put an end to the terrorism as he pledged to the people. Likewise the President has fulfilled many a pledge given to the people.

The Minister said it is nothing new that there was interference by certain foreign powers in our domestic affairs. It had been there even thousands of years ago during the reign of ancient kings. Today this interference has taken on a new outlook. The President as the Head of the State and we, as Government Parliamentarians are committed to safeguard both the motherland and the hard-earned peace from these foreign elements. I call upon the Opposition to extend their cooperation to the government irrespective of petty political differences. They should toe the Sri Lankan identity line and not align with foreign NGOs and INGOs.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: The local sugar industry was set up in 1960s and since then it was a trial and error exercise for the industry to reach its targets. What are these problems? Could you give a full account of the industry as at today with its future targets?

A: We are producing only 6 percent of the sugar needed for local consumption. Our aim is to be self-sufficient in sugar. According to the “Mahinda Chinthana”, we must be self-sufficient in sugar at least by 50 percent in 2020.

We have to set up more factories to realise this target. Our prime target is to be self-sufficient in sugar one hundred percent with 130,000 hectares being cultivated with sugar-cane as stated by the President in his budget speech two years ago. We are getting these lands at present, though it is not an easy task.

Although these are Government lands, when we go to acquire them local politicians and others turn hostile. Even though the Government has given the guidelines to revive this vital industry, there is heavy resistance from certain quarters. So the land allocation has become a huge problem at present.

We can’t start factories without lands. We have already got our lands in certain areas, in the sense that the people have consented for ‘out-grower’ system and we are in it at present. It’s a lengthy process.

Even if we start a factory, we need one year for the nursery, another year to bring in foreign investors to build the factory. It will take at least two to three years to start the real operation. If the Government officials in other areas can assist our Ministry in providing lands the rest would not be a big problem. At the moment there is some sort of resistance from certain Government officials as well as local politicians.

Q: Do you see any ulterior motive in the demand for Police and land powers and assurances of non-abuse of such powers, in the light of past experiences?

A: I am not in a position to comment on this matter. Fortunately or unfortunately, I am a member of Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed right now. So it is not right for me to make any reference to the 13th Amendment. I was a Member of Parliament when this Bill was introduced in Parliament in 1987 by the then UNP Government.

Q: How do you view the attempts by many NGOs, INGOs and the Western world to prevail upon Sri Lanka to make her fall in line with their agendas?

A: We all know these NGOs don’t come to Sri Lanka because they love our country. They want us to toe their line. Although certain past governments fell in line with their agendas, the present government will never do so as it always gives top priority to the interests of the country. That is the difference between the UPFA Government and previous governments. President Rajapaksa took a bold decision to safeguard the motherland.

That is why the Opposition politicians like us also joined hands with him. For example, the President put an end to the war against terrorists as he pledged to the country. Likewise he has given effect to many such pledges.

It is nothing new that there was interference by certain foreign powers as it had been thousands of years ago during the reign of ancient kings. Today it has taken on a new outlook.

The President as the Head of the State and we, as government parliamentarians are committed to safeguard both our motherland and the hard earned peace from foreign forces. I call upon the Opposition to extend their cooperation to the government irrespective of petty political differences.

They should toe the Sri Lankan identity line and not align with foreign NGOs and INGOs.

Q: The UNP will do its utmost to secure victory at the forthcoming Provincial Council Elections to boost its sagging morale. How confident are you in capturing power this time?

A: I was UNP’s Deputy Secretary General for many years. When there is an election at hand, the normal practice by the UNP was to provide stimulant to its party men. Today none of the UNP Parliamentarians conducts his campaign at the grass roots level.

There is also no UNP organisations or branches formed at the grass roots level. There are more than 75 UNP organisers to be appointed. With all these severe setbacks, how can the UNP win an election? There should be a solid base for any political party to win an election. Today, the UNP does not have such base to win a election.

Q: What is UNP’s prospects of winning an election in 2014 when dissension and infighting are still simmering under the present leadership?

A: When we were in the UNP in 1994, the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had a mere one vote majority. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had said those days that he would topple Chandrika’s government soon.

Ever since, the UNP has been defeated continuously at all elections. At that time, the UNP had 94 MPs in parliament. At present this has been reduced to nearly 60 MPs.

Today there is no proper policy or leadership in the UNP. That the UNP plans to capture power in 2014 is just a mistake on the part of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. I am sure, he would have said that he would capture power in 3014 and not in 2014.

Q: The CHOGM will be an opportunity to defend Sri Lanka’s good name and its commitment to liberal democracy despite the baseless allegations by the interested parties. Your views?

A: All local communities, organisations and politicians should join hands to make this event a complete success, because it has a direct bearing on the country’s image. We must all get together to tell the world, that this is what we need and how we are handling things. When our foreign guests visit Sri Lanka, they can see for themselves the mega development taking place, specially the infrastructure in the country-largely in the North and the East.

Q: the 13th Amendment is the legacy of the UNP and as such they are morally bound to participate in the PSC and help the Government to resolve a national question. How do you explain the UNP’s negative attitude?

A: If a Party Leader has a negative attitude, his party will equally suffer. This was synonymous with the UNP even in the past. When we were in the UNP and if a constitutional change was about to be effected, the strategy of the UNP was to participate in such discussions and walk out at the last moment by disrupting the proceedings. Although the UNP does not participate in the PSC proceedings, it has a moral right to do so. But they are deliberately avoiding it in keeping with their intransigent stance.

Q: The third world developing countries are always at the receiving end economically, culturally and technologically. Could you explain how regional cooperation could reverse this situation?

A: We maintain good bilateral relations with almost all regional countries. We have a good rapport with the SAARC. We need money and other stuff such as technical expertise from other countries, not only from regional countries.

They posses wealth and technical expertise. In addition to regional countries and neighboring SAARC countries, we should maintain rapport with other countries as well. We have to get technical know-how, assistance and wealth from those countries.

In Colombo and suburbs, new projects are coming up. Sometimes, the Opposition might say, they too could have done these things. So far we are doing very well. The road network, school system and health sector, are a clear proof of what we have done to develop the country.

Q: Looking at the magnitude of development work in the Northern province, how would you assess the possibility of winning the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council Election by the government?

A: We haven’t held elections in the North for a long time. If the people in the North are fair they will vote for the Government at the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council Election. They could recall what happened to them during past 30 years due to the LTTE terror. They can witness the mega development drive launched in the North after the eradication of LTTE terrorism. People are absolutely free to move about and do whatever they want as they have been immensely benefited by the government’s investments.So they have to take a right decision. It’s too early to comment on the Northern Elections. We have not yet launched any campaign at the moment. No doubt, the SLFP will discuss with its constituent parties and field a formidable Chief Ministerial candidate for the Northern Provincial Council Election. People in the area should decide what is right for them. The TNA always engages in communal politics as it is the easiest way of wooing voters. This may help them in this election too. After the election, there won’t be a TNA. It will be divided into factions. People would then see the true colours of the TNA.