By

Chamitha Kuruppu

The LTTE is re-emerging and the Government should be held responsible for that, asserts Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, of the Jathika Hela Urumaya, in an interview with the Daily FT.
Minister Ranawaka further says that LTTE leader Prabhakaran may have been defeated but the Government has failed to fully liberalise the country. “The Government is yet to find an answer politically, socially and economically.”

Following are excerpts:

Q: Why are you criticising your own Government?

A: We have been in power for three years. During this three-year period, whilst carrying out development work and improving infrastructure, the Government failed to pay attention to certain important criteria. Therefore, our party decided to come up with a set of proposals. This was initiated last year. Since then we have been discussing various issues, especially the country’s economic condition.

Some Government members are trying hard to prove the economy is doing extremely well and they are equipped with figures and statistics. Meanwhile, the UNP accuses that the country is poverty-stricken and people are starving. The JVP says the country needs a system change. But we feel all these arguments are baseless. The Government, UNP and the JVP have got their facts wrong or they do not know what they are talking about.

We see both positive and negative features in our economy. The biggest accusation of the Opposition is country’s debt situation. In 1977 our public debt against GDP was 28%. In 1994 it increased to 54%. During Ranil Wickremesinghe’s administration the figure was 102%. Therefore, it was during the UNP rule that we experienced the worst debt repayment situation. Our Government brought this down to 78%.

When we talk about public debt, we only take into consideration the debt situation of Government departments. What about the debt of Non-Government Organisations? What is their total debt? For example, CPC’s Annual Report says its debt in 2013 was Rs. 421 billion. The unsettled debt of the CPC was Rs. 105 billion. People’s Bank, Bank of Ceylon and National Savings Bank have foreign borrowings worth $ 3 billion. When we accumulate all this, what will our public debt be? What I want to say is that public debt against GDP is just one parameter.

On the other hand, if we have the ability to repay, borrowing will not be an issue. But what is our repayment component against Government revenue? This is where we need to focus on. This is where our problem is. In 2013 our debt repayment was 102%. We have to admit that debt repayment has escalated significantly under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration.

Unemployment in the country is another alarming factor. Unemployment among the age group 20-24 years is 20%. This is the best and most efficient group in a country’s workforce. Unemployment among A/L qualified is 10%. Yet we cannot find people to work in a rubber or a tea estate.

They say inflation has come down, but malnutrition among young pregnant mothers has been constant for the last 10 years. Although we have eradicated poverty, we have failed to find a remedy for their vulnerability. This is why we see poverty increasing during a drought or a flood situation. Meanwhile, if there is no pension, poverty will hit the 8.3% mark. Thanks to the pension we have managed to control poverty in the country.

The gap between the rich and the poor is another significant factor. It is said that the highest earning individual receives Rs. 4.9 million a month. I can point out may be 1,000 more individuals who earn more than five million a month. It is the same with the lowest income level. I don’t believe the lowest earned is Rs. 1,500. Today even a beggar on the road earns more than that. However, there is no point eradicating poverty if we cannot find a remedy for this gap between the haves and have-nots.

There is so much talk about infrastructure development. But large-scale malpractices have taken place in these projects. For example, the initial estimated cost of the Kottawa-Galle Expressway was $ 330 million in 2007. But after completion the cost was $ 740 million. Annually we receive Rs. 1 billion from the Kottawa-Galle Expressway. But maintenance, loan repayment and other expenses comes to Rs. 6.5 billion a year. This means every year Rs. 5.5 billion is spent on the Kottawa-Galle Expressway alone. Has anyone studied the actual economic benefit and activity of these massive projects?

Meanwhile, 70% of the loan obtained for this project is serviced by tax. Who pays this tax? Beggars, cyclists and pedestrians who cannot use the facility of travelling on this road. Now is that fair? Although they bear the cost, there is no economic benefit received.

If we take the railway line from Vavuniya to Omanthai, in 2011 the benchmark cost of this project was $ 0.5 million per kilometre. But the final cost of the project was $ 2.5 million – five times more than the estimated cost. On the other hand, the entire project was handled by India. No economic activity was created in Sri Lanka due to this project. No multi-flow effect has taken place.

The Petroleum Corporation owes Rs. 221 billion to the Bank of Ceylon (BOC). According to its Annual Report, the CPC has paid Rs. 18 billion as interest in 2013 alone. That means every single customer has paid Rs. 4.50 per litre of petrol. What is the profit of BOC for the year 2013? Rs. 11 billion. Who is servicing the borrowings of the BOC? The petroleum consumer. Is that correct?

People’s Bank has lent a huge amount of money for infrastructure development projects. It has given a Rs. 50 billion OD to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). In 2013 the CEB has paid Rs. 7 billion as interest. What is the profit of People’s Bank? Rs. 7 billion. Then who is servicing the borrowings of People’s Bank? Electricity consumers. Do you feel the economy is doing well? I challenge any official in the Ministry of Finance to prove what I have said is wrong.

