UPFA’s resounding victory at Provincial Council elections:

Political bankruptcy of Opposition further exposed

Last weekend’s North Central, Sabaragamuwa and the Eastern Provincial Council elections exposed the true strength of the Opposition political parties which have been daydreaming seeing tne crowds at political rallies.

But it was the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) which ultimately underlined its supremacy and proved that the masses are still with the ruling party. President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s exemplary leadership had been the decisive factor which had given the winning edge to the UPFA.

President Rajapaksa’s entry to the UPFA campaign in the final leg made a huge difference. People of all walks of life came in their numbers to the UPFA rallies to welcome the leader who liberated the country from terrorism and the voters in the three provinces showed their gratitude by giving the UPFA a thumping majority in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces.

Though the TNA has been daydreaming and spreading separatist ideas due to lavish funding from LTTE cohorts outside the country, people in the East taught them an unforgettable lesson. Though two of the Government allies the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the National Freedom Front (NFF) contested separately, along with the UNP and the TNA, the UPFA beat all overwhelmingly to finish on top at the Eastern Provincial Council elections.

It was another pathetic story for the UNP, The Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP Deputy leader Sajith Premadasa had separate campaigns under different agendas.

As a result of the internal power struggle in the UNP, the candidates contesting on UNP ticket had been in the wilderness.

The UNP suffered its 25th successive election defeat. Their strength at the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial councils were reduced by four seats and all those were gained by the UPFA which extended its majority. Though the Opposition desperately used drought as a political slogan, the farmers in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa were carried away and showed their gratitude to the UPFA which has been granting them a record fertiliser subsidy.

The JVP’s political nudity was exposed further as they secured just one seat, after contesting in all three Provincial Councils. In contrast, its breakaway group – the NFF, led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa, contested only in Trincomalee District and secured a seat. Interestingly, the newly elected NFF Eastern Provincial Council member, Jayantha Wijesekera had been a member of the previous PC representing the JVP.

The JVP, which previously had two members in the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council and one member in the Eastern Provincial Council, fared miserably in those provinces without a single member being elected. The only consolation for the JVP came in the Anuradhapura District from which they had a solitary member to the new North Central Provincial Council.

In a desperate bid to cover up its political bankruptcy, the JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva had said that their party’s strength could not be measured by the election result. That itself is a highly controversial statement. One wonders what the criteria that Tilvin is talking about. The strength of a political party is not measured by the number of posters they put up on walls, the number of placards they display at demonstrations or how they disrupt work at workplaces due to trade union action but purely on the number of votes that a party could poll at an election.

Undoubtedly, the JVP would have remained as the winner all the time if the strength of a political party is decided on the number of posters, placards, demonstrators and number of trade union actions and pickets.

The UPFA victory especially in the former war-torn Eastern Province, is seen by political analysts as a slap in the face of some Opposition parties which sought to gain cheap political mileage by trying to create divisions among ethnic and religious groups during the run up to the poll.

Observers said people through their verdict also had clearly rejected Opposition parties’ attempts at using the prevailing drought in the North Central and parts of the East for cheap political gain. They said the UNP’s dismal performance and a near total erosion of the JVP vote bank, the so-called third force in Sri Lankan politics at one time, were once again strikingly exposed at this election.

The observers said people’s confidence and trust in President Rajapaksa and the government was once again clearly shown in the results where the UPFA recorded comfortable victories in all three provinces. The final results showed the UPFA winning 63 seats out of 114. The UPFA polled 1,027,310 votes in the three provinces a majority of 469,425 over its closest rival the United National Party (UNP).

The UNP won 29 seats in the three provinces, with TNA (11), SLMC (seven), CWC (two), JVP (one) and NFF (one) being the other parties which were able to secure slots in the councils. The UPFA was able to record comfortable victories in all electorates in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces. The party won five out of seven districts.

In the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces, the UPFA improved both its vote tally and seats in comparison to the last PC polls in 2008. In North Central Province, the UPFA received 61.23 percent of the votes cast winning 21 seats, while in 2008 it got only 56.37 percent with 20 seats. In Sabaragamuwa, the UPFA polled 59.18 percent of the votes winning 28 seats and in 2008 the Party polled 56.34 percent winning 25 seats. This year, the UPFA’s highest return of votes was recorded from the Balangoda electorate where it obtained 67.29 percent of the votes cast.

