PA derailed the country's economy: Kiriella

Interviewed by Dilrukshi Handunnetti

Q: After so many years in the SLFP, did you find it difficult to leave it?

A: Extremely difficult. I entered the Kandy Municipal Council in 1980 on the SLFP ticket. I successfully contested the 1989 general elections and continued as a legislator since then. We made huge sacrifices to overthrow the Premadasa administration and create a government of our own. At a time when the so-called PA leaders of today were elsewhere, I certainly gave the best years of my life to the SLFP.

But there is a time for everything under the sun and I realised that the PA was on the wrong path. I took the painful decision to quit the PA with the fervent hope that the UNP is well-equipped to place this country on a better footing. 

Q: If you felt so strongly about the UNP's ability why did you join it after 25 years? Weren't you being politically prudent by making a fair calculation to go with the party that has a better chance to win?

A: If that were the case, I would not have remained with the SLFP for so long. I belonged to a political tradition and didn't wish to run away the first time I felt disillusioned.

People voted for the PA in 1994 with such hopes that any government should feel ashamed to flout the sacred trust reposed in this blatant manner. Instead of addressing issues like the war, corruption, human rights and sagging economy, we have confined ourselves to slogans. We had sincere intentions but the approach was unprofessional, adhoc and mediocre. 

As a lawyer, I believe in meticulous planning and precision in work. The Cabinet meetings had the coffee shop atmosphere with the focus falling on gossip and slander than a place for making serious national decisions. When we did discuss matters, they were often irrelevancies and off the agenda. 

Q: But why didn't you protest at the outset?

A: We tried but to no avail. The SLFP has a rigidity which brooks no opposition. When realization dawned that changing the PA was impossible, I decided to quit. 

Q: What were your reasons for quitting the PA? Was there a collective decision to defeat the PA in defiance?

A: Firstly, don't confuse me with the dissidents because I joined on my own. When an election was called, I resigned from one party and joined another without embarrassing the former party. 

Besides the lack of professionalism, I felt that the PA didn't make sufficient use of my talents. I am a professional with a record of unstinted service to the party unlike those who parachuted from nowhere. 

I had education, family background, integrity and years of committed service, but I often felt that education and decency were my biggest undoings!

Q: What were the specific difficulties you faced when working with the PA?

A: A leader should first lend ear to others. We represent various electorates, communities and concerns. So the consultation process is important to the proper picture. This never happened. The PA leadership was unprofessional and failed in time management. 

The problem with the PA is that while claiming that the private sector to be the engine of growth, they did nothing to allow its growth. I believe that they couldn't implement neither the socialist economic agenda nor the liberal economy they later adopted. This derailed the entire country's economy. So it was not just differences in opinion that put me off. The PA failed to deliver the goods.

Q: Is it your contention that you were unfairly treated by the SLFP?

A: Yes. Education seemed the biggest disqualification there. It is the marauders who were high flyers. Instead of sacrificing my personal happiness, I decided to part ways. 

Ms. Kumaratunga and Ratnasiri Wickremanayake both left the SLFP in 1983 and returned a decade later. I decided to end this agony by joining a side that appreciates and requires me. The inner happiness was not there while I was in the SLFP.

Q: Were you unhappy about Dr. Sarath Amunu-gama securing a Cabinet position after 1 1/2 years in the PA ignoring your seniority?

A: For everything there should be a reason. The PA is not professional in the least, so they enter into adhoc arrangements and make similar appointments and demotions. 

I have nothing against Dr. Amunugama for retaining his portfolio. If they had any difficulty in selecting the Cabinet, the decent thing would have been to discuss matters. 

Q: There are strong allegations that the defectors were paid large sums of money to pave the way of the PA downfall. The PA has branded the dissidents as betrayers. Any comments?

A: I never traded my conscience and have not betrayed anyone. But the PA had betrayed its cause by not serving their mandate .

Defections are a deep rooted political tradition here. Do we condemn S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, the founder of the SLFP, for his rebellion? 

These allegations are always there but they will die a natural death because there is no truth in them. I did not cross over. When elections were announced, I resigned and took membership of another political party which could offer the people a better deal.

Q: Is it true that a businessman who had been working tirelessly to defeat the PA managed to broker a deal to secure your entry into the UNP?

A: I needed no broker to join the UNP and my conscience and political life are not there for trading purposes. The UNP leader and I go a long way back. Both of us have had some candid discussions about the plight of our country, the unemployment, economic downturn and the erosion of public trust in rulers. 

We have been friends since we were ten years old at Royal College. Though our political paths were different for decades, I have decided to strengthen him by continuing for another term.

Q: Does that mean you were contemplating retirement?

A: I was. I wanted to hang my political boots and return to the lucrative field of legal practice. But I am convinced that the UNP leader has a vision and his team has the ability to perform. This country deserves a leader like him who is committed, unselfish and conceptually rich. So I thought of staying on.

Relief before elections, agony thereafter?

By Faraza Farook

Among the several economic relief packages were pay hikes to public servants, increase in allowances and price reductions in some consumer goods. The trend was not uncommon especially with elections on the cards.

However, a survey of previous instances where the government had made relief announcements before elections and introduced price hikes after polls were plenty. In some cases, the government provided a subsidy in order to keep the prices of goods low or postponed any imminent price increase in services.

Last year, in view of the general elections in October, the government delayed the raise in electricity bills until January despite the CEB suffering huge losses running into millions due to defaults in payments mostly by state institutions. In January this year, the CEB made a 20% increase in tariffs to overcome the financial crisis.

Other services that were contemplating price hikes were asked to hold back until the general elections were over. Consequently, bus fares, water charges and telephone bills went up from January.

The reduction in flour prices seem to be a vital relief measure just before elections. During the Presidential election in 1999, the Government reduced flour prices by Rs. 1 per Kg and by Rs.3 per Kg during General Elections. 

The Government also pressurized bakers to reduce the price of bread by Rs. 1 last year, which drew a lot of opposition. This year, the government subsidized gas and wheat flour.

Gas prices went up rapidly since December 1999 for three consecutive months with diesel and kerosene also increasing its prices eventually, sending prices of consumer commodities soaring high and collapsing business confidence. 

Prices of all three commodities were increased again in November and December following polls in October.

An announcement by former Media Minister Mangala Samara-weera at last year's general elections to give journalists a pension and a government statement to give permanency to more than 10,000 graduates holding temporary jobs remained just empty promises.

Soon after parliament was dissolved this month, a bonus relief package was announced. The government waived off the diesel vehicle tax, turnover tax on bank borrowings and reduced national defence levy and duty on cement imports.

Yet, former Minister Samaraweera denied that the relief package had anything to do with boosting the PA election campaign and that the measures were purely to ease the burden on the public.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Milk, dealers of Anchor, Anlene and Ratthi said it had increased prices of all its products with effect from last week. 

The price hike was attributed to the increase in commodity price of milk powder in the world market, depreciation of currency last year and increase in packaging, shipping and operational costs.

Other milk powder producing companies said they had no intention of increasing the prices at the moment.

Meanwhile, the price of rice, coconut, red onions and big onions have gone up. Compared to last year, the price of all varieties of rice has gone up by 5%-23% the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HKARTI) reported. 

All consumer goods showed a marked increase in prices when compared to last year during the same period. Market prices last week showed a decline in vegetable prices though the price of tomato, green chillies and lime went up. Tomato showed the highest increase of 130% compared to last year for the same period.