In our economy there are both positive and negative features. Unfortunately we are not taking any action to do away with the negative aspects or improve on the positive ones. If we need to achieve anything better than this, we need to concentrate on an innovation-based economy. What are we trying to achieve by relying on tourism and casinos?

Q: Why are you highlighting these now? Why did you fail to take any action before?

A: Last year we criticised certain moves of the Government such as the Casino Bill. We even voted against the bill. In June last year we proposed an investment framework. First we educated the Government. When we realised they don’t have a positive approach towards our proposals, we started educating the public.

In 2011 I pointed out the need to come up with a pricing formula for the energy sector. I submitted a Cabinet paper. But this Government did nothing about it. A few officials in the Finance Ministry made sure my recommendations were not put into action. In fact they took every measure to highlight me as an inefficient and incapable Energy Minister. I have pointed out the unlawful activities and malpractices taking place in the energy sector. Institutions such as the CEB and CPC can be operated smoothly but those institutions are only used to service the borrowings of State banks.

We waited for three years. When we realised the Government was heading towards a wrong path, I tried to alert them. Nobody can say we haven’t taken any action.

Q: Do you agree this Government works according to its own agenda and allies like the JHU are actually toothless?

A: Individuals who run the Government may try to work according to their own agendas, but the real force that represents the Government is a different one. The force that represents the Government is an educated middle class force that only wants a clean leadership. This Government cannot be functioning according to the whims and fancies of a certain class or thugs.

Q: Why do you say the country is not fully liberated?

A: At the recently-held Grade 5 scholarship examination, Tamil students sat for the exam in 22 districts. It is indeed a good situation we all can be proud of. But Sinhalese students were unable to sit for the exam in four districts. If the Sinhalese are not allowed to carry out their education in four districts, how can you say the country is liberated?

Meanwhile, 21,000 acres of land belonging to 6,000 Sinhala families in Jaffna were distributed among family members of the late LTTE cadres. During 2002-2006 there were 231,000 Tamils living in Colombo. Our soldiers don’t forcefully acquire land belonging to those Tamils. Steps should be taken to hand over the land belonging to Sinhala families in the north.

We have not given the opportunity for these people to start their lives on their own lands. The Sinhalese don’t have land rights in Districts such as Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Trincomalee. How can you say the country is liberated? Prabhakaran may have been defeated but the country is not liberated.

Q: You talk about Sinhalese not having land rights but what about the Tamils in North whose lands have been forcefully acquired by the military?

A: Those are baseless allegations. When it comes to national security and development, there can be situations of such nature. When we fought for the Trincomalee harbour, if the land below the harbour was not under the military, what would have happened to the security of the country? Can people in Homagama build houses inside the Homagama Army camp? This is not something that is only common to Sri Lanka. This is something that happens in countries around the world.

So-called political parties like the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will make all kinds of accusations. But people like Wigneswaran who live in Colombo 5 cannot make such allegations against the Government. How can you justify TNA politicians living in Colombo not allowing our Sinhalese to move freely in north?
During the Riviresa operations, Prabhakaran sent Tamils to Vavuniya. Around 300,000 to 500,000 Tamils today live in Colombo and Gampaha Districts. Are they willing to give up their land and go back to the north? Sampanthan and Sumanthiran live among the Sinhalese in Colombo. We have not done any harm to them. So why aren’t they allowing the Sinhalese to live in the north?

I don’t have any personal bitterness against the TNA members; we are not bloodhounds like Sampanthan or Wigneswaran.

Q: Are you saying although the war has ended, this Government has failed to address the actual cause of the conflict?

A: Yes. This Government is yet to provide an answer politically, socially and economically. Massive economic development was carried out in north. But Tamils in North have not voted for the Government. Rs. 400 billion was spent by the Government to provide facilities such as electricity and water and construct roads. After all this, if the Tamils in north are still not voting for the Government, there has to be some reason. They say there is peace. But if this Government cannot ensure land rights for the 3,000 Sinhala families who were chased away from Batticaloa, what peace are we talking about?

We need to accept the fact that Mahinda Rajapaksa did not use cheap gimmicks like Chandrika Kumaratunga or Ranil Wickremesinghe. But we were behind the military victory. Wasn’t there a SLFP Government before? Why couldn’t they liberate the country in 1994? It was after we joined this Government that they were able to defeat terrorism. The credit should come to us. And we are not afraid to tell the world that this Government has failed to liberalise the country politically, socially and economically. Today this country functions according to the wishes of Wigneswaran.

Before holding the election in the north, the Government should have made Wigneswaran and the Tamil extremists give an assurance that they would never go for another armed conflict. We should have made them vouch that they would never fight for Tamil Eelam both locally and internationally. But we failed to do that and today we are suffering the consequences.

Q: Why do you think Wigneswaran and the TNA are so powerful?

A: Due to the influence of India. India is a country that works according to a political agenda. This has been there during Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s time and J.R. Jayewardene’s time. We cannot point fingers at other countries. Rulers in our country should realise this situation and take measures to prevent such interference. India may have its own agenda, but rulers of our nation must be smart enough to work according to our own agenda.

