Gotabhaya – Can Do Without GSP+
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
The fishery industry can survive without the g.s.p.+ concession, an official said.
Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said this in response to a query made by this reporter at a seminar on Tuesday, where he asked as to what the Government’s fallback option was, in the event E.U. withdrew the g.s.p.+ concession.
Fishery exports to the E.U. are one of several exports to that region, another being garments, Sri Lanka’s biggest foreign exchange earner, which exports are however being threatened due to Colombo’s alleged human rights violations, especially during the latter days of its war against the L.T.T.E. terrorists.
E.U. has given Colombo time till August to mend its ways by instituting an inquiry into this charge. The Government has appointed such a panel. One should not talk about negative things, he said, in reference to the question posed by The Sunday Leader.
Earlier, Rajapaksa, the principal speaker at this event spoke about the enormous benefits that can accrue to the fishery industry because of the war end due to the hitherto restricted sea areas, restricted for security reasons, now being opened up due to the war end.
Rajapaksa also said that there is a domestic market for fishery and an export potential to the Japanese market of properly processed Tuna which should be exploited.
“We should not be afraid of g.s.p.+ restrictions,” he said.Rajapaksa further said that 1,400 foreign fishing boats poach on our waters.In regard to the seemingly high incidence of poverty in the island, with some parents allegedly abandoning their children because of this, Rajapaksa said that this seminar was on law and order and was not in a position to answer that question.
But when it was pointed out that poverty is linked to the breakdown of law and order, with this reporter highlighting the April 1971 insurrection as an example, he said that he was not qualified to speak on the poverty issue.
The forum held under the theme “Creating Favourable Business Environment by Maintaining Law and Order” was organized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka and sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Germany (F.N.F.).The absence of any German officials who generally attend this forum which is held on a regular basis on various topics was a conspicuous feature at the event. Germany till recently was vocal about the alleged breakdown of human rights in the island, especially after the killing of this newspaper’s founder editor Lasantha Wickramatunga in January of last year.
Wickramatunga whose loyalties were with the opposition U.N.P. was critical about the Government’s war against the L.T.T.E., with Rajapaksa instituting libel charges against this newspaper for the publication of an article written by Wickramatunga which alleged corruption in a defence deal. Police are yet to make a breakthrough in this killing. Ms. Sagarica Delgoda of F.N.F., one of the prime movers of this event, was also absent. It was said that she was overseas. (See also connected story on page 22)
Business Editor’s Note: According to reports, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Cabinet last week rejected E.U.’s conditionalties for the continuance of the g.s.p.+ concession.
Let GSP+ and EU go to hell.
EU is the minority and we should not, cannot and will not allow some white fellows dictate us.
If they are not there , sl will be Minus poverty line , We Lankans living western countries , we are helping in some way to Sri Lanka , for you people to survive.
Remember this .
Can not Understand what RAJ is trying to say or his comment.Also the Eco Refugees who were part of the LTTE,are another factor pushing the EU to suspend the GSP+,Sri Lanka will prosper WITH Or WITHOUT the GSP+.Part of the reduction in the Defence Budget can cussion the GSP +
If you want to be rich you should make some one poor. That’s what they have done in the colonial past and what they are doing now in the other countries too. How long they can keep this phenomenon alive they are Rich and world peace is there.
Raj, Get real. What the hell are you talking? I too live in the west. Unless you live in another planet get lost. Sl will never be on poverty. You may wish to see so but we in SL have the resources and the strength to ride any difficulty. No thank you your contribution was to the LTTE to build up arms to kill your own people and the rest of the nation. Don’ ever think you or your LTTE lot helped SL people to survive. Go and lick the boots of the white race for your survival.
Gamunu, I’m an unemployed since 2007, cos of the high cost our office (Garment Buying office) has closed down, now no way to servive with my 2 kids. Currently no job opportunities, since you are in overseas, you may help for my rest of the life. There are many other people with the same story, I hope most of patriots who are living in abroad can help them also.
We are inviting you to come to your mother land and shoulder to develop. If your mother land is so rich why are you liking white people’s back. While Raj is licking white race, not sure what you are doing in west.
Dehadrohiya ( hope you are not a deshadrohiya),
First of all I am really sorry for your predicament you are in. I agree it is not your making. True I wrote I live overeas but what I failed to include that I live in SriLanka most of my time now.. I do realise how difficult and traumatiing life in Sl now is. The cost of living is rising alarmingly and the rate of unemployment too is rising. I agree with all these because I too live and breath in SL. What happened to you is happening to lots of others even in richer countries. It is as bad as that.
two points I like to point out. Though i spent most of my working life overseas I and my familiy contributed immensely to the SL economy. I was then and still proud to be SriLankan. Even now I am supporting a destitute family to find their feet. By working abroad I was able to extend my skills and abilities better than I would have done in SriLanka. I did not lick the white’s boot but was in charge of them. We have a corrupt political system in our counhtry. It is not limited to the current incumbent, but goes back all the way to the era of Britih rule. So the suffering continues.
