Countries expressing concern on Sri Lanka must be sincere - Minister Navin Dissanayake

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Public Management Reforms Minister Navin Dissanayake said the West has always gone ahead with its vicious campaign against Sri Lanka. They may bring a fresh resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions in March. We will successfully face it. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said, “If there are any issues, anybody can discuss it with the Government. But we are not going to bow to their demands. No sovereign country will do that”.

The Minister said we will endeavour to strengthen our relationship with our friends, particularly with China, India and Japan. Japan has a historic relationship with the West and it pressurises Japan to take their side but Japan has remained a friend and stood by Sri Lanka. It has expressed concern on certain issues but has not tried to bring sanctions or resolutions against Sri Lanka. Japan is a good model for other countries to follow on how to maintain relations with Sri Lanka. Those who express concern on certain issues have to be neutral and sincere. Because entertaining malicious political agendas is not the way forward.

Excerpts of the interview.

Q: President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been conferred the prestigious “ Star of Palestine”, the first time such an honour has been conferred on a Sri Lankan leader. Won't this be helpful to reap economic or other benefits from Middle-Eastern countries?

A: Since the beginning of his political career President Rajapaksa has been committed to the cause of Palestine. That is why he has been conferred this singular achievement. The people of Palestine have recognised the President as a Leader who stood by them. Sri Lanka has also stood by Palestine. We arey committed to the Palestinian cause. The Middle-eastern countries are also fighting for the rights of the people of Palestine. I think the world has evolved from the1970s and there have been many changes in the negotiation process. The international community feels that there should be a two- state solution. Israel is also recognised as a separate state by their front. Palestine is also be recognised as a separate state. I think eventually in my lifetime , we will see a two state solution emerging. That is the ideal situation.

Q: What is the scope for Sri Lanka's traditional and non-traditional exports and job opportunities for Sri Lankans in the Middle East following President Rajapaksa's recent visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel?

A: Through the Foreign Employment Bureau women are employed in the Middle East. This will continue. By the way there will be other opportunities coming up. Because the Middle East and Africa have to be our non-traditional markets. Traditional countries have helped us. But we have not focused much attention about that. I think in the future, with the emerging markets coming from South Africa and the Middle East, we will have lot of opportunities there.

Q: Will Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe's call for collective action to change the Government pose any threat to the presidency or to the stability of the Government?

A: The Opposition Leader has been saying this for the last so many years. But nothing has come of it. I don't see the Opposition beng organised at grassroot level. From the day Wickremesinghe was appointed as UNP Leader, a lot of damage has been done to the party over the past 20 years. So you can't have quick fixes for a situation like that. When the heart is damaged it can't be revived in a month.

Q: There is speculation that the Government would go for snap elections by the end of 2014. Is there any truth in that or if not what is the reason for the Opposition's mania for such dreams?

A: I think the Government will be ready for elections at any time. This year will be a year of elections. I don't know which election will come first. That decision has to be taken by President Rajapaksa. But the Government has been getting ready for elections this year or next year. The Western and Southern Provincial Councils will be dissolved shortly. There will be continuous elections. I don't think the Opposition is in any position to pose any challenge to the Government at the elections. The Opposition is weak at organisational level.

Q: UNP reformists have been agitating for a change in the UNP leadership during the past few years. Do you think the newly formed Leadership Council would drive the party to a victorious position at future elections?

A: The principle idea of the Leadership Council for a political party is new. Our societies are based on the fact that political leaders give charisma, drive and a past for any political party. The idea of a Leadership Council is new. I am not sure whether the people will really understand what this council can do. I am used to a system where there is a single political leader who we can depend on and who takes correct decisions. I think essentially that is what is necessary. When my father the late Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali formed a new political party, the DUNF, there were many issues between my father and Lalith Athulathmudali. But ultimately they decided on a formula where Lalith will be the leader for a period of two years on a rotational kind of leadership. But they didn't entertain a council. When there are important decisions to be made, a leader's authority matters. I don't know whether in any other country this kind of Leadership Council can take decisions. I am not sure of that. I am used to a system where there is a political leader based system. Within the UNP their tradition has been to have strong leaders, I don't know whether this Leadership Council will be effective.

