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Competition between SLFP and JVP, admits Minister
By Chandani Kirinde
The 10,000 tanks rehabilitation project initiated by the UPFA government spearheaded by Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake had run into controversy in recent weeks following a Cabinet paper by President Chandrika Kumaratunga who questioned the lack of transparency in the project.

Mr.Dissanayake, in an interview with The Sunday Times addressed these charges and denied allegations that he was sidelining provincial councils in the rehabilitation work while using the project to bolster the image of the JVP. The senior JVPer admitted there was "political competition" between the two main parties in the Alliance - the SLFP and the JVP - but said the political survival of the JVP in no way depended on four ministerial posts.

The following are excerpts of the interview:
There are allegations you have overlooked accepted tender procedures in the 10,000 tanks project. Could you explain what procedures were followed?
We have not employed contractors to renovate the tanks. From time to time, contracts were awarded to rehabilitate the tanks but they were unsuccessful. Under this project, we have kept our faith in the farmer. There is provision in the law to carry out work without calling for tenders. For example School Development Societies (SDS) can carryout their own development work. The President herself presented a Cabinet paper to allow the SDS to use three million rupees for development work without any tender procedure. Recently a Cabinet paper was presented that this amount should be increased to five million rupees. We are using the same procedure in the tank project. The cost for the rehabilitation of each tank is taken individually. I presented a special Cabinet paper and got approval for this project. We also sought legal advice and got legal validity for it. There is transparency in the use of funds for this programme and we have adopted the proper methodology.

Are you saying that none of the tank work has exceeded the amounts you mentioned now?
The expenses incurred in the rehabilitation of a majority of the 1,000 tanks now under repair has been less than Rs. 500,000. Only in less than 20 tanks has the repair cost exceeded this amount but even in those cases, the cost has been less than one million rupees.

There are allegations that you have overlooked the Provincial Councils when some of the tanks came under their jurisdiction?
At the time the project was started the PCs had been dissolved pending elections. After the election, we met with the respective Chief Ministers and the relevant Provincial Council ministers and also consulted officials on a Pradeshiya Sabha level. The Departments of Irrigation, Agrarian Development, the Survey Department and the PCs are sharing in the work. With the UPFA controlling most of the PCs since the last election, there was no conflict between the central government and the PCs. The UPFA controlled PCs are composed of a segment of JVP members as well.

Maybe the problem is not between the central government and the PCs but between the SLFP and JVP members who make up the UPFA. It looks like the JVP members are gaining more prominence by these activities while the SLFP members are being left out?
We believe that within the two main parties of the Alliance there is a sort of "political competition" (deshapalana tharangayak). Even within a political party, there is competition among individuals. So it is not wrong. If we can use this competition to serve the people better, then we are eager to get into such a competition. When we were in the Opposition, we competed with the government in power and now that we are in power, there is competition within the government.

If the result of the competition is more honesty in government, more welfare for the people, less defrauding of public funds and more attention to the day to day needs of the people, we like to be in such a contest. We are proud of that kind of competition.

The President has herself raised questions about the tank project in a cabinet paper?
This Cabinet paper was not only circulated among the Ministers but was also passed onto the media. We know who leaked it to the press and how it was done. In this Cabinet paper, the President had not directly charged that there are some financial and other irregularities in the tank project but has cast doubts on the transparency in the way the project is being handled.

I pointed out to the Cabinet that the facts on which this Cabinet paper was based were unfounded. I also wrote to the President requesting for either her or for the Cabinet spokesman (Minister Mangala Samaraweera) to withdraw this unsubstantiated Cabinet paper. But I stopped my letter being leaked to the press. During last week's Cabinet briefing Minister Samaraweera corrected the misgivings. I am satisfied with that. If the party that levels the charges rejects these very same charges then there is no need for further discussion on the matter. There is also no necessity for a third or fourth party to get involved, especially a party like the UNP or certain sections of the media.

What prompted the President to take such a drastic step such as presenting a Cabinet paper questioning the work of this project and asking you to submit a report?
A. I think the answer to this question can be found in the reply I gave to your earlier query. (The one on the political competition between the two main parties in the UPFA).

The President had also questioned the selection of members to tank committees. How are members appointed to them?
There are clear guildlines as to how the appointments are made and these are set out in a circular issued by Commissioner General of Agrarian Development.

Haven't you influenced the appointment of members to these committees in any way?
A. In the era we have grown up in, there is politics in everything whether it is at a funeral oration or the distribution of roofing sheets or admitting a child to school. This is the kind of experience we have had. But you must understand that the work of this Ministry is being conducted by the JVP. In the 39-year-old political history of our party we have not used even an iota of government power or government projects for politics. Our party has never had a political push but on the contrary we have always faced political opposition. We have engaged in politics amidst all obstacles and we have achieved victories.

We will never use a ministry to build up the image of the party. That is why in our ministries, we have not promoted, hired or transferred a single person since taking over. We don't pattern the work in our ministries according to a political agenda. Our objective is to serve the people through our ministries. It is possible that through this we will gain some political advantage.

I will not deny that. We have always had a political life outside this and that is the politics we believe in most strongly. I want to tell gentlemen making these allegations to please remember this is the JVP. All these gentlemen survived politically only when they had government power.

They filled the ministries with their supporters. If you look at most ministries, they were filled with people drawn from the areas where the politicians are elected from. Most of their work is also directed at those areas. Because of this, today we don't have a national agenda or a a national programme. The result is that when these politicians lose power, they become weak politically.

Their only protection, strength and salvation is political power. It is used for thuggery, robbery, to make money and defraud the people. But we are not here to do that. For 39 years we did politics outside of government power. So we don't need four ministerial posts to develop our party.

You say the JVP is different from other parties but it is unrealistic to accept that you can suddenly turn things around in a system that has become immersed with political patronage in almost every sphere of life?
If you take the government service, there is a certain level of bribery and corruption. We don't believe that these maladies have been completely eradicated because we took over these ministries. In the past, those giving leadership to these ministries have not only allowed the growth of these maladies but also nourished them.

But we have stopped the growth of this maladies and will not in anyway give patronage to these practices. We are leading by example to eradicate these maladies.

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