• Some say I am working towards a ministerial appointment. This is not  true. My intention is to get the government and the opposition to agree  on a common programme
• I also propose to set up an economic revival office in Parliament by  amending standing orders, and those in the Opposition should be given a  role in it

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva yesterday said he is engaged in an exercise to bring in a consensus among those in the Opposition and in the Government, on an all-party government or on a programme which will be implemented  to get Sri Lanka out of the present crisis.   

“Some say I am working towards a ministerial appointment. This is not true. My intention is to get the government and the opposition to agree on a common programme. What we need is an all-party programme which will work towards resolving the current crisis and not an exercise to share ministries. An all-party government or a programme is a must,” Dr. De Silva told Parliament.  

“I was put in charge of a committee of opposition MPs to prepare a programme to revive the economy. It is the first time the opposition has come out with a programme to revive the economy. An all-party government should adopt this programme,” he said.  

“I also propose to set up an economic revival office in Parliament by amending standing orders, and those in the Opposition should be given a role in it. Therefore the role of the Opposition in a multi party arrangement should go beyond taking positions in parliament committees,” the MP also said.  

“What is needed is a plan to make Sri Lanka a centre which brings Indo and pacific regions together. Even President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed the need for such a programme and for a social market economy. Even  Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa agreed for such a programme when he was a minister in the Yahapalana Government. However we could not implement it as those in the government today would not allow it when they were in the Opposition. I therefore agree with what President Wickremesinghe said in his recent policy statement in Parliament,” the MP said.