Let us re-elect the tried and tested friend of the people

Senior Attorney at Law Vernon Botejue had a distinguished career at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, where he won the Molamure prize for Ceylon History and the Special prize for General Knowledge of Ceylon. Mr. Botejue joined the Law College after leaving school and distinguished himself as a debater winning the Hector Jayawardena Gold Medal for oratory. In one of the debates, he proposed for the first time in Ceylon in 1943, that Sinhala should be the official language. Born to a distinguished family, Vernon was a nephew of the well known late Rev. Canon Botejue, a former member of the Ceylon Legislature Council. He was enrolled a member of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and began his practice in the Magistrate’s Courts of Colombo South at Mount Lavinia as the Court was then known

Vernon BOTEJUE

President Mahinda Rajapaksa commencing his period of office, affirmatively declared under oath, at his swearing in ceremony “I am not the master but the trustee”. He vowed I will not act in a despotic manner and abuse the enormous powers of the executive President under the Constitution thus allaying the fears of the minorities and re-assuring all citizens of Sri Lanka of whatever race or creed they may belong, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay or Burgher of equal rights as citizen of mother Lanka.

He asserted, “political power is not a privilege but only a temporary trust, I pledge to defend by all means our country you have entrusted to me”, expressing his belief added, “I believe it is necessary to begin my term of office with the people’s confidence intact”. I assure Sri Lankans that I will take forward my rule protecting Parliamentary democracy at its best. My political policy from now on will be the rule of law and protection of human rights. I will not discriminate on party colour, racial or religious grounds,”

President Rajapaksa exhorting the citizens of Sri Lanka declared “I would like to state here that I will not allow anyone to subvert law and order using political power and privileges. I believe all State Institutions should strictly follow policies of good governance. My Prime Minister, Members of my Cabinet, the Armed Forces and the Police and the entire Public service from the highest officer to the lowest ranks should follow these good governance norms. Public service should be a responsible and ethical service free of fraud, bribery and corruption. Public Servant is not a Lord encouraging bureaucracy but a servant of the people. Our slogan of a disciplined society includes protection of culture and morals.”

President Rajapaksa did not fail to address his mind to all relevant questions and burning issues of the day touching the lives of the people and Nation. He acknowledged and accepted the over-whelming views of the majority of the people of this country that Sri Lanka is a Sovereign and Independent State and should not be divided. This being the common national aspiration of the Sri Lankans, he affirmed, “it is this aspiration of the people that would be the basis of my policies. It is the policy that protects the country without dividing. He vowed, that before his term of office ends he will rid the country of LTTE terrorism and its pipe dream of a divided Elam State. It is this policy that will take the country forward by eradicating poverty, under development and backwardness. It is a policy to build a new Sri Lanka ensuring benefits of economic development to our citizens.”

The pledges, vows, beliefs and assurances, of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, publicly declared and expressed at his swearing in ceremony, was subjected to a critical analysis by this writer that was published in the Ceylon Daily News of November 28, 2005. In this publication this writer had noted, that what stimulated and prompted him to make his contribution was, President Rajapaksa’s down to earth declaration “I believe my friends are those who offer just criticism and not those who sing hosannas in my praise”. It was this message contained in the words of the President that activated this writer to embark on his voyage of search and scrutiny of material and evidence in order to offer “just criticism or praise.”

Naturally this led the writer to not only critically examine the public declarations and utterances made by the President in his speech under reference but also to research his political career and his personal life up to the date of his election as the President of Sri Lanka. Concluding the critical analysis of the speech under reference, this writer had prophetically noted “after carefully analyzing the speech and re-viewing the pre-election political campaign of the President, that it was only praise he could offer President Rajapaksa. And added, ‘just criticism’ shall await the future outcome between President’s aspirations and achievements in office as President and implementation of the policy decisions underlying Mahinda Chinthanaya.

However quite unexpectedly, President Rajapaksa without completing his full term of six years in office has decided to seek re-election to Presidential office once again. Perhaps he has done so, as he had expressed his belief on assumption of office “it is necessary to begin my term of office with the people’s confidence intact.” This decision indeed is not only a democratic decision he was entitled to make under the Constitution but also in consonance with the demands of opposition parties that have incessantly publicly challenged the President to hold an election.

Now the time has arisen for the Sri Lankan voters to make a crucial political decision. Undoubtedly it should be a wise decision to make, not only to uphold the Sovereignty and Unity of the Nation, after eradicating LTTE terrorism, the scourge that plagued Sri Lanka for over three decades and retarded her progress but also to stabilize and maintain the peace process and on going economic development of the nation undertaken by the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government, in particular in the war-torn Eastern and Northern provinces, remembering always that the budget for the military exercise to crush the LTTE uprising and terrorism, was found without passing the burden on to the people and at the expense of economic development of the country.

Under the present Constitution President Rajapaksa is entitled to run for a second term of office. In this context the people are the judges and the jury to weigh and assess the performances and achievements of President Rajapaksa during his stewardship in the last four years in office and to decide whether he has fulfilled his publicly uttered vows and pledges to the nation and her citizens.

It is manifestly evident that President Rajapaksa has most certainly honoured his pledges and fulfilled his vows. The most important being his pledge that he will rid the country of the scourge of LTTE Terrorism and not leave the task to the next generation who will suffer wrong and agony no more as this generation has experienced during the last 30 years or more. Today the people are able to move and travel freely to any part of Sri Lanka and set about their daily work without fear of bombs, injury and death. Not even sacred places were safe from suicide bombers. Internationally the reputation of our Island Paradise had been denigrated and disgraced. Most certainly this achievement of President Rajapaksa in providing the dynamic leadership as the President and head of State and the Armed Forces and inspiring them in battle, providing them the necessary arms and ammunition, winning the confidence and co-operation of the people to crush and eradicate the terrorist uprising root and branch, alone merits his return for a second term that other unpatriotic opponents endeavour to belittle.

The foreign policy of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government is praiseworthy. Close bonds between Sri Lanka and the surrounding Nations of Asia, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Vietnam to mention a few have been strengthened through personal visits by the President himself. Construction of space prevents including all States with whom President Rajapaksa has established rapport and understanding that now have become strong supporters of Sri Lanka.

The economic policies underlying Mahinda Chinthanaya have also enabled the continuation of the development program of the country despite the terrorist activities. Now that LTTE terrorism has been wiped out, the time is ripe to continue progressively the economic development of the country unabated through co-operation and unity of all patriotic citizens of Sri Lanka, as one independent and sovereign State under one flag: This being the accepted slogan of President Rajapaksa who has undoubtedly laid the foundation for such progress and development, it is most certainly discreet and wise to entrust the task of completing the good work under his leadership having proved himself the tried and trusted friend of the people.