Opposition Candidate’s Plans are Ambiguous – Minister Ranawaka

The opposition presidential candidate retired General Sarath Fonseka has not yet revealed his plans on developing and ruling the country, if he wins the election. The two major parties which support him have different ideas and have made contradictory statements several times, Environment Minister Patalie Champika Ranawaka said yesterday at a media briefing held in Colombo.

Foneseka says he does not want to be another William Gopallawa and remain as a ceremonial president. The UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe says he will be the ‘Executive Prime Minister’ in a caretaker government, while the JVP says there won’t be any executive prime ministers in a caretaker government.

Minister Ranawaka addressing the media personnel along with the Jathika Hela Urumaya’s Parliamentarian Ven Athuraliye Rathana thera said that JVP had no any idea what they are doing and the UNP leader had already pick pocketed the retired army commander’s votes.

Minister speaking on the controversial statement made by the former Army Commander retired General Fonseka to the weekend English newspaper said that whatever the allegations made publicly against the officials to please the international community with vested interests, the whole country would remain steadfastly with the Sri Lanka Government.

As questioned by the media, he also added that not only the Mahinda Rajapaksa had “jumbo cabinet”, but also almost all the other presidents of Sri Lanka too inherited jumbo cabinets during their times.
“Late Presidents J.R Jayewardena and R. Premadasa too had jumbo cabinets. President Premadasa had to create over 20 new ministerial slots to fit in his supporters when the impeachment motion was brought against him in the Parliament”, the Minister added.

He also asked the UNP how they could point finger at the UPFA government, as they had wasted the public assets in numerous ways. “The UNP has taken a loan of US $ 680 million when they were in power. The country has already paid $314 million so far and another $548 million should be paid, which also includes interest to settle the loan. That is how the UNP has developed the country’s economy”, he pointed out.

The Minister further added that the main opposition; the UNP was now singing the “Swan Song" as UNP has reached its political end.

- Asian Tribune -