National People’s Power (NPP) national executive member and its Kalutara District team leader Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday defended the Government’s approach to economic management and welfare delivery, dismissing criticism from Opposition parties.
Dr. Jayatissa said that Opposition political parties must be overjoyed at the prospect of easily seizing power as they speculate the Government will fail to deliver on its welfare promises while managing the economy under International Monetary Fund (IMF) guidelines.
He said this in response to the Sunday Observer’s question whether the NPP faces challenges in fulfilling its own welfare commitments while adhering to IMF agreements.
The issue was raised by United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka during a URF-hosted Janaraja Kathikawa event, which focused on the topic, “Will the new Government be able to bring about the “change” that the public wanted?’
Ranawaka said that the three NPP members currently running the Government lack practical experience in economic matters, leaving them vulnerable to being misled by bureaucrats.
Dr. Jayatissa said, “If these so-called bureaucrats could lead us up the garden path, as Ranawaka suggests, political parties such as his URF would be rejoicing, not mourning.”
Ranawaka recalled that the Rajapaksa Government had harassed senior CID officials Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekera. He said they are highly skilled and renowned investigators and added that despite their expertise, they should be taken out from the Easter Sunday investigations.
When asked about this, Dr Jayatissa said that he could understand why Udaya Gammanpila and former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa might be upset over the NPP Government appointing Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekera to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks.
The NPP Government appointed Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekera to recommence the investigations without political interference.
“The extent of Champika Ranawaka’s interest in this matter is unclear, as these two officials were from the CID, not any national intelligence service,” he said.
He said that Seneviratne and Abeysekera were harassed to obstruct the investigations on the Easter Sunday attacks.
Responding to remarks from United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka, who had said that the three NPP members in Government lack practical experience in economic matters, Dr Jayatissa said, “If these so-called bureaucrats could lead us up the garden path, as Ranawaka suggests, political parties such as his URF would be rejoicing, not mourning.”
United Republican Front (URF) Political Committee Chairman and former Deputy Minister Karu Paranavithana said the current three-member NPP Government is likely to secure a parliamentary majority in the upcoming general election.
Paranavithana criticised the NPP’s push to fill Parliament with its Malimawa (Compass) members, saying that it was detrimental to parliamentary democracy and the Westminster system. He said such dominance would undermine the diverse representation essential for a functioning democracy.
Dr Jayatissa dismissed the claims as a misunderstanding. He used an analogy to explain the NPP’s position, saying, “Filling up a vessel with water does not mean it contains just water. There will be particles of other earthly elements and air in it. Sometimes, water can even get mixed with other ingredients.”
He said the concerns over Parliament being filled solely with NPP members were akin to allusions surrounding that the NPP planned to dissolve all trade unions.
He said that the party’s actual intention was to encourage trade unions to align their efforts with the Government’s national development agenda.
“The NPP neither has the intention nor the authority to dissolve trade unions. Trade union rights are protected by the Constitution. Therefore, one should not fan the flames of discord over issues that don’t even exist,” Dr Jayatissa added.
