TNA Does Not Represent The People Of Sri Lanka – Basil
- People should not look through the Rajapaksa glass
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa says that the proposed Divi Neguma Bill that has now run into much controversy, is aimed at uplifting the living standards of the low income earners that amount to around 1.5-1.8 million in the country while also providing benefits to the 27,000 Samurdhi employees. Responding to concerns raised over the concentration of power with the Economic Development Minister, he explained that the minister is responsible to the people and has to answer to parliament and therefore, responsibility and power has to be with one individual. “There are so many new theories because a Rajapaksa is proposing this legislation,” Rajapaksa said.
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: How will the Divi Neguma Bill benefit the people?
A: The Divi Neguma Bill is targeting an identified group of people. They are the ones living under the poverty line. The Census and Statistics Department conducts a monthly survey to determine how much is needed by a family. There are currently between 1.5-1.8 million people living under the poverty line. They are the low-income earners. There have been a lot of programmes implemented to address issues faced by this group of people around the world. The most successful programme in Sri Lanka was Samurdhi. Strengthening community-based organizations is one way of assisting people in low-income groups. The Divi Neguma Bill is aimed at strengthening these community-based organizations to uplift the living standards of the low-income earners. There’s current a chain of community based organizations starting from the grass root level to regional levels. One of the main features in these organizations is the source of finance. People who cannot find assistance through the traditional methods usually resort to borrowings with high interest. On the other hand, micro-financing systems allows low-income earners to save and get finances when required. Such a system would also inculcate the savings habit amongst people who are sued to receiving a seasonal income like farmers, fishermen, etc. It would also introduce the low-income earners into the banking system.
Therefore, the Divi Neguma Bill addresses three main areas – strengthening community-based organizations, strengthen micro financing and set up a department to facilitate and monitor the entire process. Also, there are 27,000 employees currently at the Samurdhi Authority and these people have worked tirelessly to make the programme a success. They have achieved their goals and need to be given an incentive for their work. Under the current system, these employees will have to retire without any proper benefits after their hard work. The Divi Neguma Bill also provides proper retirement benefits for these employees.
Q: How does the Bill interfere with powers vested with the provincial councils?
A: I don’t want to comment on it because it is a matter before court.
Q: The government has been accused of trying to take over powers vested with the provincial councils under the 13th Amendment. How do you respond?
A: Our Constitution, the Mahinda Chinthana and the mandate received by the people are to have a unitary state of Sri Lanka. Safeguarding the unitary structure of the country and serving the people in need are national responsibilities. We work closely with the provincial councils, local governments and the grass root level organizations. There are no divisions between us and we work together. The current programme that is being discussed was started under the Samurdhi system and we are only preparing the necessary legal framework to effectively continue to serve the people.
Q: The TNA has raised the issue of the Divi Neguma Bill in India. How do you see this development?
A: The TNA does not have an authority to talk about the provincial councils. The President has the largest mandate received by any head of state in the country, the government has the highest majority under the PR system and the provincial councils are also under the governing party. Almost 90% of the local governments are also under the governing party. Therefore, how can the TNA speak about development work carried out by the provincial councils? We have the mandate to do what the people need and we have addressed their issues. The TNA got a mandate for the LTTE to divide the country. They were proxies to the LTTE. Hence, they have to express the same sentiments as the LTTE and the LTTE Diaspora is funding them.
Q: The TNA has cited the Divi Neguma Bill as an attempt by the government to centralize powers with the government of the center. Do you agree?
A: This is a piece of legislation of Sri Lanka and not any other country. The TNA says it represents the people’s vote, but then why would they raise local issues to other countries. It clearly shows that the TNA does not represent the people of Sri Lanka.
Q: A trade union affiliated to the Samurdhi Authority has charged that the Divi Neguma bill is an attempt to dip in to the Samurdhi monies. Is that so?
A: There are 27,000 employees in the Samurdhi Authority and one trade union, which has a small membership, has gone before court against the Bill. There’s no basis for this argument. All I can say is that there’s a micro finance organization that has savings under individual accounts. It is only the name “Samurdhi” that will be changed to “Divi Neguma,” that’s all. The ownership will remain the same and it would be under the government. The only difference is that the current institution is an Authority with flexible regulations and not accountable to parliament, while it has been proposed to convert it to a department that is accountable to parliament. There’s more control over a department and there’s job security to the employees. Also, there are no banks under the current Samurdhi system. These so called Samurdhi Banks are not licensed banks under the Central Bank. It is only a name used to inculcate the banking concept among the low-income earners in the country.
Q: The Bill concentrates a large amount of powers with you as the Minister in-charge. Is it a good practice to concentrate a lot of powers in one individual?
A: Yes. However, this Bill does not give any powers. In fact I have more powers as a Minister now than when the proposed legislation is implemented. The minister is responsible to the people and has to answer to parliament. Therefore, responsibility and power has to be with one individual. There would otherwise be no proper control. What is being said is a new theory to destroy the structure of the current governing system. The minister cannot act outside the law. There are rules, regulations and guidelines the minister would have to follow under the proposed legislation. It is clear that one person has to be responsible for the operation in order to be able to respond and for the sake of accountability. The supremacy of the people is important and we are responsible to the people. Some day another minister would take this office and he too would have to follow the same guidelines, rules and regulations.
Q: The Bill has also called on employees to sign a confidentiality clause. Is it not a violation of their rights?
