Mihin Air will bounce back - Minister Chamal Rajapaksa  

The Opposition Leader is trying to gain political mileage. A Committee to investigate the oil hedging deal. Minister alone is not responsible for approving the deal. No attempt to destroy documents of the oil hedging deal. Believe that Mihin Air will have a new start under a fresh management. Domestic flights will be promoted. No misfits and nincompoops are in the Government. Doors are open for the UNPers to join the UPFA

While the dramatic decision by the Supreme Court against the oil hedging deal is making the heart beat high of those who have had a hand in the deal, the Minister of Ports and Aviation and Irrigation and Water Management Chamal Rajapaksa said that the banks and top officials of the Ministry of Petroleum who had recommended to go for the deal should mainly be held responsible for signing the illegal deal.

Minister Rajapaksa, in an interview with the Sunday Observer said that the Government would not cover any one, including the Minister of Petroleum A.H.M. Fowzie, if they had intentionally signed the deal while knowing the gravity of the outcome.

"The Government will not tolerate those who engage in corruption and we would take action against any such despite their positions. Whether he is a minister or a poor clerk in a government office, the Government will treat both equally if they have engaged in corruption", he promised.

Following are the excerpts:

Q: How will the Government face the controversial oil hedging deal which costs the country over Rs. 200 billion?

A: I think we have to study the whole thing again properly to see who else was involved in this deal. We must find out those who studied the agreement before tabling it for final approval and also those who signed the deal knowing the gravity of it. Those who are involved in this deal but have not studied the whole thing including the international agreements, properly should also be blamed. It is not only the minister concerned but the officials who studied the whole process who are to blame.

As they are the experts they should advice the minister to go ahead with the agreement. There are technical evaluation committees and they too should be responsible for advising the ministers about the real outcome of such deals before reaching the final step of signing the agreement. Ministers alone cannot take decisions.

Q: The Minister Fowzie has mentioned Central Bank Governor Ajith Cabral as the person who approved the hedging deal and was responsible for the whole issue?

A: Yes, when the oil prices were going up there were people who recommended the oil hedging deal to overcome the crisis. So they had suggested this hedging agreement. The banks are also answerable for the whole issue. They are the authorities who advice us. In this serious issue, the banks should have given the ministry a clear picture about the agreement and what should have been done and not done.

Q: The Supreme Court wants the President to take over the Petroleum Ministry and to replace Minister Fowzie. What is the Government's stance?

A: We have to wait till the President returns to the country. The Cabinet will also discuss the issue.

Q: Will the Government take action against those others who had a hand in this deal?

A: If they have done anything wrong, it is clear that as a responsible government out to minimise corruption we will definitely take action against all those who were a part of this deal. A committee has been appointed to look into this matter and to investigate to see whether they have done any thing wrong. This committee will also see whether the responsible persons have done according to the correct advice of the banks, which have experience in hedging agreements or not.

Q: Though the officials are there to advice the minister, ultimately the minister is responsible and your answer sounds that the Government wants to cover up Minister Fowzie's involvement in the deal. Isn't it?

A: No. The Government does not want to cover up Minister Fowzie and still I think that no one can blame Minister Fowzie alone. If this agreement happened to be signed by me I will definitely act on the advice of my officials whom I trust that they will furnish me the correct details after having studied the deal and its outcome properly. After studying the conditions of the agreement and similar agreements in the world, the expert assigned will submit the final recommendations to the minister, who will give his approval after seeking the advice of the officials including the Ministry Secretary. It is a team effort and the minister cannot do it in an ad hoc manner. What I say is that Minister Fowzie is not an expert on this oil hedging deal.

There is CPC Chiarman, the secretaries and regional secretaries, then the Central Bank Governor. They should give the correct directions to proceed with. It is their duty to study the agreement thoroughly before it is submitted to the minister. On the other hand, the Ministry Secretary is responsible for all the Cabinet papers that are prepared. He is the Chief Accounting officer of the minister. So if the Cabinet paper is submitted, the Secretary is responsible for preparing it. So how can one totally blame the minister?

Q: Does this mean that Minister Fowzie will have a chance to serve as the Minister of Petroleum despite the court order to replace him?