Q: Are you saying Sri Lanka works according to India’s agenda?

A: In the north we work according to India’s agenda. In the south we work according to China’s agenda. We accept the fact that China is one of strongest economies in the world. As countries that represent the same region, we should be proud about countries such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia Thailand and Taiwan for the achievements they have made in economical, technological and innovations fields. Today Asia is the driving force of world’s economy. We too must join this trend. But we should never become a tributary state.

Q: Your recent statement that the Government had held talks with the Tamil diaspora with the facilitation of South Africa has raised quite a few eyebrows locally and internationally. Your comments?

A: It is a known fact that the African National Congress invited the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil Eelam to participate in their National Congress. Rudrakumaran represented the Tamils and members of the Government too attended the convention. A South African delegation met me and expressed their willingness to be a bridge between the so-called Tamil diaspora and Sri Lankan Government. I was against their proposal. Firstly, I strongly believe there is nothing called a Tamil diaspora. These are just migrated Tamils purely for economical benefits. Secondly, we will never approve of a government outside the country.

Unfortunately some members of this country believe that with the facilitation of South Africa they are able to come into deals with the LTTE outside the country. This is a well-known fact. I just restated these things. This is nothing new. But we will not let these things continue.

Q: Did you know the EU Court case was coming? What actions did the Government take to face this situation?

A: This wasn’t against us. The LTTE had filed it against the EU. But we had a duty to be armed with relevant evidence and facts with regard to the LTTE to educate the countries in the EU. But according to what we learn, nothing was done by this Government.

Q: You are part of the Government. What did you do?

A: We have educated the diplomats through petitions and various similar moves. Over 66,000 people in this country were murdered by the LTTE and it is a well-known fact among the British and EU diplomats. Didn’t they see or hear the bombs that exploded throughout the country killing thousands of innocent people? These are just submerging countries and we shouldn’t be taking any notice of their accusations and actions.

Q: You have said the king makers at the upcoming election will be the Buddhist clergy and a national force. This is exactly what you said when you backed Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier. Were you able to make a change?

A: We were able to make a change from 2005 to 2010 but we failed from 2010 to 2014.

Q: Why?

A: We are being criticised for that error. We need to correct that. But let me tell you one thing; we have fulfilled our responsibilities. Through our ministries we have showed how to be efficient and profitable. No one can point fingers at us. We cannot do anything more than this with just two Parliament Ministers.

Q: What do you have to say about the upcoming presidential election?

A: The presidential election should not be done according to the personal agendas of anybody. If Ranil Wickremesinghe wants to come to power using Tamil votes, that is just a dream. He might get the Tamil votes, but we will not let him secure the Sinhala votes.

On the other hand, if it is the Government’s agenda to come into power through Sinhala votes, they have to rectify the mistakes they have made. We have to go back to the patriotic government that ruled the country during 2005/2009. The people do not want a government run by casino owners, federalists and thugs. We don’t want a government that criticises the diaspora in the open and then enters into deals with them in hiding.

What has happened to the legal system in this country? Today the legal system is washing the dirty linen of certain people. They might take us to court for saying these things, but someone needs to expose the actual situation. What happened to the picture warning on cigarette packaging? This was approved by Parliament. Now why do we need to delay this for another three years? Everyone knows it is money that is behind this deal. Why does the Judiciary dance to the tune of cigarette manufacturers?

Q: There was a proposal made by the JHU that professionals should be appointed as secretaries to the ministries. Does this mean you don’t approve of the appointments of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Secretary to the Transport Ministry Dhammika Perera?

A: Clearly this is not about individuals. It is not about Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Dhammika Perera or P.B. Jayasundera. May be they have the capabilities to perform well in those positions. But in a country there should be a clear policy on who is fit to be a secretary to a certain ministry. Some secretaries are white collar criminals. Some are the main culprits behind the biggest scandals that have taken place in the country.

Q: Will you support Mahinda Rajapaksa at the upcoming presidential election?

A: It could be anyone, anyone who supports and accepts our proposals. Present President Mahinda Rajapaksa has the biggest possibility.

Q: Why do you want to support a leader who has failed to fulfil your demands?

A: There have been similar battles in any administration. Look at the UNP; it is no secret that Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa have locked horns with each other. This is nothing new.

Q: How would you describe the Chris Nonis incident?

A: Those are just personal matters. But this incident proves one thing. The Foreign Service in the country is not in the least bothered about the threat that is coming from the international community. They should be equipped and forearmed to face the criticism that is against us. Unfortunately all we have in the Foreign Service are womanisers and drunkards who care nothing about the country and the grave situation we have to deal with. We need disciplined professionals.

Q: Although it has been five years since the war ended, the Rajapaksa administration is once again using the LTTE as a decisive factor at the upcoming election. Why?

A: This Government is responsible for the re-emergence of the LTTE. The Government handed over the north on a platter to Wigneswaran and Anandi, who are nothing but Nazis. The LTTE is reorganising. That is very clear.

Courtesy :DailyFT