• A leader may consult others when making a decision

By Kelum Bandara  
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stalwart Basil Rajapaksa, in response to a query about the former President’s decision to ban chemical farming, said a leader should take final responsibility for any decision taken by him.   
“I don’t know. A leader may consult others when making a decision. Once a decision is made, he should take the responsibility,” Basil Rajapaksa said in an interview with Daily Mirror.  

Asked why he, as a responsible member of the government, did not advise the then President who is his elder brother he said he could advise but any leader should take the responsibility once done finally.   
“When I met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once, we talked about palm oil cultivation. At that time, the Russia-Ukraine war had started. Ukraine was the key supplier of palm oil to India. Mr. Modi told me that Sri Lanka had been seen as one of the three best countries in the world for growing palm oil. He sought to cultivate palm oil under a buyback agreement for 35 years.  
I humbly refused it saying Sri Lanka stopped such cultivation over environmental reasons. Mr. Modi did not counter it. Instead, he changed the topic to sunflower cultivation.  
Before making a decision, I can advise the leadership. If the decision is however taken, then the leader should take the full responsibility,” he said. See full interview on page 4.