Ranil blames former regime
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said despite the integral role played by Sri Lanka towards the establishment of the UN in 1945, the ignorant attitudes of certain politicians and other officials of the previous government placed the country on a collision path with the international community, which in turn stalled the country’s journey forward.
Wickremesinghe made these remarks in his address at the twin anniversary celebrations held at the UN Compound in Colombo on Saturday. The UN was celebrating the 70th UN day and the 60th year since Sri Lanka became a member state of the UN.
“Sri Lanka was a globally reputed state and made a significant contribution towards the establishment of the UN.
Unfortunately, we did not receive due recognition towards those efforts and that itself was a major setback,” he noted. Wickremesinghe pointed out Sri Lanka’s political leadership since obtaining UN membership in 1955 has been working closely with the organisation and thereby won a special place in the international community.
He criticized the decisions made by certain politicians and officials of the previous regime that resulted in Sri Lanka embarking on a collision path with the international community.
“The former regime believed that if they allied themselves with states that did not see eye-to-eye with nations that challenged the state of affairs in Sri Lanka, it would help them overcome the issues that arose on an international level,” he said while adding, “The former regime aspired for Sri Lanka to lead the beggars of the international community and thought that it would help fight off battles with powerful nations, failing to understand that it is not the way in which diplomatic relations play out. The Prime Ministers sentiments on the way in which Sri Lanka’s relations with the UN and its agencies deteriorated during the past few years were reflected in the speech made by President Maithripala Sirisena as well.
(Sunday Observer)
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Yes just like the former governments keep blaming and criticizing the former regime until the next government come to power. You all are the same. Since you got the independence for the last 60 years look at the state of the country.
Continue to blame the previous government. That is all you have done since you sneaked into government with then help of foreign powers. At least Mr Rajapakse had the guts to stand up to the bullying tactics of the UN and countries like US, UK etc. All you have done is to sell Sri Lanka’s sovereignty to the US and India. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Ranjith and Dr Quintus,
You guys are living in a dreamworld.
The extent of corruption is now becoming apparent.
In addition to US$500m accounts belonging to V VIP’s held in Dubai, the country’s exchequer demonstrates signs of callous mismanagement.
The government has tabled estimates of expenditure for 2016, the first reading of the Budget, and a short summary dated 9 October is available on the Finance Ministry website (Appropriation Bill for year 2016 approved by the Cabinet of Ministers). A deficit of Rs 1.35 trillion (million-million) is expected; at 11.8% of GDP this is appalling! The number is so large that it is more comprehensible in dollars – $ 9.51 billion at Rs 142 to a $.
Expected expenditure is Rs 1.94 trillion made up of Rs 1.31 trillion recurrent and Rs 0.63 trillion (630 billion) capital spending. Additional provisions of Rs 1.20 trillion have to be made for servicing the public debt, w&op payments and minor expenses. This (1.31+0.63+1.20) adds to a grand total expected expenditure of Rs 3.14 trillion. However revenue at prevailing tax and customs duty rates, plus expected foreign grants will total only Rs 1.79 trillion. (The 1.35 trillion deficit is 3.14 minus 1.79).
The Royal Family borrowed heavily from China to finance ‘white elephant’ projects. An International Airport which has never ever received an international flight is earning revenue as a paddy store.
An international harbor is doing nothing; no ship has ever called there.
There are carpeted rods which have not stimulated any economic activity and which cannot be maintained to standards as there’s simply no money in the maintenance budgets.
We hear of super luxury dungeon’s in Janadhipthi Mandiraya and Temple Trees; we hear of Presidential palaces located countrywide, including Valvettithurai. We hear of Lamboghini’s being smuggled overseas on Jan 08; we hear of stallions imported from the United Kingdom; we hear of mansions in California; we hear of Seven 11 chains that stretch across 14 states of the USA.
Dear Ranjith and Dr Quintus, let me change my language; we, the peoples of Sri Lanka, are in deep shit, sinking down the blackest of black holes.