My message in my posting was to the guy who called Raj. He seems to think the west, the LTTE and the diaspora tamils were the only people who helped SriLankans and without them we couldn’t have survived. That was the reason I mentioned that I too live overseas.
I am not one of them who collected blood money to devastae people in our motherland. The EU and the west for their interests are trying to destabilise SriLanka on many fronts. They use economic and other monitory weapons to hurt us. This is the reason why people like you are suffering at the moment. The question is. Do we give up all our soverign rights as a nation to be dictated by these hypocrites to manipulate nations like us or stand up to their threats and hlod our heads high. The diaspora tamils are waiting gleefully to see us punished. So we in SriLanka must look at ways to counter these threats. If it means changing our economy we must be ready. We are a nation blessed with natural resources and we can produce agricultural products and be self sufficient. Garment industry is in a decline because as you probably know there are numerous other countries who will agree to provide the service to the west for cheaper rates.
Finally, I do sincerely hope you find way of earning a decent living pretty soon to lead a comforatble life.
Psycho:
We play this macho game, MR and Gota and the SL govt. I mean MR and Gota, they are like dancing Peacock who does not know their behind is well exposed. We can not survive on Chinese and Indian loans alone. We have to sell our goods to the world and attract foreign investment. Without that we are doomed. Already govt. is floating bonds to pay our debts- every three months?
But remember althose bonds are over subscibed by foreign buyers,thats says some thing about the future of SL.Also China & India are big markets
Because of unrealistic high interest rate at the expense of the country’s future.
Actually, you are rellaly psycho…about past 3 decades we could servive
(Most of other FE countries China, Phillipine, Indonesia, Korea, and SA countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, not only that ME countries Turkey, Jordan, also stil sustain their economics with Europian / USA apparel market) with those benefits. As Gota saying now we can go back to our history, We all can doing fishing, agriculture (though we are living in perch (unfortunatly our great grand farthers could not pillaged the state lands those days, otherwise we also would be ‘Walaw’ fellows), we all can join to govt. sectors (Samupe, govijanasewa, railluwa, CTB, Varaya) and can participate to develop the Ruling parties family. You don’t have sufficient brain to think, that most of other private sectors (Bank, Insurance, Telecom, Construction, even Wood craftmen, goldsmith etc) are depending on Gmt. sectors money (Forigen Exchange) …Aho…kawada payathda apa pun sandano…..
Deshadrohiya, the GSP + was given to us after the tsunami in 2004. Did we not survive even with a full blown war in our hands without the so called GSP + before 2004?????? Now with no war and no tsunami we dont want the suddas to dictate terms for us on how we should live in this country. They can just go to hell .
Are you the person who is suffering.. Its only the poor who are going to suffer because of this so morons like you will never understand!!
Well said Gota, This is a blessing in disguise. Lets keep our freedom and sovereignty and manage without the GSP+. Work to develop other export industries and develop new ones.
Agree, we need to learn living without handouts and foreign meddling.
Why dont you tell your Gota ayya to throw away his American Citizenship and be just a Srilankana citizen like the rest of 21 million Srilankans?
Does he have something in his mind? When the well dries out, he wants to take all his booted money and run back to the states and retire in comfort.
Poor you.. You’ll never learn.
Lankan,you must be living in cucoo land as a refugee,open your eyes stop living in dreamland,as some diaspora says Praba is still living and soon will show the SL Govt
Where we find markets other than EU and USA? What does Chinese buy from us? or for that matter Indians? Wake up whoever you are. Your pride in sovereignty does not pay debts or create employment in SL. No wonder Mervyn got 150,000 preferential votes, that because peopel like you who are having this IDtenIT syndrome!
well said!
Well said..Kevin.. some guys just gulp everything these political roques dishes out. and talks big without knowing what is in store in the future.
eee
UN is wrong! EU is wrong ! Amnesty is Wrong! Human Rights Organization is wrong! Then, who is right? Is only Sri Lanka is right!
Don’t try to fiend it out, you fail anyway. there is no rights and wrongs in this world as some one preached you to believe. It is just a condition for a given problem. Just like warm and cold.
If you come from –10C0 cold place to –5C0 cold place you feel –5C0 place is warmer and better. But you are yet in the cold place. That is the real condition here.
UN, US, EU, Amnesty, Human Rights and you can add here some more if you like, only preach you to believe what is “right” and what is “wrong” but they are also yet in the wrong place.
GOTA felt new condition is better but he is also yet in the wrong place like above preachers.
In between you and I are the losers wasting our time looking for “rights” and “wrongs that no where exist.
Govt. must appoint a commitee under Mr. Rajeeva Wijesinge to analyse this issue.
All fool statement will lead to dangerous situation.
