CEPA criticism, a fear phychosis - Mass Media Minister

Mass Media and Communication Minister Keheliya Rambukwella dismissed the Opposition criticism on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as a mere fear psychosis and described the proposed agreement as a further development of the already existing Free Trade Agreement FTA with India.

Sri Lanka signed the FTA with India ten years ago. As we went along both the countries found hindrances and bottlenecks in further undertaking the FTA. Referring to the Indian point of view the Minister said that after ten years of implementation they feel that they have opened up more avenues and the FTA has become partly obsolete now.

“There is a fear psychosis roused within Sri Lanka and those who cry against CEPA have not even seen what it is,” he quipped.

Minister Rambukwella was a member of the delegation which accompanied President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his recent visit to India. In a special interview with the news.lk website the minister said that the opposition to the CEPA is baseless. Had there been such a move it would have been brought to the Cabinet for approval.

No such things happened. It is still in the draft stages. If there is detrimental or disadvantages to any party no one will gullibly go and just sign emphasized the minister. He further added that countries sign bilateral agreement for economic co-operation with the intention of taking advantageous. It’s never a one sided but a give and take policy, the opponents should understand this general perceptions adopted in bilateral agreements.

Interview with Minister Rambukwella:

Q: In your view what is the significant outcome of the visit?

A: This is the sixth overseas visit by President Mahinda Rajapaksa since he assumed the office of the Presidency. Before the President’s visit to India some suspicion had been created. In terms of improved relationship, socio economic co-operation and the brotherhood we cleared the suspicions and we clearly scored marks.

Q: What are the achievements in terms of Socio economic co-operation?

A: One billion US dollar assistance just over the counter: India has offered a loan of one billion US Dollar under exceptionally soft terms and USD 250 million of it comes as an outright grant to build 50,000 houses for the Internally Displaced Persons in the Northern part of Sri Lanka.

Apart from that 800 million for the railway sector and 200 million for Sampoor power generation projects.

This unprecedented generosity of the government of India and its leaders amply demonstrate the gesture towards the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Q: Any pressure mounted on the resettlement process?

A: No not at all. India aspires to see a fast track resettlement of IDPs. India is very clear about the overall picture and the discussion was very cordial and successful.

That is why Sri Lanka got the best deal with an outright grant to build 50,000 houses for them in the North.

Q: What about the ethnic issue?

A: Well there was nothing new India specially specified. What India wants us to do is to put the Constitution in practice. The 13th Amendment is already embedded in our Constitution.

We all have given oath to uphold the Constitution. Unfortunately no one seems to be doing it. Certain people who oppose the implementation of the 13th amendment are the very people who brought and voted for it.

India has favourably understood the concerns of the Sri Lankan government in implementing certain clauses of the 13th Amendment.

Q: What are you comments about the protest in Tamil Nadu?

A: The President met a 21 member Tamil Nadu delegation including several Parliamentarians in New Delhi.

The President satisfactorily explained to them the present state of affairs in the North and detailed the steps taken to normalize life in the North.

There was a general clarity of the current situation. They accepted the invitation to visit Sri Lanka and the modalities will be worked out very soon.

Q: Being the Media Minister what is your personal view of the Indian politics?

A: The meeting with the current Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj of the BJP is memorable as she was a minister in the previous BJP Government and she made an absolute remark saying that as far as the foreign policy of the country is concerned the Opposition does not differ. Because she said that the Government is in continuity and only parties change.

Whatever the MoU or the agreements signed with foreign governments will be honoured and upheld by the Opposition.

It is a clear message to Sri Lanka’s Opposition politicians as they work together internally with the Government but externally they lambast the Government.