“When the 100-day programme was announced it was fully backed by the Opposition” - D.E.W Gunasekar

10 August 2015 07:58 pm - 1 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Nabeela Hussain

A veteran leftist politician and former COPE Chairman D.E.W Gunasekara spoke of the economic policies of former governments and the controversial COPE report on the bond scam which was never published. Following are some excerpts.

QWhat are your views of the UPFA and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa contesting the general election from Kurunegala?
After Maithripala Sirisena was sworn in on Jan 9, he met Mahinda at the Speaker’s house and they agreed on who should take over the leadership. This was a result of a decision taken by the central committee that was implemented on the 16th of January.
This was a new situation most people couldn’t understand. The new President of the SLFP, was so busy he could not gain control of the party creating a vacuum which people want to fill by bringing Mahinda Rajapaksa back. In the SLFP the next generation was not mature enough to assume the leadership of the party.

But if you take the ground reality 5.8 million people voted against Sirisena; it was also anti- UNP vote.
The party was virtually divided when the general election came along. Then there was a demand that the party needed a leadership campaign and although Maithripala was not in favour of it, he was compelled to agree. Now Mahinda Rajapaksa is a candidate.

Q : As a veteran politician have you seen any [Lankan] President considering Parliament opinion in the appointment of a PM?
This is a peculiar situation. In all previous occasions, the president or the prime minister was the head of the government or the party. He had control. In this case even he could not take control.

Q : So will this compel him to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister?
He can appoint anyone but to avoid confrontation he might.
If the UNP comes to power I feel President Sirisena would not fit into UNP culture.

Q : Do you think he will fit in with the SLFP culture?
He would rather fit in there, not here.

Q : Have you seen any other president take into consideration what Parliament thinks?
This is an extreme situation and one that has never developed. You take Chandrika, Premadasa and JR they had full control of the party.

Q : Do you see the UPFA or even the SLFP without Mahinda Rajapaksa? Do you see an identity without him?
Even after he was voted out he is back.
Mahinda has become a factor. As far as the SLFP is concerned he is a factor for them.

Q : You were one of the very few people who warned Mahinda against holding a presidential election.What do you think of the situation now?
I have been defended. He has been telling other people that if he had listened to me he wouldn’t be in this situation.

Q : Why did you advise him not to go for an election?
I had a scientific analysis of the election results done in July.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, socialism has become long term in perspective. Now we try to align ourselves with progressive forces in the existing political environment

On July 1,he summoned all the party leaders and said he wanted to go for elections. I was the only one who said that he couldn’t secure 50 per cent of the votes. He got wild and shouted and I shouted but later explained it to him for two hours, Lalith Weeratihunga and everyone was there. I said there was two years left and there were several issues that were left unattended and asked him to look into them and then see if he can win if not to retire gracefully.

Q : He isn’t exactly retiring gracefully, is he?
No, what I suggested was that he do more and then go on or retire.

Q : After he was defeated do you think he should have retired gracefully?
That was his decision.

Q : What are your views about Maithripala Sirisena and the 100-day programme?
When the 100-day programme was announced it was fully backed by the Opposition; we fully
backed it.

If the UNP comes to power I feel President Sirisena would not fit into UNP culture

Q : Do you think they have been able to give what they promised?
No. If they had been able to push through the 20th Amendment that would have been different.

Q : Don’t you think that would have been difficult to do with the situation in Parliament?
No, it was because the UNP was not interested. I know because I was there with Ranil. I said it was useless and refused to come again.

Q : Speaking of the Tamil people’s problem, what do you think of the TNA’s manifesto?
They have just reiterated their position. This is the stand they have been taking for a long time. In 1951, when the Federal Party was formed it was the same position.

Q : Weren’t you expecting something different this time?
They have not properly calculated the mood of the people. You can have a federal aim but for the general elections there should have been something to bring about consensus.

Q : Both alliances are promising a new constitution; do you think anything like the 13th Amendment should be included?
I don’t think so. Even Mahinda Rajapaksa brought an amendment to it and withdrew it.

Q : There are a few leftist parties that are left, how come you don’t want to contest the elections?
I contested twice but now younger people are contesting. In fact I want to get out of the national list also.

Q : Why?
I must give way for younger people.

Q : Are you planning on retiring soon?
The party said this was a critical moment and I stayed.

Q : Who comprises the second tier in the Communist Party?
We have a minister in the Southern Province and there are some young people.

Q : What is the future of the party?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, socialism has become long term in perspective. Now we try to align ourselves with progressive forces in the existing political environment.

Q : Is that the reason you joined the UPFA?
We have been there throughout the 1950’s. We took the decision as early as 1956, we were not part of the Bandaranaike government but we supported it. Sometimes we supported the government without being a part of it.

Q : The UPFA has a liberal economic policy, as a leftist how can you support it?
You have to consider political reality; the whole world is off balance after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Here they adopted the neo- liberal economic policies and we were fighting against its negative aspects of that policy.

Q : Do you think the COPE report will be published?
It is in the custody of the Secretary General of Parliament. I don’t know if it will be published, it depends on the next Parliament and the new COPE committee.

Q : The Prime Minister said the old members of COPE will be appointed to the new one. Do you think you will be appointed to the new committee?
I don’t know. I’ve done enough. There are 244 institutions and there are only 365 days in the year. I produced three full reports and three interim reports. I have investigated more than my predecessors have done over the past 20 years.

Q : It’s ironic that you show corruption in the former government and yet support it.
Don’t confuse my post as a minister and the chairman of COPE. All previous COPE chairmen have been ministers,

Q : The former regime were accused of corruption that you yourself revealed and yet you to support it?
That is political policy. Corruption is not the only issue. You have no idea what happened during the 17 years of the UNP government.

Q : Prime Minister Wickremasinghe alleged that you were violating your parliamentary privileges by trying to release the report?
The PM said he was not summoned. He addressed the Chamber of Commerce and said he should have been summoned to give evidence.

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Comments - 1

mahinda fernando Tuesday, 11 August 2015 06:36 PM

nice story

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“When the 100-day programme was announced it was fully backed by the Opposition” - D.E.W Gunasekar

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