“Abolishing The Executive Presidency Is Only A Slogan” – Susil Premajayantha

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

UPFA General Secretary and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha says the UPFA campaign for the Presidential election will be based on the Mahinda Chinthana policies and move beyond it. Expressing confidence in President Mahinda Rajapaksa winning the election, Premajayantha said the common man believed the President to be the saviour of the people. “Just six months after defeating the LTTE, the country is now engaged in a massive development drive. All these indicate improvement amidst challenges. There is a change taking place in the country and it needs to be continued,” he observed.
Excerpts:

Q: What is the main theme of the UPFA campaign for President Mahinda Rajapaksa?

A: The UPFA campaign for the presidential election will be announced after nominations. The manifesto to be presented to the people is being prepared. The basic idea of the UPFA is to continue with the Mahinda Chinthana policies presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2005 and to go beyond it.

Q: Since the end of the war, the government has received maximum publicity on the war. Would the war be marketed during the presidential election as well?

A: The war is over now and people are looking at the next change. We have to work on it now. The entire island, especially the north and east suffered due to the LTTE threat that plagued the country for the last 30 years. During this period more than 60,000 lives were lost, 25,000 were injured and losses were incurred by many sectors in the country, especially tourism. We are now starting to regain these losses.

Q: The opposition common candidate General Sarath Fonseka played a key role in the war. Given that fact, can the President still get full credit for the war victory?

A: The majority of the people see General Sarath Fonseka as a public official and a commander who did his duty. The three forces chiefs, the IGP and Civil Defence Force Chief all did their part to defeat the LTTE and win the war. In 2007, there was a plot to destabilise the government by defeating the budget that year. However, the government managed to overcome this. Had the plot succeeded, there would not have been any military victory and there would not be any war heroes as witnessed now. It is these very same people who tried to destabilise the government in parliament who are now speaking of war heroes. The government had to battle it out on many fronts. They had to face a battle with the LTTE, strikes launched by a certain section of trade unions, a world wide economic recession that even caused the collapse of many foreign banks and attempts by some foreign forces to accuse Sri Lanka of human rights violations that was even taken up for discussion at the UN Security Council. The government had to deal with all these issues very diplomatically.

Winning the war against the LTTE was a collective effort and all sections of society contributed towards it. The credit for the war victory belongs to every one. However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa led the war and his name is in the hearts of all the people.

Q: What policies does the UPFA plan to present during the election campaign to the people in order to address key common issues ranging from education, health and economy?

A: The government has implemented policies outlined in the Mahinda Chinthana policy framework that addresses issues faced by the people. A close look at the policies in the Mahinda Chinthana chapters show that over 90% of the concepts have been implemented. In the education sector, 33,000 teachers have been recruited within the last four years. There were only 187,000 teachers in the country, but now there are 222,000. Grade I and II principals who were not promoted for the last 13 years have been promoted. There have also been more than 5,000 principals recruited to the sector. Over 4,000 schools have been provided with computer labs. Under the Isuru Project funded by the ADB and the government, 31 schools in the Northern Province would also receive computer labs.

The general living standards of the people has to be improved. Addressing all these issues had to be temporarily stopped till May 19th when the LTTE was defeated. The war also left about 300,000 persons displaced. The government had to spend additional funds on resettling the displaced and developing the war affected areas in the north and east. The government while fighting a war also managed to address several key areas in the economy. The inflation rate that was 28% in June 2008 was brought down to single digits this year. The rate of unemployment, which was 10% a few years back, has now been reduced to 6%. Bank rates have also been reduced. We have managed to improve amidst challenges.

Just six months after defeating the LTTE, the country is now engaged in a massive development drive. Harbours, power plants, bridges, road networks, etc. are being constructed. This development is not limited only to the north and east of the country. All these indicate improvement amidst challenges. There is a change taking place in the country and it needs to be continued.

Q: One of the main promises of the common candidate General Sarath Fonseka is the abolition of the Executive Presidency. Although President Rajapaksa pledged to abolish it during his first term he did not honour it. What is the President’s and the UPFA’s stance on the Executive Presidency at the election?

A: The Executive Presidency was created by then Prime Minister J.R. Jayewardene and supported by senior politicians, including current Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in order to develop the country. Some political parties say they want to abolish the Executive Presidency. However, there is a procedure to be followed to do so.

There has to be a two-thirds majority and a referendum needs to be held. If you analyse the last few provincial council elections the government received 63.3% of the votes while the UNP received 32% and JVP got only 2.8%. We are now nearing a two-thirds majority. Abolishing the Executive Presidency is only a slogan. My personal view is that 75% of the people in rural areas are not worried about the Executive Presidency or the 17th Amendment. Every one is relieved that 30 years of terrorism has been defeated and there is peace in the country. People are now happy to enjoy peace and the development that is taking place.

Q: How does the UPFA plan to garner the support of the minority communities?

A: The UPFA did not have the support of the plantation sector at the 2005 presidential election. The CWC and the UPF have extended their support to us this time around. A vast majority of the Muslims are also with us. During 1992 and 1993, the LTTE evicted Muslims from their homes in the north. They are now being resettled, and are supportive of the government. During the Jaffna local government elections, the UPFA received 13,000 votes while even the TNA received 10,000 votes. It is evident that the majority of the minorities are with the government. The government has worked to liberate their hometowns from the LTTE and have given them freedom. They are now happy with the development taking place in these areas and are convinced that President Mahinda Rajapaksa can deliver.

Q: What solution would the government offer to the minorities to resolve the ethnic issue?

A: Mahinda Chinthana clearly states it would be a respectable peaceful solution acceptable by all communities in the country. The President can deliver and is confident of it. The people too are confident of it. That is why the President has called for a presidential election two years prior to the scheduled date.

Q: It is a common conception that politicians have ruined the country since independence. Therefore, what harm do you think electing a non-politician would bring on the country?

A: The common man believes President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the saviour of the people. They know how the LTTE was defeated. Some local elements against defeating the LTTE worked together with foreign elements to prevent the government from progressing. Various allegations were leveled against the government by these sections. There were even international campaigns to tarnish the country’s image. The government has faced all these challenges and brought change to the country.