Working for the needy, Duminda's top priority

By Jaliya WIJEKOON

UPFA Colombo district young and dedicated parliamentarian Duminda Silva figured in the media in connection with different types of incidents and events during the past few months. Sunday Observer conducted an exclusive interview with him. Here are the excerpts from the intervive.

Q: As we have heard, you come from a business background, what made you to take to politics?

A: From my childhood, I was in the habit of helping poor people. Most of my pocket money was spent on distributing among the poor.

When I became an adult and handling money, I continued with this deed. In addition, I helped young people and sports bodies to organise sports activities and became part and parcel of the youth organisations in the area, especially in Kolonnawa, Battaramulla, Dehiwala and Ratmalana electorates.

These young people persuaded me to try my hands in politics. Upon realising that this could be the most appropriate vehicle for me to enhance my aspiration to help the poor people, I entered the political arena. In fact involvement in politics has given me the opportunity to help the poor in a greater way, from which deeds I always derived immense personal satisfaction.

Q: You started your politics as a Provincial Councillor under the UNP. What made you cross over to UPFA?

A: Yes - I entered politics as a Provincial Councillor from the UNP. As you are aware at my first attempt, at the Colombo District Elections in 2004, I secured the highest number of preferential votes, more than any of the UNP candidates contested from all the districts. In Colombo, I was the highest even more than any of the PA candidates, which party won the elections.

When I realised the principles within the Mahinda Chintana would benefit the downtrodden masses and the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was rendering yeoman service to the country's development process, it dawned on me that the best would be to support the Government in the best interest of the people.

Fourthermore, it was obvious to me that President Rajapaksa's leadership was far ahead of anyone in the UNP and gave due consideration to efficient hard working young politicians. With his background, I went to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa to express my willingness to extend my support. I was pleased the way a person of that stature accepted me and welcomed me and even before I elucidated to him the deeds I have carried out for the welfare of the people, he was well aware of each and every detail of my contributions. He made me so comfortable and at ease and outlined the contributions I could make to the society.

I immediately realised that I have been wasting my precious time in the political arena all this while with the UNP.

This is why I left UNP and joined UPFA in order to realise my dreams to help the poor and where my contributions will be appreciated by the leadership.

Q: Was any of your elder generation involved in politics?

A: Yes - my Grandfather's Brother Late Mr. Norbert Silva was the Chairman of Kalutara Urban Council for three consecutive tenures and was undefeated till his retirement.

Late Hon. Kingsley T. Wickramaratne was a very close relation of ours from my Father's side. From my Mother's side, even late Sir Oliver Goonatilleke was related. However, these relationships did not in any way influence my entry into the political arena.

Q: You have won your electorate with a convincing majority and the district, but as some of your supporters expected, you have not been granted even a deputy ministerial post, are you not unhappy about it or what was the reason for this?

A: I am not a person who clamour for positions and is always contended with what I get. Anyway, I have now been designated Monitoring MP to the Ministry of Defence and working for Gotabaya Rajapaksa - Secretary of Defence who is an exemplary leader, genuine, straightforward and honest. I consider it privilege to have got baptism under such a leader.

Q: Now that you have completed over a year as a Member of Parliament, what steps have you taken to address the grievances of the downtrodden masses of the electorate and the Colombo district at large?

A: Mahinda Chinthana encompasses every detail of development, which is aimed at driving Sri Lanka to prosperity and uplifting the lives of the downtrodden.

In accordance with the principles of Mahinda Chintana, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa mooted to undertake many projects, especially the housing project to help the downtrodden masses, which is one important need for a person. I personally believe that once the living conditions are upgraded, people will by themselves upgrade their style of living and grab the available job opportunities to elevate their living standards. The aim is to build 60,000 houses in the Colombo District for the poor under the guidance of Gotabaya Rajapaksa and I will play an important role in this task, especially in making the people aware of the concept, convince them to support the process and mitigate concerns that have been created by false propaganda of the Opposition parties.

The beautification of the Colombo District and its environs and the development work including road constructions and housing constructions will create job opportunities while new business will sprout creating more and more jobs. I have personally launched social projects and distributed roofing sheets, exercise books for children, cement, school uniforms, wheel-chairs to the disabled and on many occasions helped monetarily to meet their day-to-day needs.

