Fonseka's second pledge similar to CBK's - Gammanpila

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The second pledge made by NDF Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka in his brief election manifesto was that he would uproot waste and corruption similar to the pledge made by Chandrika Kumaratunga in her 1994 manifesto. She promised to end corruption and violence and she brought a Prevention of Bribery Act to Parliament that was passed unanimously.

But during her two terms of office many allegations of corruption were brought against her, UPFA campaign spokesman and Western Provincial Council Minister Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday.

Those allegations were the Thawakkal cement deal, Channel 9. French Railway Power Sets and Air Lanka. When Ranil Wickremesinghe came to power in 2001 the massive Vat Fraud followed.

Fonseka who had no political experience was pledging to end corruption but anyone who wants to do that must first stop the cause of corruption that is the Proportional Representation electoral system, he noted.

Gammanpila said anyone contesting a parliamentary election in a district like Colombo needed about 15 million rupees unless that person was not well known to the district's voters.

But in the past, the contest was only in a constituency where the candidate knew the people his area of canvassing. But under the PR system lot of people resorted to corruption and violence and there was even hatred among contestants.

Therefore not changing the PR system is the greatest political tragedy of the country, he said.

Fonseka a novice to politics had not pledged to abolish the PR system and the JVP too does not wish to do so as they too gain advantage from it as they cannot win elections in a constituency system, he said.