Liberals back Prime Minister

Liberal Party Chief Dr. Rajiva Wijesingha pledged his fullest support for SLFP Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse.

At the Dinawamu Sri Lanka press conference at the SLFI yesterday, Wijesingha said although his Party had taken a pro-UNP stand at the 2001 general election and in favour of the ceasefire agreement, they were concerned later.

"Although the ceasefire agreement should have benefitted the people in the North East, eventually it had only benefitted the LTTE. We were also worried about the Prime Minister's proposals of the ISGA and not that of the LTTE, which were extremist," he said.

Rajapakse has not mixed-up the rights of the minorities with that of the majority, as he had accepted that all ethnic communities rights should be protected. He had given this assurance in the precincts of the 'Sri Dalada Maligawa', which per se, depicts the validity and the genuineness of his stand, Wijesinghe said.

The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was terrible as it permitted Opposition members to crossover to the Government, but not to the Opposition from the government. "This was a majoritarian and not a democratic attitude," he said.

As to the economy, Wijesingha said although they pursued an open and liberal economy, they also believed that it could not be opened 100 per cent. It needed certain restrictions if it was to operate on a level playing field.

Samurdhi Minister Pavithra Wanniyarachchi underscored the importance of the Samurdhi project which encompasses 18 lakhs of families and almost 50 per cent of the total population of the country. It also links a network of around 1035 banks. The project had also been lauded by the World Bank.

"Samurdhi beneficiaries have urged the government not to touch the Samurdhi," Wanniyarachchi added.

RM