While describing Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s recent statement that a dictatorship is needed to overcome current challenges as completely unnecessary, Foreign Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris yesterday said that the Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has a plan and the ability to overcome challenges the country is facing within a democratic framework.
Speaking at a press conference at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) office in Battaramulla, Prof.Peiris said, “today there is a news item that the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa has stated that in the midst of the challenges facing the country today, some kind of dictatorship is appropriate. I do not know if it is the right news. But if such a statement was made we would not approve of that idea at all. Our Government does not present the situation of the COVID pandemic not only in the country but also in the world today as a cause or effect to create a dictatorship. It is completely contrary to our vision. We are not trying to do anything like that. It is something completely unnecessary. The Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has a plan and the ability to overcome the challenges of our country within a democratic framework”.
The Minister pointed out that the best example for this was the Government’s vaccination programme.
“Today, the world recognises that the vaccination programme in Sri Lanka is extremely successful. That is why we have been able to control this disease in our country to this extent. But the vaccination programme has been conducted within a completely democratic structure. Therefore, we strongly believe that dictatorship, acting contrary to democratic freedoms, is neither appropriate nor necessary to deviate from those values”.
Minister Peiris also stated that the Government will do its utmost to present the new Constitution to the country before the end of this year and the intention of the Government was to directly involve all political parties in this programme.
Add new comment