The main opposition UNP if elected to office in the Western Provincial Council will set up a fund to provide more compensation to the families of troops killed or injured in the war, the party’s Kalutara district frontliner A.M. Yusuf, a former provincial minister of Food and Tourism, said. Excerpts:
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| Yusuf |
Q: If your party wins the election what are its plans?
A: In the first place we will see that the provisions and facilities provided for the provincial council such as irrigation and welfare and also the powers granted under the 13th amendment are fully implemented.
Q: How will you implement your development plan?
A: In the case of education, primary schools in the district did not function properly and parents of village school students had to go to the town. Therefore our first priority will be to uplift the village school to satisfactory standards so that parents need not send their children to schools in towns.
Q: You’re contesting in the Kalutara district as a UNP candidate and you’re from Kalutara. What are the specific problems faced by the Muslims in the district and how are you going to resolve them through the provincial council?
A: Due to the influence of certain racist forces, Muslims are unable to have the benefits due to them. Our district still does not a sufficient number of Arabic and Science teachers to teach in the Tamil medium. Most Mulsims are merchants and businessmen. The downfall in the economy has affected us. Inflation and financial mismanagement of the government are the main causes of these hardships.
Q: Are you hopeful of winning?
A: Yes. I have lived with the people irrespective of their race or religion and worked with them. I understand the needs of the people and act accordingly.
Q: But the UNP lost the North Western and Sabaragamuwa PC elections.
A: That was because our party failed to take into consideration the situation of the country. As a result votes were not polled. We’re trying to rectify it. It is not the situation in Kalutara now.
Q: So you’re expecting a result different from the previous polls?
A: Yes. We are confident of doing well in the Kalutara district. People from both the majority and minority communities are unable to cope with the cost of living and social problems. On the whole people are unable to live peacefully. The closure of factories is causing hardships. Minor scale plantation workers have lost their jobs and income. People of all these sectors are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Q: The victories over the LTTE have been the primary resson for the UPFA to win elections in the past. Is the UPFA using the same tactics?
A: Yes it is. This PC was in the hands of the PA during the past 16 years. At the same time the war was also going on. But the council paid no compensation to families of soldiers who died. The UNP hopes to set up a fund to provide compensation to the families of dead or injured soldiers. They speak of the war but the families of the dead or wounded soldiers are without food, clothing and shelter. Paying Rs. 100, 000 to the soldier’s family is not enough. The PC earlier amended the government proposal and proposed Rs. 500,000 because families of any slain ministers or MPs are paid more than a million rupees.
Q: How important is this election to the UNP?
A: The UNP is not against the war. We honour the security forces. The present government is talking of war and also wasting the people’s money on Mihin Air, a jumbo cabinet and other wasteful projects. The country’s economy is in a mess because of the mismanagement, corruption and waste. |
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