Do we have redemption while a young man of 28 is busy moving his billions from one bank to another?
its high time Sir that you stop blaming and took up the challenge and deliver the promises you made at the Elections, as a True Royalist. Show what you are made of Royal Glory. Royalists never blame each other but take up the challenge ( Well that is what i herd that they are )
Ganja ….What is heard and not seen is fantasy ..your euphoric rants is excusable. Todate what is left of the Mahnida regime are the roads, the airports and the harbors things that will remain for posterity meanwhile govermnet should adopt startegies put these into good use like converting it an airbase and train foregners to fly.
The defecit of the provisional budget according to you (above) is 1,35 trillion. How does the government plan to bridge this ….most likely print more money better to have inflation than burrow money. .
The foreign exchange source is through remittance made by people working in the middle east, then tea, rubber and to a lesser extent coconut. Excluded in this equation and totally ignored the paddy produced in Sri Lanka which feeds almost 50 percent of the population.
The present government talks of industry probably export oriented tough luck for South Asian has and manufacturers will think twice about setting up an assembly line for the logistics are not feasible. Industrial giants India and China has not been able to break into the western markets …economically it matters not for they have the indigenous markets …..
Have we a reliable resource base to set up industries…….none except for rubber and we cant do much we have little else ….tyre corporation is bankrupt.
The government was aware of the shit hole we are in …as it is there is not sewage disposal.. and the government to date has not adopted any meaningful measures to contain spiralling budgetary defecit. Then the government has to contend with the trade defecit and the CB talks little about it except to plead to Sri ankans abroad to remit dollars toSri Lanka
Zama, The problem with lunatics, hypocrites and idiots is they themselves have no idea how they looks like to the masses. When one see ‘We hear” as the only conclusive evidence provided to us after nearly 10 months in power we need to understand what we are dealing with. It is not difficult for a political party and politicians came to power on pack of lies and allegations, to plant a jobless batta in forums and throw some bones to lick for its sustainable and it will go asking us to believe ‘we hear’s and ‘it is alleged’s.
Indra you forgot to mention liars.
Ceylon was granted membership to the United Nations in 1955 ten years after the United Nations charter was drawn up in 1945 ….soon after the World War. During the War Ceylon had no bases but housed the South East Asian Command post under Lord Mount Batton uncle to he Queen Elizabeth. The only role Sri Lanka played during the war was to make up a volunteer force based in North Africa when the Allies war against Nazi General Rommel. I met one of these volunteers in Kalutara and when I asked him what he did there I was told that they spent most of the time drinking beer and smoking at the NAFFI.
When the British left Ceylon was rich with a favorable balance of payments and Pounds worth of war reparations most of which were spent extravagantly and Ceylon was on the verge of bankruptcy if not for the plantations managed by the colonists.
Then we had a succession of hartals the significant one was immideately following SLFP(MEP) parliamentary elections in 1956 on a Sinahala only mandate. The police nor the vestigial defence force did not have the resources to deal with the situation. this trend continued between governments the situation reached a climax in June 1983 under JRJ and led to the war of attrition
and no particular political party tried to resolve the problem. Fact.
As for development the only indigenous development project undertaken since independence was daming at Inginiyagala to form the Gal Oya reservoir most of the development projects undertaken then were through AID packages and the UN had nothing to with nor will they have anything to do in the future for UN is not aid donor agency
It is sad to see there are gullible fools still around to believe the US$500 million in Dubai, golden horses and Lamborghinies, Helicopters and any other similar fancy lies tuned out for the foolish fork to digest.
Those who like to live and stay drunk in the sea of lies try to justify their gullibleness by adding more more fake arguments to those.
Absolutely no ship in Hambanthota harbor is one of such classic arguments to justify their foolishness and ignorance.
Ranil can easily thrive without doing any development and can win the next election too when such fools are around in thousands.
Therefore keep blaming the previous regime, because you cannot do anything else more productive, no one can expect such from you anyway.