A: It is upto the minister to decide whether to remain in the Ministry or not. And also the President has to decide this.

Q: However, when the top Cabinet Ministers are deliberately involved in this type of blunders how does the Government guarantee to minimise corruption in future?

A: One main aspiration of the Mahinda Chinthanaya is to minimise corruption in the country. Though the Government has been able to minimise corruption to a certain extent I do not say that the country is totally free of corruption and we have to take steps to minimise corruption in certain areas. But the Government does not leave room for any one to engage in corrupt activities. The Government will not tolerate those who engage in corruption and we would take action despite their positions. Whether he is a minister or a poor clerk in a government office the Government will treat both equally if they have engaged in bribery and corruption.

Q: The Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe announced last week that the Government is trying to destroy the oil hedging documents which were submitted to the COPE. Is there any truth in this allegation?

A: No. I strongly refute this allegation, and the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government always wants to maintain transparency. I must say that these allegations are levelled against the Government to mislead the public. We are a responsible government and the Opposition Leader is trying to tarnish the image of the Government. Most importantly he is trying to gain political mileage over this issue by creating situations which are not in existence. It is sad how the politicians are trying their best to tarnish the Government, which is now in its final stage of defeating LTTE to end the decades long war.

Q: Ports is another area where chances of corruption is high. What are the steps taken to minimise corruption under your purview?

A: I listen to all trade unions and I meet them very often. If they make any complaint against any one, I will take immediate action to look into it and always take action to minimise all corruption in my ministry. We have introduced a system - Suggestion and Reward Scheme - where any employee can submit his or her suggestions on any matter. Suggestion boxes are placed in all departments and they can put their written complaints, suggestions and appreciations into these boxes.

We list these complaints and then take action. I am ready to take action if there are complaints, even against me, the Secretary or the higher officials. I want to maintain transparency in every activity within the ministry and in fact there is a complaint against me. Next week I am to sit before a trade union to answer them.

Q: The view of the common man is that corruption is taking place in its maximum in most of the Government institutions as all eyes are now directed towards the military victories in the North. What do you have to say?

A: Any one can make any allegation, but we have to see whether they are correct or not. That is why the Bribery Commission and other institutions which investigate corruption are in existence. It is better to lodge complaints with the relevant authorities without just making statements. Then it will help the officials who investigate such complaints and those who have doubts can have a clear picture.

Q: Why do you think the Government wants to promote Mihin Air when the concept of budgeted airlines seems to be a failure?

A: First I must tell why the Government established Mihin Air. the Government felt the need of having our own airline which air freight is affordable to the ordinary people. On the other hand, we had to face the challenges from Emirates. We started Mihin with a good intention, but we did not have the total capital it required at the beginning and faced financial crisis but Mihin was in operation for a year. Therefore, this concept is not a failed attempt.

Q: It is said that you have submitted a Cabinet Memorandum for another Rs. 1,100 million to pump into Mihin Air to purchase a new aircraft and other facilities to commence operations. How sure are you that Mihin Air will be successful after re-organising it?

A: It is our aim to make it a profitable airline. We have taken steps to re-start it. In future Sri Lankans can select Mihin as their budgeted airline. We want to serve the ordinary people of this country.

Q: What is the target group?

A: Those who are working in the Middle East and the pilgrimages to Buddhist destinations. We really started to cater to them.

Q: Those who are going for Middle East jobs are getting the air tickets from their employers and mostly they prefer other airlines. How are you going to tap this group?

A: If the air freight is cheaper than other airlines they will come to Mihin. Air freight of other air lines are very high and if Mihin can offer a package with concessions people will come to Mihin.

As I said earlier the concept is to make air tickets affordable to the common man.

Q: But contrary to your view today, earlier you admitted openly in Parliament that Mihin Air was mismanaged. How do you plan to make it a profitable venture in future?

A: Yes, I agree it was not managed properly under the previous management.

Now we have changed the management and there are qualified people to run the Mihin Air now. The oil price hike had also caused the financial crisis. So without shutting down Mihin Air the Government has decided to reorganise the whole process to see whether we could make it a profitable venture to serve the ordinary people.

Now there are new plans to develop Mihin and we have transparency in its activities.

There is no room for a single person to handle the whole operations of the Mihin Air in future.