The resounding victory for the UPFA in Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Eastern Provinces will be written in the annals of Sri Lankan election history as the tenth election which was won by UPFA government under my leadership, President Rajapaksa said in a press release. “This election was a national referendum which clarified the Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil communities’ standpoint. This has further provided us the energy to carry out the development initiative strengthening democracy in the country," he said.

“We are glad to see that the people kept utmost confidence in the government and the Sri Lankan nation by defeating forces which expected to gain narrow aims by spreading racism, religious extremism, regionalism and other extremist tendencies.

He urged all parties to gather on behalf of the common responsibility to face the challenges before the country. “We can successfully approach one aim if both winner and loser are united”, he said.

CPA showcases Sri Lanka

The 58th sessions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in Colombo enabled Sri Lanka to showcase its development and reconciliation process to the world.

Most politicians in the West make baseless allegations against Sri Lanka as they do not have first hand information on the achievements the country has made since the eradication of terrorism. Hence, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has repeatedly invited the international community to visit Sri Lanka to experience the coexistence of all communities in the country and the development activities in the North and the East without believing third party stories by those with vested interests.

Hence, the CPA sessions in Colombo gave a good opportunity to the international community gather first hand information and have a true picture on the new lease of life the people in the North and the East have got after terrorism was eradicated.

The CPA sessions which concluded in Colombo last week was a huge success and will bring fame and benefits to Sri Lanka, according to the 58th CPA Conference Organising Committee president Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody.

“A number of topics important to the entire Commonwealth were discussed. The sessions ended successfully under the leadership of the President of the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa,” Weerakkody said.

He said in addition to the objectives of the Commonwealth Conference, one of the greatest benefits earned was that the delegates who visited various parts of the country, understood the reality that the reconciliation, development and resettlement programes were moving forward vibrantly.

“The CPA delegates realised that the country is going forward in the correct path which will finally result in a united and a peaceful nation”, the Deputy Speaker said. He said the delegates’ responses on the tours were much higher than expected. “They had an opportunity to talk to the common masses and people’s representatives in these areas. The delegates commented not only about the development and reconciliation in the North, but also about the opportunity to tour other areas as well. According to the Deputy Speaker, most delegates left Sri Lanka with a positive mind, promising to tour Sri Lanka in the future with their family members,” Weerakkody said.

Ambassador on SL

Parliamentarians and state officials representing 54 countries participating at the recent CPA Conference in Colombo could act as ambassadors in telling the world that Sri Lanka, is busy with development, committed to peace and cooperation and is on the path to rapid progress, the CPA General Secretary Dr. William F. Shija said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the CPA Executive Committee meeting at Hotel Hilton yesterday, Dr. Shija said, “We are here as eye witnesses to what is going on in Sri Lanka. So no one in future will tell us something different, unless some changes come” he said.

“We don’t need people who tell wrong stories. We need people who tell the right stories. I will be one of the Ambassadors to tell the right story”, he said when questioned about his views on the post-terrorism developments in Sri Lanka and the views of the international community to the goings-on in the country.

Dr. Shija who said he had visited some parts of the country, including the North to see for himself the work being carried out on the ground, said that a lot of positives are happening which was very encouraging. “We congratulate Sri Lanka for having overcome terrorism. We commend the country’s leadership and government on ending it and laying the foundation for rapid progress and reconciliation,” he said.

With proper development taking place after the end of terrorism, Dr. Shija said that the state should ensure its continuity and the world should support the endeavour. In this regard he said unity among various partners in the country was the key. For this he said that parties need to accommodate each other and political parties need to tolerate each other with the prime focus being the people’s well-being. “Tolerance and accommodation produce a stable society and this is what we think will happen in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Pakistan a true friend

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that Pakistan extended unflinching support to Sri Lanka during the three decades of terrorism and immensely helped in the elimination of this menace from Sri Lankan soil.

He said Sri Lanka would not have eliminated the scourge of terrorism without the help and support of Pakistan. He said Pakistan has proved to be a true friend of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan government as well as public have deep affection for Pakistan.

President Rajapaksa was speaking when a Pakistani Parliamentary delegation led by Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and Chairperson of National Commission for Human Development Dr Nafisa Shah paid a courtesy call on him at Temple Trees in Colombo. Dr Nafisa Shah conveyed appreciation of the Pakistani government, Parliament and people to the President for the hospitality extended by the people and the Government of Sri Lanka towards the Pakistani delegation.

