The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has no future other than relying upon the Rajapaksas, Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando said yesterday. Fernando expressed his disappointment over the political sycophancy displayed by the Pohottuwa party towards the Rajapaksa family.
Minister Fernando also criticised former Minister Basil Rajapaksa for saying that they will abolish the anti-corruption special high court when they regain power. “How irresponsible are they to say this? They are saying that when they come to power, they will abolish these establishments. These high courts have not been established to take revenge.”
Minister Fernando said, “They have the three dragon head theory when talking about the 2020 Presidential Election. They talk about Basil Rajapaksa, who is one of these dragons. Another dragon is Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the third is Chamal Rajapaksa. The biggest dragon is hiding behind these three dragon heads. Then there is a talk of another dragon head. But most people do not understand that the real dragon will come out after five years in the form of Namal Rajapaksa.”
Minister Fernando was speaking at a press briefing at the UNP headquarters yesterday morning.
“These Rajapaksas are scattered everywhere. They are not ready to give up on power. Father, sons, brothers and all possible relatives are in for power,” he added.
In contrast, Minister Fernando said the United National Party has always allowed a variety of leaders to head the party and the country according to the need of the hour. “This is a party that allowed Premadasa, who represented the common man, to become a President. We let Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka to be our Presidential candidate. Then we made Maithripala Sirisena, our political opponent, the President of this country. Our party can make leaders out of ordinary people.”
The minister also spoke of the recent trade union actions, which according to him, are political in nature. The public should not have to go through hardships due to these politicised trade union actions, Minister Fernando said.
Voicing his criticism against Government Medical Officers’ Association President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya, he said that he does not represent the majority of medical professionals. “They are not interested in the lack of facilities in their hospitals. They are not interested in the difficulties that doctors who work in rural areas have. They are worried about the Sri Lanka - Singapore trade agreement. It is not as if we are bringing medical practitioners from Singapore, for them to worry about this agreement. In Singapore, the doctors are paid five times more than in Sri Lanka. It is ridiculous to think that Singaporean doctors would want to work here,” Minister Fernando said.
The minister also recalled how the GMOA acted when the Suwaseriya ambulance service was introduced to the country. “We recently launched the Suwaseriya service in Badulla district. Twenty-six police stations received fully equipped ambulances. When this project was initially introduced, the GMOA said all sorts of things about it. See how successful the project is now.”
He urged the trade unions to protest against the government without letting people suffer from their actions. “Look at how the Japanese bus drivers recently took to trade union action. They did not hinder the daily life of the public because of their trade union action. They provided their service without charging passengers. This is how one protests if they really want a change and do not want to use the public for a political endgame. I am not saying that it is a good example, but it is better than people suffering.”
“This is why we need a new political system. I, as a young politician, urge everybody to form a new political system where the public is not manipulated for political agendas. I don’t mind leaving my political career if we can achieve a better political culture in this country,” the minister said.
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