People in the grass roots level in H'tota have benefited :

Opposition does not pose a challenge - Kapila Dissanayake

by Ranil Wijayapala

As a person closely connected to Rajapaksa family in Hambantota, Kapila Dissanayake entered provincial council politics in 2009 to serve the people in Hambantota district after becoming a connector between the Rajapaksa family and the grass roots level people. Having served the people for the past four years he is contesting the PC election with the view of expanding their service further to the people in Hambantota. The Sunday Observer interviewed him at his residence while he was engaged in election campaign.

Q: How is the election progressing in the Hambantota district at present?

A: There is an enthusiasm among the masses, this time to vote for the UPFA as they are worried about the US sponsored resolution to be brought against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva this month.

Many people earlier believed that it was only a political slogan in the election platform, but now they have realised the seriousness of it and they want to strengthen the hands of the President at this election too.

Therefore they are ready to welcome us even if we visit them at midnight. They are eagerly awaiting to do whatever the role they can play in defending the Government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Q: You represented the last Provincial Council too from the Hambantota district. What kind of service can you render to the district through the Provincial Council system?

A: Through the Provincial Council we conducted a program in the province targeting the Year 5 Scholarship examination. I acted as the supervisory Member for the subjects of education and irrigation in the Hambantota district.

Through that program we were able to create an environment for the teachers to conduct their classes properly and disseminate good knowledge for the children preparing for the scholarship examination. In some schools there were no teachers for the Grade 5 classes and we filled all those vacancies.

Through that program we were able to bring positive results in the rural area schools in the Hambantota district without confining better results to the urban areas.

We were able to get at least one student from each school in the remote areas to pass this examination through this programs. On the other hand we were able to take steps to solve another burning issue in the district.

In Hambantota district we have nearly 40,000 people who do not possess titles or a licence for their lands.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and the Government made every effort to solve this issue by providing them land titles and licences. But all those efforts became futile due to lack of funds.

There were no provisions to allocate funds for this purpose from the Provincial Councils also.

To address this issue we passed a statute in the Provincial Council enabling the Members to allocate funds for the provision of land titles under self employment category.

After adopting that statute we were able to provide financial assistance to 12,850 people who were living in their lands for 50 to 60 years to obtain licences for their lands.

This program was first started in six Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the Hambantota district and it will enable the Provincial Council Members to allocate funds for the people to obtain licence and titles for their lands.

This is the first time such statute was passed in a Provincial Council and there is no provision in the parliament even in this regard.

Q: We see a lot of mega development projects being implemented in the Hambantota district. But there is perception that the people living in the grass roots level are not benefited from these projects. How do you see this situation?

A: When mega development projects such as Magampura port and Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport projects were implemented people in Hambantota had the view that their children will have the chance of getting employment opportunities. But there are lot of people who have indirectly benefited from these projects.

Those who have sold king coconut by the side of the road have developed their business into hotels. They are selling what is available in the village to the people visiting here. In that way we can see those development projects had made a positive impact to uplift the living standards of the people.

Therefore it is a baseless argument to say that the people in the grass roots level have not benefited from these development projects.

Q: Apart from the development project that are already being on the ground what are the other projects that you have identified to implement for the benefit of the people?

A: As I said earlier, people in Hambantota thought only about the employment opportunities made available to the district through these projects. But we have to think how people can get more benefits out of these projects.

Therefore we have initiated a plan under the instruction of Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to have flower cultivations in the district and export them to foreign countries. In addition, we under the guidance of Rajapaksa Foundation have initiated a program for the palmyra leaf products.

We produce boxes and other ornamental things out of palmyra leaf and export them to foreign countries. With the popularisation of the program people are now used to sell the palmyra leaf in their gardens for those engaged in this industry. People are thinking more positively towards these industries and earn their living.

In addition, we have given thought to implement Kachchigal Aru, irrigation project which has dragged on for years to cultivate more than 4,000 paddy lands without allowing the water to flow unused. We are planning to implement that project soon.

Q: We see that the infighting within the UPFA has increased due to the lethargic campaign of the Opposition at the Provincial Council election. How do you see this situation in Hambantota district?

A: There was such a situation earlier in the Hambantota district too. There was a huge competition among the UPFA candidates and they used huge cut-outs, banners and posters for their campaign. But President Mahinda Rajapaksa and MP Namal Rajapaksa educated our candidates about the negative impact due to such competition. Now almost all the candidates are adhering to the election laws and conduct their campaign peacefully at village level.

Candidates are enthusiastic about having house to house campaign rather than having their campaign based on posters, banners and cut-outs.

Q: We see a competition from the three districts in the Southern Province to get the Chief Minister's post to their district. Don't you think that Chief Minister's post should be given to Hambantota district this time?

A: It is true that Chief Minister's post was given to Matara and Galle. If there is such a pattern this time the post should come to the Hambantota district. But if we consider portfolios of the Government, people will look at this situation differently.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying his best to continue these works taking the participation of all segments of people. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is representing Hambantota district, Speaker is also from our district and there are two Ministers representing Hambantota district and MP Namal Rajapaksa is also doing his best for the Hambantota district. We know development is taking place in all parts of the country. But people think that development process is confined to our district. If the Chief Minister's post also given to Hambantota district that will be unfair by the people in the other districts. Therefore as Members representing the Hambantota district we should think about this situation seriously as it would be a big issue for the President also if we demand that post also to Hambantota district. If we can get the works done through the Chief Minister through other politicians in the district the people in other two districts will have a chance to get the Chief Minister's post to their district and get things done in their districts also equally.

Q: Do you think the Opposition is a challenge for the UPFA campaign?

A: Opposition is not at all a challenge for us. We do not see any campaign by them except for some pocket meetings and house to house campaigns at the village level. The UNP and the JVP had gone to the lowest level in their vote base compared to the previous Provincial Council election. There was a new trend towards the Democratic Party led by Sarath Fonseka but that trend is no more there.

Q: But the opposition says that they will start toppling the Government from the Southern Provincial Council election?

A: That is what they say at every election. Except for their slogan they don't have anything to topple the government.

People never allowed it to happen in the past and will not allow in the future too. As long as President Rajapaksa is in power there won't be a problem for us. Since they don't have a leader, there won't be any challenge for us.

Q: What kind of a victory is the UPFA expecting from the Hambantota district?

A: Earlier we had only 13 seats for the Hambantota district. But this time we get back another two seats to the district. Therefore we are expecting to get 10 seats for the UPFA from the Hambantota district this time.

Q: Is there any doubt about the UPFA victory?

A: We are sure about the UPFA victory like the rising of the sun.

Q: What about your victory?

A: I became third in the list last time obtaining more than 50,000 votes. This time too I will be able to get more votes. But I am not talking about becoming number one or two in the list. What I want is to convince the President, Speaker and the leaders from Rajapaksa family that I am doing the service they wanted me to do the people at the grass roots level when they are engaged in national level politics because I am the one who coordinated their programs with the people in Hambantota. If I can convince them that I am doing my duty to the people. That is enough for me.

(RW)