She also commended the arrangements made by the Sri Lankan government for organising the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in an impressive manner. She said Pakistan and Sri Lanka are historically bonded in a relationship of trust, mutual respect and deep friendship which is manifested at all the phases of their histories.

India with majority

India stood with the majority decision which voted against appointment of a separate commissioner for human rights by the Commonwealth Federation. Speaking on India’s stance on the proposal to appoint a commissioner for Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in the Commonwealth, Speaker of the Lok Sabha in India, Meira Kumar said her country was with the outcome of discussions at the current CPC in this regard. At the deliberations held on Wednesday at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference at the BMICH, an overwhelming majority of the member countries spoke against the idea of appointing such a Commissioner. The Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha in answer to a question by the Sunday Observer said, “There was a workshop on this”.

”Whatever the outcome of the workshop will form a part of the proposals of the CPA”. Member countries on Wednesday engaged in a lengthy discussion on the topic of “Should the Commonwealth Establish a Commissioner for Democracy, the Rule of Law and the Human Rights” at the ongoing CPA sessions.

Speaker Kumar spoke to journalists after a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa at the BMICH. After Wednesday’s discussions, Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that over 90 percent of the member states were not in favour of making such an appointment.

Deputy Speaker and chairman of the Organising Committee of the 58th CPC Chandima Weerakkody later said that UK, Canada and Australia and a few Sri Lankan Parliamentarians representing the Opposition spoke in favour of appointing a Commissioner. He said the majority of member countries opposed the move and maintained that the CPA should exist for mutual understanding among the member countries.

Deputy Speaker Weerakkody stated that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition MPs Jayalath Jayawardena, John Amarathunga, and TNA MP Sumanthiran stood in favour of the appointment of a Commissioner. During the Heads of Government meeting of the Commonwealth held in Perth, Australia in 2011 too a majority of member nations rejected the same proposal.

Drop in unemployment

The country’s unemployment level dropped to below six percent due to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s efforts to enhance the scope of vocational and technical education, according to Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma. He said the unemployment figure was the lowest so far recorded. The minister said his ministry commenced a program to train all those who qualify to enter state universities but are unable to do so due to practical reasons.

“This can further reduce our unemployment rate. We think about the future in a positive manner and do not expect to create an environment for another youth uprising,” he said. “Nobody will be able to mislead youth in the future by telling them they do not have employment opportunities,” the minister said. “There is no room whatsoever for another youth uprising in Sri Lanka. We do not accept the word ‘Youth unrest’. There is no such word,” he said.

The previous regimes did not address youth issues and created a hostile environment for them.

When they fought against the government, they appointed a committee and called it ‘Youth uprising’. We looked into this matter in a much broader and a rational way,” Minister Alahapperuma said.

Z score dispute ends

The Z score dispute which had been going on for several weeks came to an end, meting out justice to all parties – students who faced the exam under the old and new syllabus.

The Supreme Court last week while nullifying the previous GCE (AL) islandwide rankings under both old and new syllabi issued on July 22, 2012 directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to adopt the fourth formula (scheme) formulated by the UGC with the assistance of the Examination Department in respect of admissions to state universities for the academic year 2011/2012.

The Supreme Court ordered that freshers and the third and the final time repeaters of the last 2011/2012 academic year in both old and new populations (categories) be allowed to sit for the 2013 GCE (Advanced Level) Examination. Furthermore, to issue two cut off points on district basis based on the old and new syllabi.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice K.Sri Pavan and Justice Gamini Ameratunge.

“By this method another opportunity is afforded to almost all who sat for the GCE (AL) Examination”, the Chief Justice observed.

Under the Supreme Court ruling the state universities are billed to admit a student intake of 5609, in addition to the normal intake of 21,500. In compliance of the ruling 681 new admissions to the Arts Faculty is envisaged.

The Bench observed that five discussions were held by the UGC and the discussions sought a solution to the issue. Prior to the ruling the Bench held a lengthy discussion with the Attorney General Palitha Fernando and Counsel, including, Attorney-at-Law Faiz Musthafa PC who appeared for the UGC, S. Jayawardana and Saliya Pieris who appeared for the petitioners.

The counsel submitted that the new admissions are scheduled to be ready on October 15. Counsel Pieris submitted that expectations rose with the Supreme Court’s last ruling although there may be certain segments not accepting the ruling due to it not meeting their expectations.