A: This is also in the Samurdhi Act prepared by the Legal Draftsman. It is important to understand that the proposed department would collect information, especially personal information, of low-income families. An individuals’ personal information has to be protected. This is not a new clause dedicated only to this department. It could be seen in almost every piece of legislation.
There are so many new theories because a Rajapaksa is proposing this legislation. People should not look at this through the Rajapaksa glass.
It has to be understood that at least one person would have to suffer for each day the Bill is being delayed from being approved.
“The TNA does not have an authority to talk about the provincial councils.” This statement shows how little the Minister understands how democracy functions. Of course people have the right to talk about anything in a free society. This type of talk is precisely why no progress can be made on reconcilitation.
The TNA is the LTTE mouth piece & have no right to talk of anything about Tamils or Sri Lanka. TNA should thank the government for not charging them under the PTA or the normal law for preaching of separatism & homeland for Tamils. Tamils in SL, Muslims & Sinhalese will live happily if if not for the TNA,Tamil Nadu, India & the UN.
Please read LLRC report which was released last year and you will understand the problems of Tamils and their grievences. It is easy talk and write about unity and all sort of things. You must analyse why Tamil people are supporting TNA first. Just you can not say they are the mouth piece of LTTE.
LTTE was kiled and cremated at Mullivaikal. Noone can speak on behalf of a dead organisation.
TNA are elected representatives of the tamils.They can speak on their behalf on any subject.
They wish equal rights for tamils in every sense of the word.This is not a crime.
TNA does not represent people of srilanka very true but it represents tamils of srilanka.people cant be deluded that there is no ethnic division in srilanka.it is a fact that ethnic identity is very much alive and kicking or else can a tamil or a muslim aspire to become a president of srilanka.as far as tna being a lackey of ltte it is true they were but that was under duress if there had been no tamil tigers tamil national alliance would have articulated tamil aspiration in a free and fair manner.will basil rajapakshe have the temerity to agree to an international probe whether they struck a deal with tamil tigers in 2005 elections which they won very narrowly ?people in glass houses should not throw stones at others.
Samurddhi Authority is corrupt and the employees favour their friends and relatives and not the common man or family that is in need of financial help. The employees borrow money to inflate the bank balance to fool the higher officials. They are more interested in organising receptions and farewell parties to high ranking officers by collecting money from very poor families. The village people are scared to complain about the malpractices for fear of reprisals. Recently Samurdhi employees in Jaffna were oganised to mount a protest by Douglas Devanandha. They were ordered to carry playcards printed in the government printing office but they did not know the purpose was to sling mud at TNA. The police authority complained that the permission to hold the march was not obtained in the normal way. This is how ministers misuse their power.
It is well known that all who deserve Samurdhi benefit do not receive it, and,that all who receive it do not deserve it.
Else, how do you explain the thousands of beggars on roads and in front of places of worship?
Selection is ‘political’ and by bribery.
What do these 27,000 samurdhi officers do – they have hardly any work. They are used to influence voters during elections.
True, TNA does no represent all Tamil peopel of Sri Lankan, neither deos the UFPA represent all the Sinhala people! This goes against the principles of democracy. Poverty line? Who is stealing all thye money from the poor through centralised power in the hands of a few ?
Despite intimidation and thuggery by the government, the TNA has received overwhelming majority of the Tamil votes at every eleciton since the end of the war. The fact that the TNA represents Tamils is indisputable which is why the regime is reluctant to have elections in the Northern province.
The Sri Lankan goverment of the day since Independence has never looked after the interests of the Tamils which is the reason the TNA has to go to other countries for support. It is like a child going to the authorities for help against his abusive father. So instead of attacking the child, the abusive father should be held responsible for his crimes.
13th Amendment was forced on us by India. It does not suit a small country like Sri Lanka. It duplicated the work, created too many ministers and chief ministers and wasted millions of rupees for it’s upkeep. No profit came out of it. We need to do away with not only the 13th amendment but also at the same time with the executive presidency along with the MANAPE, that has caused so many problems. The best way to go about it will be to go in to a referendum with these two proposals. I am sure the majority will approve it. Then the TNA’s opposition becomes invalid. The IC will have to accept it.
Next we should go back to the parliamentary system we had and allow national leaders ,who oppose separatism, to emerge from minority groups who ultimately can even be the president or prime minister.
Learn to love, life is never constant don’t live in the past. In 2014 only the Scots are voting in a referendum – yes or no to separation. So don’t beat the drum too hard with a clenched fisted policy because it’s the Brits who handed both kingdoms to the Singhalese. Try to live as equals not like keeping the tea pluckers stateless as it will never happen. Good luck.
Yes minister,people have given you the mandate and power enough. Scrap the 13 ammendement without delay. majority understand the ground situation
Normal 10% by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.
Haven’t we always been fascinated by the corruption of power not to see through this? Simples
“The minister is responsible to the people and has to answer to parliament. ”
If the Minister feels such a strong sense of responsibility, perhaps he (and his brothers) should publicly declare their assets to the people, as is done in such places as the USA by top politicians.
the commis kaka is telling his version. his world is full of arogance and he will never accept the reality.Oh waht a democratic spell of this person who do not know the meaning of freedom of speach and expression.
If TNA is not the representative of Tamils, who the hell they represent in the parliament. TNA is better than Douglas,Karuna and Pillayan.
humans should help support fellowmen who is willing to do his part in helping the young old diabled. but all based on wants and needs not for the lazy wild unruly individuals
every elected members sitting in parliament is ther to serve citizens of SRILANKA.
with nonesty sincerity noblemindedness with equal opportunity to all to protect provide set examples to th common citizen of the land