The GSP+(Give Some Pennies) is nothing much for Gotha. It’s only a few hundred millions, and he cannt make any commissions out of it.
lankan, dont baffle like a bafoon. If you want to say Gota takes commissions proove it. I agree that most politicians take commissions but I know 100% that Gota is honest because I have proof. He had many chances to take commissions on various projects but up to now he has not interfered in the purchasing of many expensive things and that I know for real. So before you say anything in this forum you should do your home work.
@Don I guess you dont know about Micro Cars!
Dear Gota,
Even though you say there is lot of opportunities to market fish production of N/E locally look at the soaring fish prices in the country for an example Tuna some time selling at over Rs,800.00 per KG.So how can we believe your economics.
Gotabaya Rajapaksha,
You are the son of devil. You wantet to hang Sarath fonseka. What the hell you think you are? Now you say things of the Sri lankan economy. What knowlege you have about economy.?. If I am not wrong you were and is a just a basic man with limited knowlege of economy and a man who will take revenge if even a fly flies over your head.
Please note the that the law of physics says “every action has a reaction which is equal at opposite”
Be ready to face it at the proper time
I do hope “the proper time” is just around the corner!
You are totally CONFUSED mate,Stop living in the PAST,Get REAL
Keerthi or Apakeerthi- From your comments you seem to be hateful. Your Sarath Fonseka is not as half educated as GR and SF was basically in a lower status than the Rajapakshas. He got in to the army with difficulty with political support JUST AFTER BASIC SCHOOL EDUCATION. You can read Ambalangodaya,s articles to find out. Your Sarath Fonseka is the devil incarnated who is the root course of the GSP + and all other interference by the suddas as he prefers to lick their boots to get what he wants – even sell his mother ( mother lanka) for his selfish greed.
This is the problem with our inexperienced political masters! They do not know wha they are talking about.
Yes Gota, You were allocated or taken the biggest portion of the budget to your department and there is no need for to worry about the Garment sector or its employess or investers.
There is a market out there. Its not necessarily be USA or EU.
What GOSL need to do is turn these natural resources in to an end product.
In this instant, its FISH.
We need to invest in good canning facilities for the extra fish.
Well, Japan, there is a huge market for Tuna. We need to preserve the catch the way the Japanese need to enable our catch to reach their auctions.
Likewise, there are many way the fish can be process for the overseas market.
This is the area we need to develop. To create a quality end product.
Just realise how many overseas fishermen are fishing in our waters just being issued with liscence by the MOF? We need to stop this practice.
Invest in our fishermen reap the benefit and MOF should work on projects in joint venture basis to realise a quality end product for the world market.
O/W, foreign middlemen buy our raw resources and make volumes of it as we make just a tuppence.
The foreign market will be only China & India – is that OK by your Economics?
GOTA, use all the lessons learned when you were in US. Average Sri Lankens are too polite to handle this kind of odds. I see that you have leaned the correct attitude past years. Don’t back down to any one who do not respect your idea. Santa clause cannot play defense roles. You are a blessing for our nation. Let no one to impose any thing against our people, keep in mind GSP+, EU, US, UN are not the only ways to archive prosperity. Time has come to think different, look deferent, plan different and act deferent.
If Asian politicos can play the game correct now, I dare to say that you can give EU GSP+ asking all proposed conditions they have asked from us now within next 50 years.
Yes, when SWRD made Sinhala only, majority thought it was a blessing but now so many suffering to do private sector jobs as they a not conversant in English… of course the politicians thrive… The EU is asking what was promised in the Mahinda Chintanaya
I can see that you write different! Keep it up our way or your way!!
Gota,you are a MITITORY PROFESSINAL and very good experience with the American Society.So don’t trust spin doctors and take guidence from the real professionals relative to the topic.
Hahaha US experience in a 7eleven……this chap is just a thug!
I remember the 1990s. Due to the garment workers rush I couldn’t drive the vehicle in Mahiyagana town. Out side the Mahiyangana town you could find very very por peasentry(for an example Rideemaliyadda). So we must think twice.The main reason behind the youth uprisings was the(Sinhala and Tamil) Un-Employment.
Majority of the Sri Lankans are suffering today due to an EGO issue where they voted in Bandaranaike to make Sri Lanka Sinhala only withing 24 hours as a result many cannot converse ion English and we do not have much English Teachers…. This time another EGO issue and Majority of the Sri Lankans will loose as a result of these actions by the govt, but the politicians as usual will thrive while the majority will foolishly suffer… If you really think and go through, the regime is sucking up to Iran, China, Russia and India to survive….
Let poor suffer, because they deserved this as elected this corrput regime
as somebody said “action has an equal and opposite reaction” some times with interest too. So we shall wait and see how the present leaders are going to lead us.
Dear Mr.Marcus Fernando,
I am having serious fear regarding the politico-economic-social system of our motherland. ME KAUDA MONAWADA KARANNE?