UNP reformists say not perturbed by MP’s defection

COLOMBO: The Democratic Group of the United National Party said they are not perturbed by the decision taken by Edward Goonasekara District MP for Gampaha to rejoin the United National Party as they consider it as a very personal decision taken by him exercising one of his democratic rights.

“It is up to an individual to decide his own course of action. There will be no compulsion whatsoever by our group on any body to take any decision against their conscious. That is the spirit in which the Democratic Group of the Untied National Party functions,” the Group said.

“We also wish to reiterate that such a decision by an individual will not at all affect the unity and the harmony of our group, nor will it change the stand taken so far by us and our future course of action.

However, lamentably we note that the reasons given by Goonasekara regarding his decision to quit the Government both as flimsy and childish. He has said that he decided to get back to the party as he felt that he was unable to serve the public with the position given to him.

But we wish to remind Goonasekara, that it is one’s efficiency, the commitment and the willingness to sacrifice what matters in serving the public. A lesson, which we all have learnt from leaders like the late President R. Premadasa.

On the other hand if he joined the Government only for the glory of a position and the attached perks he is sure to get disappointed, as the Government cannot afford such luxury at a difficult time like this.

So we feel that there had been a certain amount of confusion in his mind as to the objectives of joining the Government.

In the meantime, we see that the euphoria demonstrated by the UNP leadership and his media spokesperson on this isolated incident as nothing but desperate behaviour of persons who are trying to hang on to anything and everything that comes along their way to retain their positions”, the Group said.