Sajith’s manifesto pledges building of strong nation

Highlights

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

- A National Security Council will be established by law, and the right people will be put in the right places   

-The Women’s Charter will be implemented, 25% minimum quotas will be introduced for Provincial Councils, Parliament and the National List whilst ensuring safe public transport for women 

- All businesses with a monthly sale of less than 4 million rupees, will be exempted from paying VAT  

- Environmentally - acceptable community-centred solutions for the human-elephant conflict, effective waste management, and a switch to 100% renewable energy by 2040.  

-Affordability of housing, education, healthcare, transportation and telecommunications, and improving wages for the private sector through high-quality jobs 

-A home-owning society by 2026 and freehold land for permit holders

-We will immediately extend free education to pre-schools  

-A university degree, a professional qualification, or vocational training for every school leaver  

-Free medicine, tests and care, with no hidden costs. A free medical check-up for all over 35 and increased benefits for pregnant mothers   

-A cabinet of ministers free of corruption and conflicts of interest. No relatives will be given Government appointments  

-A new national development bank and a competitive tax regime to accelerate investments to Port City 

  -Zero tolerance on drugs and corruption

- Free seed paddy and fertiliser through farmer cooperatives

By Yohan Perera, J. A. L. Jayasinghe and L B Senaratne   

New Democratic Front (NDF) Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa in his election manifesto launched yesterday, pledged to bring in a new constitution which will build a strong nation, to create a democratic pluralistic society and to devolve maximum power to provinces.  

He also pledged to set up a second chamber which will be comprised of provincial council representatives. At the same time the NDF candidate pledged to create an undivided indivisible nation.   

“A strong nation requires the judiciary to be independent of government. To ensure this, the new Constitution will create an independent public prosecutor, appointed by the Constitutional Council. We will move the judicial interpretation of the constitution away from the Supreme Court to a new Constitutional Court which will also adjudicate disputes among different levels of Government, among provinces and the Central Government. and among the provinces themselves,” it said.   

“We have embarked on a historical journey to launch a revolution of change which will benefit people from all walks of life. This is the beginning of an exercise which will bring about social, political and economic development. People in this country live with the expectation as to when Sri Lanka would be a strong nation. Our journey will be to create a historical political turnaround to fulfil this expectation,” Mr. Premadasa said speaking during the launch   

“We will transform Sri Lanka into a nation which will not kneel before any country or countries. A nation with real sovereignty, where democracy is upheld in this era where some countries make an effort to intervene in internal matters of other nations,” he added.   

We will create a nation where its rulers act as real custodians of the nation instead of acting like its outright owners. We will be rulers who are more humble than dust which is trampled by every foot. Our intention is to build a nation where justice prevails and where economic, religious and cultural rights are upheld in addition other basic human rights,” he also said while ensuring speedy development.   

He also pledged to build up a new machinery to ensure security of the nation with a national security council which will be legally constituted and to introduce a post of National Security Advisor. “I don’t need to be told on the importance of ensuring national security. I lost my father in a terrorist attack and I fully understand the plight of those families who are suffering as a result of terrorism. A strong machinery to ensure security. All military officers who played a role in destroying the LTTE will be given this responsibility,” he said in this regard.   
In his manifesto Mr. Premadasa has pledged to establish an Executive Presidency which will work in concurrence with the Prime Minister, to stop crossovers in Parliament, adopt a zero policy on drugs and extremism, to set up special anti-narcotic courts, special anti-narcotic prosecutor, bring in new laws and regulations under which religious extremism will be monitored , introduce penalties on hate speech introduce a Harmony Act, resettlement of war displaced persons, adopt effective disaster management policies, meaningful power devolution to provinces based on proposal made under Presidents Ranasinghe Premadasa, Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa, 25 percent quota for women in provincial councils and Parliament, Rs 10 million life insurance policy for all working journalists, free annual medical check-ups for everyone over the age of 35, village level family health clinics, establish a special development bank, reduce VAT from current 15 percent to 12.5 percent, increase VAT threshold to Rs 50 million an year, increase PAYE tax threshold to Rs 150,000, modernize the agricultural sector, introduce sound disaster management policies and Introduce a fair school admission policy . He has also pledged to continue the off shore financial city project, Gamperaliya and Enterprise Sri Lanka program. The Manifesto also comprised a ten point plan for the implementation of it.   

Pic by Pradeep Pathirana