UPFA victory assured

- Attorney Palitha Gamage

Wellasse BANDARA

Lawyers affiliated to the SLFP made a valuable contribution towards the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the last Presidential elections.

A leading figure among them was Attorney Palitha Gamage, an active member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Lawyers Association headed by Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne. Gamage who was an active member of the SLFP from 1995 travelled the length and breath of the country during the 2005 Presidential election campaign to ensure the party’s victory.

This time Gamage has entered active politics to contest the Western Provincial Council Elections from the Colombo District heeding the request of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the rest of the SLFP leadership who desire to build up a second level leadership within the party.

Here, are some of the ideas and views expressed by Gamage on some pertinent questions regarding the forthcoming Provincial Council election.

Question: Why did you decide to enter active politics?

Answer: Today, a new political tradition is being built up in the country. While defeating terrorism the President is steering the country towards a new direction as regards all sectors.

The President and his close associates in the UPFA want to incorporate new ideas of the youth to the national program of building a new Sri Lanka. Accordingly, a large number of educated and intelligent members of the new youth generation are contesting the election this time.

Q: What is your objective in contesting the Provincial Council election?

A:We can render a great service to the people through the PC system. The Western Provincial Council in particular has the potential to render such service. The WPC which gains the highest income through taxes apportion a greater slice of this income for the welfare of the people. I hope to ensure better management of these funds to provide a fruitful service to the people.

Q: Do you mean that there has been no proper management in the WPC?

A: I don’t mean that. What I say is that management should be made more systematic awarding to proper planning.

For example, development shortcomings in the Province and people’s problems should be properly identified and a strategy devised to find short, medium and long term solutions for them. Despite heavy spending on education anomalies in this sector had not been reduced.

Infrastructure development also had been haphazard. Some areas have received all attention while others have been totally neglected.

Central Government funds and the income derived from taxes should be utilised in a fruitful manner I hope to devise a proper and transparent management system for the Council.

Q: What are the main development problems in the Western Province?

A: There are problems relating to roads and education. The Province has an urban and rural population belonging to all communities. People are having problems relating to admission of children to popular and better equipped schools. I believe that all should have equal facilities for education. I hope to establish one National school or more in each Divisional Secretary area and a fully equipped primary school in each Grama Niladhari area. No new funds will be required for this. What is needed is proper management of existing funds.

Q: Some people describe the Provincial Council as a white elephant

A: When the PC system was introduced the SLFP and the JVP boycotted it. The activities of the PCs at that time earned this epithet.

Q: How should power be shared between the Provincial Councils and the Central Government?

A: The people in the Province will receive a proper service if there is a proper balance of power between the PC and the Central Government. There won’t be problems if an administrative structure which can work paralleled to the Central Government is built up in the Provincial Council.

The present powers vested in Provincial Councils are sufficient to render a creative service. The President is willing to grant more powers to PCs if needed.

Q: Isn’t there strong criticism about the political climate prevailing in Sri Lanka?

A: People think that a majority of politicians are more concerned about self than the national interest. It is politicians themselves who have to change this opinion.

Rather than criticising the political system from outside it is better to try and change its nature by entering it.

Q: What is the progress of your political campaign?

A: I am contesting from the Colombo District with emphasis on the Kesbewa electorate, I am not using posters and polythene that pollute the environment. From the day I handing over nominations I have been receiving a good response from the people.

Some have volunteered to conduct a house to house campaign to support my candidature.

Q: No quarrel for preferential votes?

A: I have no enemies because I engage in my campaign in a decent manner.

Q: What is your evaluation of the people’s verdict at the election?

A: We are winning. The UPFA will win more convincingly than at previous elections. We have come to the final stage of wiping out terrorism. Development work had not been neglected despite heavy defence expenditure.

Subsidies have not been curtailed. The country is stable as regards local food production. After defeating terrorism we ought to undertake a massive development effort. We have to ensure planned development after stabilizing good governance.

PCs have a big role to play in this respect. People now have the opportunity to elect a team with proper management skills and knowledge.

Q: The Opposition accuses the Government of failing to render any constructive service to the Western Province. What is your opinion about it?

A: Although some are looking through tinted glasses, people in the province are well aware of the massive service rendered by the Government.

A3 large amount of work had been accomplished through the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma program and Provincial Council funds. The Opposition is bankrupt of slogans to attract voters. People are rallying round the campaign of the UPFA which is protecting the country and the war against terrorists devoid of petty considerations.

The President has been able to unify the country under the national flag after a lapse of 30 years. Patriotic people who value the victories achieved by the heroic forces will defruitely ensure a historic victory to the UPFA.