Anura unveils election manifesto; pledges to abolish executive presidency, enact new constitution

PIC BY KITHSIRI DE MEL 

By Ajith Siriwardana   

While unveiling the election manifesto “Rich Country and a Beautiful Life” of the National People’s Power (NPP), NPP leader Anura  Kumara Dissanayake yesterday pledged to abolish the executive  presidency, enact a new constitution, punish the corrupt, uphold the rule of  law and put a stop to fraud, corruption and waste.   Speaking at the ceremony to launch the manifesto, 

he said  Sri Lanka has collapsed as a system in all sectors and that NPP’s  manifesto included a strong and systematic programme to take the country  towards a renaissance.   

“We have to take on the responsibility of taking the  country which has collapsed in all sectors to renaissance. We  cannot find solutions to these issues with simple policies. NPP will  take up the challenge of reviving the collapsed country. We have a  strong and systematic programme to take the country towards a  renaissance step by step. We have come forward with a well-planned  programme for all sectors. It is not an ad hoc programme hurriedly put  together. We held discussions for over two years encompassing 34  sectors to prepare the document,” he said.   

Dissanayake said the NPP has focused on several areas,  including upholding the rule of law while ensuring the concept of equality  before the law.   

“Today law and order are also in shambles. The dirty  political culture of this country is the cause of all this. We will  restore law and order once again.” He said.   

He said inter-racial peace and harmony will be ensured while putting a stop to rival politics.   

 “We will introduce a new constitution as soon as possible  in which the rights of all communities are guaranteed. We will also  ensure that language rights are fully ensured in a practical manner as  well as religious rights. We will resume the process of enacting a new  constitution which was initiated in 2015. For many years there has been  disunity among all communities. The political culture of this country is  divisive. Laws alone will not bring about unity. The NPP will do away  with the politics of division and engage in politics of unity,” he said.    

He also said the Cabinet will be restricted to 25 ministers  and 25 deputy ministers. “We will not have any state ministries. We  will stop this practice of appointing ministers to allow them to enrich  themselves,” he said.   

Dissanayake said strong foreign policy will be introduced  under the NPP government where Sri Lanka’s land, sea or airspace will not  be allowed to be used for any activity which poses a threat to regional security.   

“The NPP will have a foreign policy that will not lead to geopolitical tensions in the area.”   

“Corruption is a problem that has become embedded in the  country. We will ensure that those involved in corruption will be  punished and this will be done retrospectively so that the corrupt will  not go free.”   

He said NPP will ensure economic justice to all where local and foreign investors will be welcomed.   

“Many foreign investors have turned back from our country  due to corruption here. We encourage foreign investors to come here, but we will not even have a glass of water at their expense,” he said.