I have reconstructed a few houses damaged by fire. Every year for the past few years I have organised Seminars in 4 to 5 electorates for students preparing for Grade 5 Scholarships with renowned lecturers setting probable questions and teaching the way to answer. This year, the Seminars are scheduled to be held in July this year in 4 electorates. Similarly, last year I had a few Seminars for students sitting for the GCE (O/L). These are few of the many socially beneficial projects I have undertaken to help the needy.

I have supported self employment and also found jobs for many youth in the private sector as well as in the Government sector. I have also helped youth selected to travel abroad for sports activities. I am grateful to my Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Relations and friends for supporting me to make these social deeds implemented successfully.

Q: Your electorate is basically poor electorate in comparison to other electorates in Colombo District, especially in health care, education facilities and employment. What are your priorities in addressing these burning issues?

A: As you know, Kolonnawa where I am the SLFP organiser is now experiencing a facelift as never seen before. Most of the main roads are now being carpetted and bi-roads are being concreted.

I am ever so grateful to Basil Rajapaksa for approving and allocating funds to undertake the road work in response to the report I forwarded to him realising the principles contained in the Mahinda Chintana.

Furthermore, water projects have been launched for the masses to have easy access to water. Nearly 12,000 families who did not have easy access to water will have pipe borne water in the very near future.

Under the concept of the beautification of the Colombo District and providing housing to the poor masses, under the leadership of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, out of the 60,000 houses to be constructed in the Colombo District about 12,000 to 15,000 houses will be in the Kolonnawa electorate. Two projects are already in operation and another project will commence in the near future. The people will see to themselves the work in progress. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has endorsed plans to beautify the Kolonnawa electorate, which will attract investors to set up businesses thus, helping people of the area to get jobs and also create self employment opportunities.

Due to the piling up of garbage in 2 to 3 places in the Kolonnawa area, the people in the vicinity were undergoing unprecedented sufferings. This problem has been now solved.

Personally, I have undertaken some social work on my own to help the poor people as mentioned earlier and the people in the Kolonnawa electorate too have been recipients.

I have personally supported in upgrading the sanitary facilities in schools, some of which have been completed.

I must also State that I have sent numerous proposals pertinent to the uplift of the electorate to the respective ministries and I have received positive response from most of the Ministers who have extended their unstinted support to me to develop Kolonnawa electorate and in turn uplift the living standards of the people, especially the poor.

Q:You have a big youth force who really worked hard to keep you at a higher level in respect to votes polled at the last General Elections. How do you support them in return?

A: To the best of my ability, I have found many jobs to the youth in the private sector and a few jobs in the Government sector.

I have personally helped them to start their own business and also helped them financially when it comes to social and sports activities. Most importantly, I have always been with the youth, moved with them, talked with them and attended to them and at no stage have I rejected them or refused to attend to them, their needs and grievances.

Even before and after the Elections, they have had the same opportunity to meet me at their convenience more than mine. I have always listened to them and facilitated to convey their side of the story and grievances to the top Government officials so that their problems can be solved expeditiously with an unbiased mind. I have aggressively represented them and helped them to solve their problems.

Q: The UNP is claiming that the Government is heading towards a dictatorial rule. What have you got to say about it?

A: Our Government has been more democratic than the UNP regimes. President Rajapaksa loves the country and its people more than anybody else. People love him the same way and they adore him. Therefore, there is no reason to be dictatorial. This is an illusion of the UNP and the JVP for want of anti government slogans.

Q: Although the police say that the underworld has been immobilised; there are allegations that a peaceful UNP protest rally was attacked and some say that you are personally responsible for it. What are your comments?

A: The underworld has been immobilised to a great extent and that is true to the best of my knowledge. I have never ever been responsible for attacking any rally and there is no reason why I should? These are imaginary accusations by the opposition in the wake of the support I enjoy with the people, especially the youth.

Q: Not only locally even internationally, there are allegations that human rights are violated, abductions take place and there enaction on the part of police. How would you respond to this?

A: The International forum is none other than the Tamil Diaspora etc. They are making every attempt to revive LTTE's presence around the world not for any reason in my view but for the organisation to collect fund at the expense of poor Tamil people and for the hierarchy to enjoy. Some of the international communities have fallen prey to this, especially in the light of the UNP and JVP actions brokering such causes. To the best of my knowledge, after the humanitarian mission to free the Tamil people from the clutches of the terrorists, there are no proven abductions.

