Devolution is the way out - Maithripala

A top government minister this week called for a devolution settlement for the people in the north, in a bid to bring peace to the country. “Without peace there is no economic development. I am for peace, which will come through a devolution package for the Tamil People,” Maithripala Sirisena, General Secretary, SLFP and Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Services said, addressing a group of top entrepreneurs in Colombo at a ‘Business for Peace Forum’ The theme of this programme, organised by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCISL), was ‘maintaining the balance of peace building and economic growth – the SLFP stand point’.

Dr. Ravi Liyanage, CEO, Raigam (Pvt) Ltd, participating as a panel member at this discussion, pointed out that despite Central Bank reports showing rosy figures there is a slowdown in the economy. “There are cash flow problems in the country and various issues relating to interest rates. While many say that we need peace, we still engage in war,” he said.

Sirisena pointed out that if the government could single-handedly take a decision on the devolution issue, peace could have been achieved, but the present parliamentary structure has prevented the government in taking this initiative. “We need a 2/3 majority vote for this purpose. Also there is an issue of who gets the credit if such a package is given to the Tamil people,” he noted, adding that the All Party Conference (APC) tries to achieve this despite numerous setbacks.

He said that the present election system is a curse to the peace initiatives in the country. “There has to be a change in the election system in the country for peace to prevail,” he added.