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| Only the UNP that is capable of giving leadership to salvage the economy -Karu |
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(Lanka-e-News, December 10, 2008, 5.00PM) Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Karu Jayasuriya who resigned from his portfolio on December 9th will formally accept the post of deputy leader of the UNP at a press conference with Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at Sirikotha on Today.
The press conference, addressed by both Jayasuriya and Wickremesinghe, where they will spell out the future steps they intend to take to face the political challenges ahead.
In a statement issued after resigning his cabinet post yesterday Jayasuriya said that though he joined the cabinet to support the war, the economy has become more important.
The full text of the special statement issued by Karu Jayasuriya is given below:
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I have passed several significant milestones in my life. At each of these occasions, I have taken historic decisions that proved beneficial to my country and the people. Oftentimes these decisions would have appeared as mere political decisions but they were decisions taken in support of sovereignty, good governance and lasting peace.
I have reached yet another historic and politically important decision which is taken with the welfare of the country and people at heart.
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Thirteen years ago, I was unanimously elected chairman of the country’s largest political party, the United National Party (UNP). Within two years, I received an unprecedented mandate and became the Mayor of Colombo. Next with another special mandate, I was elected to the Western Provincial Council (WPC).
A year later, I was elected to parliament with the highest preferential votes from the Gampaha District, became the deputy leader of the UNP and appointed the power and energy minister at a time when the country was faced with an energy crisis.
What is important to note here is not whether I was elected to a local body, the provincial council or parliament or whether I was elected from Colombo District or Gampaha District but the fact that irrespective of those issues, a large number of people flocked around me. They also supported my political decisions. Therefore I feel bound to represent them and I have put aside my privacy and taken those decisions for the people at the appropriate time and consider it my duty to do so.
Almost two years ago, I announced another historic decision. That was to extend support to President Mahinda Rajapakse together with 17 other UNP colleagues to defeat terrorism. I decided to extend unconditional support at a crucial moment when the President was doing his utmost to defeat LTTE terror and the war itself was at a crucial juncture. Even today I recall that decision with happiness and I believe the President’s burden would have been eased by the support extended by us.
Without stopping at that, my group extended unstinted support to pass the previous and the 2009 budget when passing the appropriation bills became a challenging task. I also discharged my duties as a minister with due diligence and commitment. I do believe that during my tenure as minister of public administration, I have managed to make revolutionary changes in the sphere. I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those at the Ministry who extended their cooperation to me.
I believe that I am yet again faced with a similar historic people friendly decision. The two-year period for extending support to this government is almost expended. In contrast to the military victories, Sri Lanka’s economy is faced with serious challenges.
While I am able to endorse the government’s policy with regard to the conduct of the war effort, I am unable to endorse the policy on economic management.
This economic crisis is not only impacting on the government but is seriously impacting on the people and is reaching crisis proportions.
Therefore I feel compelled to go for an alternative that may help prevent the country’s economic crisis. I am not only pained that the government in which I held a cabinet portfolio has failed to implement the 17th Amendment which I have seriously worked for and initiated for the depoliticisation of our society.
I have been criticised for this failure. I have seriously contributed to the setting up of a Citizen’s Committee after which the concepts of the 17th Amendment were to be practically implemented at the periphery. I have faced serious criticisms from civil society for the failure to secure a depoliticisation process through the implementation of the vital constitutional amendment.
Considering all of the above, if I continue to remain silent, I run the risk of people losing their trust in me completely. To keep that trust and to do what is right on their behalf, I have once again embarked on a new journey by taking another historic decision.
I have never left the UNP. I have never criticised the UNP or the party leadership. At a crucial time for the country, the UNP leadership did not agree with my stance that compelled me to extend support to the government together with a group of colleagues.
Besides that decision, I had no differences with UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s stance or the party’s stance on national economic management. I still believe there is ample opportunity to nurture the same. At a time like this, I therefore consider it my duty to once again aid an initiative to introduce economic prosperity to this country.
Therefore, as the two year period for extending support to the government is almost at an end, the country is presently faced with a massive economic crisis that is far beyond the war and because it is only the UNP that is capable of giving leadership to salvage the economy, I have decided it is important to rally round all the UNP supporters.
Therefore, it is with a strong sense of commitment as well as happiness that I accept UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s invitation to rejoin the UNP as its deputy leader. In order to give expression to that decision, I have decided to resign both from the portfolio as well as the government.
From henceforth, I will rededicate myself to the task of establishing a UNP government under the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe.
This decision is not made for any parochial political gain but for the benefit of the country and its people at a time when we are faced with the task of salvaging our economy from the present abyss and to help create a prosperous Sri Lanka.
As a citizen who loves this country immensely and a former military officer who remains committed to curb terrorism and finally as a citizen who desires economic prosperity for the motherland, I wish to rededicate myself to the tasks and challenges ahead.
Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya
Member of Parliament for Gampaha District |
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