28 June 2010 02:19 am
In an interview with India’s Times of India published today, President Rajapaksa also said that he was not bothered about the EU GSP plus tariff concessions adding that moves to suspend it to the country was politically motivated.
“We will take our own time and the solution, you can't ask for an instant solution like instant noodles. Constitutions are not for one or two days. It is not a magazine which is published weekly or monthly. We can't change the Constitution frequently. We will have to take our own time. We will certainly change all this. My commitment remains,” President Rajapaksa said regarding the political solution.
He also said that the GSP plus concessions were offered following the tsunami and now that the tsunami rehabilitation is over the government needs to look at new markets.
“Our people must know this: when I called the elections, they (EU) immediately called for suspension of tariff concessions. It was a politically motivated decision. If the EU doesn't want to give it (concessions), let them keep it. I don't want it. We have gone and explained what we have done. Now we have appointed it (an inquiry commission), not because someone wanted me to, but because I am committed to that,” he said.
Asked to comment on claims by Eastern Province chief minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan that he does not have enough powers, the President said that it was because he had powers that he was able to go to India with a full delegation recently.
“He has all the powers. Now he (Eastern Province chief minister Pillaiyan) has gone abroad. He has taken 27 members or so abroad. They have gone on a study tour! I thought that money could have been used to build some roads. These are not controlled by us,” President Rajapaksa said in the interview with the Times of India. (Daily Mirror online)