TNA should permit NPC Chief Minister to serve the people - Dr K. Wigneswaran

By Manjula Fernando

Dr.K.Wigneswaran who has served as Secretary and as advisor to two Chief Ministers including Varatharaja Perumal in 1988 said the TNA must allow the Northern Province Chief Minister to execute his powers to serve the people who voted for him without turning him into a ‘string puppet’ for the sake of petty political gain. He was speaking to the Sunday Observer.

He said “There can't be just a single issue, to bring the work of the PC to a standstill. If the TNA, on principle, is against the appointment of an ex-military officer as Governor why did they not move a resolution against the Governor of the East with the help of the other parties.”

Excerpts of the interview,

I wanted Chief Minister Wigneswaran to win the election because I thought there will be a change and that he will do a lot for the Northern province.

Yes I would say not much has happened after the appointment of the Northern Provincial Council because almost four months have elapsed since the elections were held in the North. I would say the people of the North expected a lot from the Chief Minister but are now disappointed.

The North and East are the provinces which were the worst affected by the war. The problems of the people of these provinces are not the same as those in the other provinces. There is a lot to be done and the Chief Minister is directly responsible for getting these things done.

Specifically I have identified four problems peculiar to these two provinces: the war widows issues, youth unemployment, housing and education.

With regard to the widows of LTTE combatants and civilians in the North, a lot needs to be done. According to reports there are many war widows but I do not know how correct the numbers are.

Many youth who have studied up to the GCE Ordinary Level and Advance Level in the two provinces are unemployed. Employment creation is also the duty of the Provincial Council. This problem exists in other provinces too but to a lesser degree. We have heard of youth leaving for Australia, and other countries illegally. I would say a very few of them are leaving due to security reasons. The majority were going because they cannot find employment here to keep up their families.

The housing issue is the other. Due to the war on terrorism, many houses were damaged. The Indian Government is trying to help with 50,000 houses but more houses are required.

As far as education is concerned, the standard has drastically dropped particularly among the Tamil students as a result of the war on terrorism there was a dearth of teachers. These are problems that need to be addressed by both provincial councils. I believe this is where the Chief Ministers’ responsibility lies.

Now having said this, there was this issue of changing the Governor. If that was an issue for the PC, I believe it should have been discussed at a different level, not via the media. It should have been dealt with, at private level in a dialogue with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, without making much of a noise.

I believe such a strategy would have brought results without hurting anybody.

The Chief Minister has been elected to do a job of work and you cannot turn your back on people saying I can't work under these conditions.

With regard to the issue of the Chief Secretary, I think if the Chief Minister doesn't want a certain person as the Chief Minister, he has a right to say it and propose a name of someone with whom he can work. But there has to be mutual agreement on that with the President.

I personally feel that the Chief Minister's request should have been acceded. But with regard to the Governor the TNA is not doing the right thing.

If you want to act on the issue of housing, the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Council Act says you must pass a statute. If the Governor stands in the way of the Chief Minister, then there is justification for you to fight. But unless you make an effort you cannot claim that the Governor is not cooperating. It is the same with the war widows issues and other issues. To resolve their problems the Chief Minister must act. I am talking about four or five statutes, by now it should have been prepared, passed or if the Governor had objected brought it out as an issue.

The Chief Minister has the right to create departments but when it comes to corporations and boards he has to pass a statute and that has to be accepted by the Governor, if the Governor refuses to assent, then you have a proper claim. You cannot assume that he will not cooperate without doing any work on your part.

According to my experience non of the Governors have refused when we wanted to make appointments to Departments. Those powers are with the Governor but that does not mean that he is going to do everything against you. You can get the appointments made according to your wish. We did not have any bad experience with regard to governance in the East.

One could argue that Eastern PC was governed by the UPFA so you may not have had any problems but then in 1988 the Northeastern province was governed by EPRLF.

Personally I feel the Chief Minister wants to get things done but certain elements in the TNA or the TNA as a party is not permitting him to do anything. The TNA thinks that by not allowing the Chief Minister to perform, matters can be brought before the international community. I think that is counter-productive, you must try to get things done first. If the Governor stands in the way that will be a better issue for you to fight for. But doing nothing is not fair by the people who elected them.

I feel the TNA is not interested in allowing him to work. I am very indignant about it, people expected a lot and they are disappointed.

There can't be just one issue, to bring the entire work of the PC to a standstill. If the TNA, on principle, is against the appointment of an ex-military officer as the Governor why didn't they move a resolution against the Eastern Governor with the help of the other parties.

They could have done that if it was a matter of principle for the TNA. This issue of the Chief Secretary is also a minor issue that could have been resolved easily in discussion with the President.

You must exercise executive powers to serve the people. Your ‘Party’ should not be dragged in. For instance suppose the Northwestern province is governed by the UNP and the Chief Minister of the UNP wants to discuss something with the President would he go to meet the President with his party leader. Here the (TNA) party leader wants to go everywhere.

The party should not obstruct the Chief Minister from exercising his powers. The line of demarcation should be there.

Dr.K.Vigneswaran was the Secretary to the Chief Minister of the then North-east province Varatharaja Perumal from 1988-1990 and he was the Senior Advisor to the Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan. He is currently the Leader of the political party Ahiha Ilangai Tamil Mahasabha.