During the humanitarian mission, the abductions were orchestrated by the LTTE and the opposition tried to blame the Government for political mileage, regretfully the anti-Government Sinhalese political parties too.

There were some who have moved out of the country on the sly and the opposition is trying to interpret it as abductions.

Some of these human right groups in my opinion have been mislead by the Tamil Diaspora.

Unfortunately some of our political parties for their political benefit are creating an environment to bring forth disharmony among our people on ethnicity whereas after the restoration of peace Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers have been living peacefully, harmoniously and happily.

The development that is being carried out right throughout the country including North and East under the leadership of His Excellency, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the resultant socio-economic benefits derived in my opinion are being highly appreciated by the people right round the island.

Around the world the terrorist organisations are taking refuge under the human right laws and I believe sooner there laws are amended to exclude terrorism, is better for a peaceful world.

Q: Are you in favour of the devolution of power in the North? If so what sort of devolution do you suggest?

A: The concept of devolution of power emerged as a result of the terrorist activity and propaganda in the past when the, then Governments thought the LTTE was invincible. Our country is too small to be divided. However, there has to be certain devolution of power to the administrative areas that would address some of the concerns of the Tamil people in those areas where all Sri Lankans can live in the country as equal citizens. We must take steps to erase the misconception that there are unequal ethnic groups in our country and any language barriers that may contribute to inequality should be removed.

Q: There is illicit filling of land in certain areas of your electorate and also in the Colombo District. As existing laws are inadequate what measures should be taken to stop this menace?

A: I am aware that there has been filling of lands in certain areas in our electorate. However, after I was appointed the organiser, these do not occur and under the instructions of Hon. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, some of these unauthorised encroachments and fillings have been removed and the much needed water flow during heavy rains has been facilitated.

Thus, Kolonnawa which was earlier susceptible to floods with the slightest rain is much better, although much work has to be done in this aspect. Existing laws are adequate but they must be enforced properly.

Q: Your voters love you so much. What is the reason behind this?

A: I have always been with the people, for the people and extended my hand to help them in the best way possible and to the best of my ability.

I always listen to them and attend to their problems and people have realized that I am with them genuinely and thus they are with me.

I have also worked hard in the interest of the people and made a concerted effort to solve their problems and they are well aware that I have no personal agendas.

Unable to cope and withstand the popularity I enjoy, it is unfortunate that in the recent times a UNP Colombo District MP famous for dividing and sub dividing political parties and sadly a member from our party are conspiring to bring about a smear campaign against me with the help of one or two journalists and police officers probably in their payroll.

A banned Website now exhibiting cowardice by operating from abroad with address unknown is part of this coup d'etat. I have sought assistance of the CID for an impartial inquiry to unearth this third grade conspiracy by unscrupulous people.

I have faced many challenges of conspiracies to undermine me even in the past and always emerged winner with the conspirators falling by the way side. However, these will not deter me from executing my duties towards the masses who supported and elected me.

Q: In the event UNP returns to power some day, and if they invite you to rejoin them and continue your political work, what would be your response?

A: No, never. Anyway they have no chance for a couple of decades. I wonder with these internal squabbles whether they will last so long.

Q: Was your last protest campaign that you had a success?

A: The protest campaign was an absolute success. This was against JVP utterances insulting and disgracing the supporters of the Government as drug addicts, thugs, goons, hooligans etc.

Q: There is public displeasure about the remarks made by you about Sarath Fonseka. What made you to unleash an attack on him?

A: He started it. As usual, he made uncanny disrespectful insulting remarks on me.

A person over 60 years using such low profile remarks is a disgrace by itself and a bad example. I see no reason why I should not respond in the same style. Public displeasure is their party's political illusion.

Q: During the recent past, you launched a number of protest campaigns. What was your main objective for them and do you think that the main opposition and the JVP could be made silent by this type of reactionary measures?

A: I did not launch protest campaigns. I launched support campaigns for the Government and one protest campaign against JVP's utterances against people who were participating in our peaceful support campaigns.

I do not intend to silence anybody. This is a democratic country - like the same way they have the right to launch protest campaigns against the Government, we also have the right to have support campaigns for the Government.

We always had it in different locations and there have been no clashes.

These will always remain peaceful unless the JVP and the UNP try to trespass, encroach and disturb our support campaigns.

They are peaceful demonstrations and we can continue to do so as long as President Rajapaksa's democratic Government exists, which I believe will be intact for many decades.