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The United National Party Presidential candidate who lost to the
President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the last Presidential election has now
decided to refrain from contesting at the next Presidential election. It
is crystal clear that Ranil Wickremesinghe does not like to experience
another shameful defeat.
Whatever it is, the United National Party has no any other
alternative rather than nominating the deputy leader or any other
experienced politician within the party itself. It is much perturbed to
note that there is no eligible contestant in the party other than the
leader who got away from the fray due to the fear of scandalous defeat.
Due to the reason, an alliance (United National Front) has been
formed to introduce a common candidate to defeat the most outstanding
Statesman in the country.
It clearly proves the political immaturity of the UNP and the other
political parties in the alliance. General Sarath Fonseka is the best
choice of the UNP leadership for the contest as the common candidate,
but most of the leading politicians in the party are unhappy about moves
to field the war veteran.
On the other hand, the general feeling of the voters is that before
the confirmation of his nominee, Ranil should go before the masses and
apologise for the irresponsible, mock utterances he made letting down
the war heroes and their courageous achievements.
The right thinking people appreciate and applaud the commendable
military leadership of General Sarath Fonseka, but they do not believe
that a retired military officer is suitable for the most dignified post
of the President of Sri Lanka.
The United National Front should understand that the voters are not
fools to elect a person who is not even fit for the Salvation Army as
the Head of State and the voters are well aware that the common
candidate of the UNF is the person who captured a jungle in Thoppigala
during the war and deployed huge battalions in Pamankada and
Medawachchiya to fight against the LTTE. Will they vote for such a
person to defeat the patriot who liberated the country from Tiger
terrorism.
The best part of the mock political drama is that if General Sarath
Fonseka is elected, a caretaker Government with JVP and TNA Ministers in
the Cabinet should be formed, Executive Presidential system should be
abolished and Ranil Wickremesinghe should be appointed as the Executive
Prime Minister.
The wishful thinking of the power greedy, clever politician is to
become the Prime Minister by hook or by crook. The voters will
definitely prove that the dream plan of the UNP leadership cannot be
achieved during his lifetime and General Sarath Fonseka will tarnish his
popularity unnecessarily. If the General contests as an independent
candidate, he will be able to gain much more popularity with vast number
of votes.
MAHINDA NIHAL PERERA - Moratuwa
I felt rather dismayed and appalled when going through an article
written to a Sunday newspaper by a Sri Lankan journalist that our friend
China is fleezing us by giving Billions of loans at commercial rates and
intend to employ thousands of Chinese labourers in the projects where
Chinese credit lines have been made available, depriving Sri Lankans
such job opportunities. According to the said article the ulterior
motive of these assistance is making massive profits and nothing else.
If we turn back and look at Sri Lanka-China relations of the recent
past extending to about 50 years we will be able to visualize that
China’s attitude towards us is more altruistic and less egocentric.
Few years after the socialist revolution when China was the initial
stages of development it entered into the Rubber-Rice Pact thus averting
a food crisis in Sri Lanka. BMICH, Superior Courts Complex, Lady
Ridgeway Hospital, Ginganga project are some of the graphic examples of
Chinese assistance. Even the National Performing Arts centre presently
under construction is a gift given by China to Sri Lanka.
On the recent past China was at the forefront with several other
countries to block and refute the Human Rights violations and war crimes
charges levelled against Sri Lanka at the UN by Western countries.
When the Tsunami struck it was a Chinese airplane that arrived at Sri
Lanka first carrying humanitarian assistance. As we are aware numerous
Chinese assistance arrived at Sri Lanka continuously to help those
affected by the Tsunami immediately after.
The Chinese power sets now in use in Sri Lanka were cheaper than what
was offered by Western countries and were given on much reasonable
credit lines.
One cannot expect China to give assistance all the time free of
charge. Most of these loans are granted by Banks and other lending
agencies and they also must charge an interest to be in business.
According to my contention it is perfectly alright to charge an interest
when granting loans as other lending organizations in other countries.
It is also a falsehood to say that the entire workforce in these
projects will be Chinese nationals and bulk of the assistance would go
back to China by way of salaries paid to the workforce.
We all could remember how the Chinese workers worked during the
construction of the BMICH hand in hand with the Sri Lankan workers.
Presently there are Chinese engineers and architects working at
Hambantota harbour projects with the Sri Lankan counterparts. Even at
the Performing Arts Centre projects the majority of the workforce are
Sri Lankans. This could be seen even at the Norochcholai Coal Power
Plant project.
Those Sri Lankans who represent the Western interest are hell bent on
discrediting China and distancing it from our fold.
Though Sri Lanka is a small island nation China considers this
country as a true and an important friend. As a result, Chinese
Assistance comes to this country without any strings attached. It is a
known fact that strings are always attached to assistance given by
Western nations to Sri Lanka. The European Union has threatened us of
withdrawing the G.S.P. + facility in the near future for not towing
their political line.
We Sri Lankans should always value friendship with China as the
cornerstone of our foreign policy as China has stood by us in our hour
of need as a true friend. Long Live Sri Lanka-China friendship.
R. JINITH DE SILVA
I had the opportunity recently of visiting a couple of Middle Eastern
countries (one very advanced, the other not so) where I was struck by
the orderliness and discipline of pedestrians and vehicle users on the
roads.
I could count on the fingers of both hands the number of traffic
policemen I saw on the roads.
Yet I saw that motorists obeyed the traffic signals and stopped short
of the pedestrian crossings, in complete contrast to Sri Lanka where
even the supposedly educated or well-to-do motorists stop on the
pedestrian crossing without any regard, forcing pedestrians to cross the
road through the small space left between the vehicles.
Another thing I noticed was the availability of public toilets,
entrance to some of which a small fee was required.
This is in contrast to Sri Lanka where public toilets are woefully
lacking, being available mostly in hotels and shopping complexes for
their customers.
I only hope that our politicians and public officials who go on
jaunts abroad see the difference between our country and those countries
they visit and try to bring about some improvements to facilities in our
country which is hopefully enjoying peace at last.
May I add that my visit was arranged by a travel agency which has a
good reputation and may I be excused for complimenting it on its
excellent or super arrangements?
A T - Colombo 2
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