Q: But within a year of Mihin's operation, it recorded a loss of Rs. 1.5 billion and how confident are you that this new management will be able to run Mihin with profits?

A: The new management is confident that they can make Mihin more profitable and I have to believe their words.

Q: Mr. Minister, you or the Mihin Air team cannot play with public money.

A: Yes. This is not playing with public money. The new management will operate Mihin successfully while recovering the loses.

Q: Are there any new destinations identified other than the Middle East and cultural and Buddhist sites in India?

A: Yes, the other plan is to promote Mihin as domestic airline. We have already identified the internal destinations - Jaffna, Koggala, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee. The existing internal airports will be upgraded soon.

Q: Some political parties claim that most of the development projects including Hambantota Port and the second international airport in the South, are still mere name boards. What's the progress of these projects?

A: First I invite those who say so to visit Hambantota to see the progress. Then they can decide on their claim and see what is really going on. They cannot just make statements. I ask those who make such claims first to go there and then issue statements. Media is also welcome.

The work of the sea port has been completed by over 30 percent and the operations will be commenced in 2010. It will take at least 15 years to complete the whole project.

The Airport has been shifted from Weerawila to Udamaththala because of a land issue.

The selected land is a paddy land and the Government did not want to use paddy lands for other development activities. The new area is mainly a scrub jungle. The date of completion of the airport is 2012.

Q: Some claim that though the Government is successfully defeating the LTTE, other state sectors are going from bad to worse as most of the Government institutions are headed by misfits and nincompoops. What do you have to say?

A: Can you give me an example. I refute that allegation completely.

Most of them are qualified persons. Unless they are qualified and capable to head those institutions the Government would not appoint them.

I have a young professional as the Chairman Ports Authority. He has been working there for a long period and he is an engineer who has a PhD. So do you think that he is a misfit to be the Chairman of the Ports Authority.

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Who is Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa?

Being the eldest of a family of nine children - six boys and three girls - the new Sub Inspector was reluctant to accept the offer by the world's first woman Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike to represent his father's seat after his untimely death in 1967.

He had to shoulder the family responsibilities - to make his brothers and sisters to stand on their own feet as their `Loku Aiya' (elder brother) rather than looking after the father's party supporters.

Chamal, the coolest among the nine children of the late famous D.A Rajapaksa took a decision. He gave the chance to his second brother who was a gifted speaker Mahinda to contest the election. He was the 'father' to his second brother Mahinda and fourth brother Basil who were the naughtiest among the whole lot.

The unity among girls and boys of the Rajapaksa family has never dried out and even after the second brother became the President of this country, the third brother became the Defence Secretary and the fourth brother became a Member of Parliament, all went behind 'loku aiya' just to get a few words of advise when they are in 'trouble'. Whether it is a family problem or a political problem, he is there to advise them dearly. "From our small days we maintained the family unity. We are there when one is in trouble", says Minister Rajapaksa who is still there right near President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he is struggling with some issues. Minister Rajapaksa says that the secrets of the eight Rajapaksas becoming Parliamentarians is in maintaining the 'good name' being honest and helping the innocent villagers genuinely.

Not having much hopes to bring his sons into politics, the elder brother of the President Rajapaksa, says that he doubts his son who is having a political science degree will become an MP one day.

"I don't force them. It is totally their wish to do politics", he says.

If he is given the Prime Minister's seat, he is planning to say 'No' as he does not want to make the Government a family affair."I will offer the chance to somebody else as I did when I was young. I am not greedy for anything. Rajapaksas did not do politics to earn", Minister Rajapaksa says.

Life was not so rosy for the children of the Deputy Minister D.A. Rajapaksa who had not made politics a 'money venturing machine'. As his children - Chamal, Mahinda, Basil, Gotabhaya and Dudley were studying in Colombo he faced many a hardships to give them all they needed for their education. "I still can remember that he sold his vehicle and leased his coconut lands to look after the nine of us", recalls Minister Rajapaksa of his late father.Despite the tight schedules the Minister of Aviation has time for his favourite hobby-plant a small tree and enjoying its gradual growth.Though he is a minister he says his passion is still to serve the country as a policeman.

"What I feel now is if I stay in the Police it is much better than being a politician".