Q:The Year Five scholarship issue has quoted controversy. Won't it be more practical if a scheme is devised to ease the stress on students and mitigate the duress on parents?

A: I think it was a miscommunication between Education Minister and the public. The Education Commission has made some recommendations. One of the recommendations that the Year Five Scholarship Examination should be reduced to a one hour paper and have continuous assessment. The Mahindodaya thousand schools project is also gaining ground. When we have a thousand developed schools, the necessity for children of less privileged schools to come to Royal College, Ananda and Nalanda will decrease. What was meant was that the situation would be assessed at that time. The Government has not taken any decision to scrap the Year Five Scholarship examination. When I studied at Royal College, nearly 15 to 20 rural students who had passed the Year Five Scholarship examination were in my class.

They did well. Many including me are against continuing the Year Five Scholarship examination in the same fashion because the examination is a three hour paper and is too much for a twelve-year-old to handle. Modern education methods have changed and children are faced with immense stress. There should be a different method of handling the situation. The Government has taken a decision regarding this. Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella clarified he Government's position and it was a miscommunication.

Q:The Western block is renewing its 'undeclared war' against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions in March. Don't you think that we could withstand this pressure as we have improved on the human rights, front resettlement, economic development and restoring peace?

A: The West has gone ahead with its vicious campaign against Sri Lanka. They are going to bring a fresh resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions in March. We will face it. We are a dignified and respectable country. If there are any issues they can talk with us. But we are not going to bow down to them. No sovereign country will. Now some of the key recommendations in the LLRC report are being implemented. The Government is sincerely doing that. The people are aware that the situation on the ground has improved. After end of the war against terrorists, terror has stopped in Sri Lanka while the human rights situation has improved. These are the initiatives that they are taking with their political agendas. We realise that and we will face that.

Q: Rather than global, regional cooperation will help Sri Lanka to boost trade, high-tech transfers, investment and obtaining a fair price for exports. Your comments?

A: Regional growth with countries such as Japan, China and India are the main blocks in the region. Sri Lanka maintains close relations with these countries. We need to have partners to achieve national development goals. The West can also be partners. The West has helped us in the past. We have to strengthen our friendship where there is any doubt. Many Western countries particularly the UK may have domestic political compulsions like the LTTE block votes. That is why they take this stance. In the 1980s when the UK was under a lot of stress, particularly in the Falklands War, former President J.R.Jayewardena didn't think about all these issues. He stood with the UK. Unfortunately, some of the British leaders have forgotten history. We will endeavour to improve our relations with all our friends particularly China, India and Japan. Japan has a historic relationship with the Western.

The West pressurises Japan to take their side but Japan has remained being our friend. They have stood by Sri Lanka. They have expressed concern over certain issues but have not tried to bring sanctions or resolutions against Sri Lanka. I think Japan is the highest donor regarding the projects are given to Sri Lanka. China gives many loans to Sri Lanka but the Japan is still ahead on the actual projects being implemented in Sri Lanka. I think Japan is a good model for other countries on how to manage relations with Sri Lanka. Those who express concern on certain issues have to be neutral and sincere. Because having a malicious political agenda is not the way forward.

Q: How far has public management reforms helped cut down waste, inordinate delays, bottle-necks, duplication and backlog of arrears in public institutions after your Ministry was set up ?

A: I think we have made some progress. But that is not enough. There are lot of duplications in the Provincial Council system. We are trying to iron out those and discuss with Provincial Councils and sort out those issues. Inefficiency is rampant, bottle-necks and lethargy is continues.

When youth are recruited to the public service, we train them in a systematic manner. New training systems are also in place. In the next five to six years the public sector will have a new outlook.