NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT MARKS THREE YEARS
Exactly three year ago, the people went to the polls to reaffirm the mandate given to the two major political forces in the country to work together. President Maithripala Sirisena who won the Presidential Election in January 2015 had already appointed UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister.
The agreement between the two major political parties in the country following the 2015 August General Election is unparalleled in the country’s 70 years of post-independence politics.
This Government did have a 100 day programme which managed to accomplish many promises made during the election period. They thus urged the people to give them a bigger mandate on August 17, 2015.
The public did reaffirm their faith in this Government of Unity and Consensus, also known as the Yahapalana (Good Governance) Government. In essence, the new Government had pledged to reverse the dictatorial course of the former Rajapaksa Government and grant freedom to State institutions whose freedom had come under attack, save Sri Lanka from international isolation and develop the economy which had reached abysmal depths.
The Government soon after assuming office embarked on a process of accountability, restorative justice and reconciliation and repairing its damaged image internationally. As a result of these endeavours, Sri Lanka has now become a respected member of the International Community.
The Government has also largely succeeded in restoring public confidence in State institutions including the judiciary and the police. The key to this change was the 19th Amendment, which was one of the key pledges of the new Government. It set Presidential term limits, pruned certain powers of the Executive Presidency and restored the independence of Government institutions. The Government delivered on its core promises. The Independent Commissions were established, Right to Information Act came into effect, established an Office of Missing Persons etc.
The proposed new Constitution will enable Sri Lankans to project one identity under one nation. Development has not been forgotten.
The Megapolis Initiative in the Western Province is a major project that will make an overall resurgence in the province. After a thorough review, the Port City project initiated by the former Government with Chinese funding has been totally transformed as a Financial City to attract more investors. The Government also announced a new economic policy that will augment the development process.
Recent initiatives such as the ‘Gamperaliya’ programme to develop villages and ‘Enterprise Sri Lanka’ loan scheme proposed in the 2018 budget to create entrepreneurs and boost domestic private investment has been much appreciated by the public.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe speaking at a public function last week said the government has stabilised the economy and managed the country’s debt burden systematically. Also the government has pledged to establish 2,500 Uda Gammana villages by 2020 to address the housing needs of the people and the results so far show it is well on course to achieve it.
Also investigations and legal proceedings into acts of fraud and corruption alleged to have been committed by prominent members of the former regime have been accelerated and already some have been punished for their misdeeds.
Three years is a relatively short time to make a proper assessment of a new government’s record in office. Usually, the first year is devoted to consolidating power while the second and third year is the time when it gets down to business in earnest.
Considering this, there is a lot to be happy with the turn of events and the changes wrought that has impacted positively on the citizenry. There can be no doubt that there is a discerning sense of freedom and an air of well being among the general public during the past three years.
The Yahapalanaya government in the short span of three years under President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has displayed the will to succeed. While settling the mountainous debt, left behind by the Rajapaksa administration, it has taken determined strides to rebuild the economy and also usher in prudent development that would bring beneficial returns to the country.
The President and Prime Minister have already declared that the next two years will usher in a development revolution in the country and the Yahapalanaya government is unshakable and would run its full course.
(Source: Daily News)
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Three years for un hilarious comedy duet. Carry on, you got another year to wipe the smiles of our faces.
The Finance Minister, the President should be charged for misuse of public funds for giving vat exemptions to Solar and wind if you click hpt//www.ceb.lk/yesterday it will give the latest electricity generated by fuel sources, it gives no solar power generated but we are aware that there are about 100 Mw of solar power connected to the grid which the renewable Energy Minister states that the owners of these solar panels are paid at Rs. 22 per kWh as such when the cost of the solar panels and the payment of Rs. 22 per kWh is considered should not the Auditor general be called to investigate this and also the Consumer Protection Authority be called upon to investigate this. Wastage of public funds, also they are giving free electricity and free water to parliamentarians and public servants while we the people are given the highest cost in the world for as such this also should be investigated by the Auditor general and Consumer Protection Authority and the CID called upon to investigate them
With regards to wind the direct cost is Rs. 12 per kWh the hidden cost will be over Rs. 30 per kWh when BOT coal fueled electricity as base load which cost only Rs 6 per kWh and economical Hydro which cost only Rs. 2 per kWh which will give we the people the least cost electricity in the world. Should not this also be investigated by Auditor General and The consumer Protection Authority and the Finance minister and President be charged for misuse of public funds. The Supreme Court on the basis of article 126 (5) by which a petition in the Supreme Court should be completed within 2 months of filing a petition in the Supreme Court or making such reference as such is not our Supreme Court No better than Mohan Peries’s Supreme Court. Our Supreme Court was given a 3 fold increase of salary and they are yet going on postponing case while they are playing the flute while we the people and our country are burning, this is with apologies to the saying ‘ Rome is burning while Nehru is playing the flute
Sirisena/Ranil syndicate over the last three years should be accused tried for lying and abuse of power and making mockery of democracy. The only thing that prevented them in forming a totalitarian system is because they do not trust each other. and intellectually they cannot see beyond a few weeks ahead that the totalitarian concept is beyond them. Sirisena more often than not claimed that he was the last to know which reflects his administrative competence relying exclusively on media for information. Sirisena ought to cultivate trumps strategyin using twiter to guide his policies
These two guys make unsubstantiated claims about the contribution made over the past three years but what is seen on the media is mostly about strikes. The railway workers strike about every six months and when they get back to work the bus operators go on strike. The GMOA is very casual about striking they can afford tp do so for they make so much money the best way they can take time off officially is through striking. The rural population is dependent on seasonal labur and the perennial drought drought has forced them to import rice something that the country was almost self sffecient. This has driven the rural population to destitution.
Want of something beteer to do these two clowns will continue with their policies while his government could continue to rob the treasury.
3 years of hell with taxes hitting the people hard.
2 more years and we will ensure the return of the Kurrakan Satakaya clan and the return of white-van oriented law and order.