Manifestos unveiled

Ranil Wickrememsinghe handing over copies of the UNP manifesto to members of the Maha Sangha. Pic by Berty Mendis

• We will take immediate steps to release General Sarath Fonseka from illegal detention in military custody.
• We will restore good governance, the rule of law and media freedom as the pillars of our democracy, while safeguarding the human rights of every Sri Lankan.
• We will endeavour to find a national consensus among all political parties on decisive political, social and economic issues.
• We will introduce laws to prevent unsuitable individuals from entering politics. We will restore the Constitutional Council and Independent Commissions, and implement our Constitution in full.
• Measures will be taken to hold all national, provincial and local elections on the same day and limit the period of office for all elected office bearers to five years.
• Within our first 6 months in power, we will hold a referendum on the Executive Presidency.
• We will make it necessary to have the majority approval of all members of Parliament for renewing Emergency Law, and 2/3 majority to do so after 6 months.
• We will take steps to re-establish the Independent Elections Commission, cut down the cost of conducting elections, and stop the misuse of public funds by political parties.
• We will take rapid measures to re-settle the families languishing in IDP camps. Each resettled family will receive a grant of Rs. 100,000.
• We will increase the salary of every public servant by Rs. 10,000. This is how we plan to do it:
• A hike of Rs. 3,500 with immediate effect. The remainder of Rs. 6,500 will be given after we complete an assessment of the bankrupt Treasury. The first instalment will be given within 12 months and the balance, every six months thereafter
• As an immediate measure to reduce the cost of living, we will take off the taxes imposed on essential goods such as milk powder, sugar, dhal, potatoes, onions and canned fish for a period of one year.
• The prices of kerosene oil, gas, water and electricity will be slashed by reducing existing taxes.
• We will also reduce the price of petrol in line with the Supreme Court Order
• We will continue with the fertilizer subsidy for farmers and make various types of fertilizer freely available in the market

The Manifesto of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) titled “Convention for Humanity” was launched in the presence of the wife of Gen. (retd) Sarath Fonseka, Anoma Fonseka and JVP leader Somawansa last Tuesday. Here are some highlights

The wife of Gen (retd.) Sarath Fonseka at the launch of the DNA manifesto. Pic by Saman Kariyawasam

• Free all persons being unfairly held as political prisoners including General Sarath Fonseka.
• Appointment of all the Independent Commissions by fully implementing the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.
• Limit the Cabinet of Ministers to 30.
• Rs 10,000 pay increase for public servants and also increase the daily wage of an estate worker to Rs.500
• New laws to deal with corruption based on the lines of the UN Convention on Corruption
• Stopping the granting of political appointments and taking measures to inquire into those who have been politically victimized and provide them relief.
• Laws to stop nepotism and prohibition of the appointment of close relatives of politicians to positions in government institutions.
• The chairmanship of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Public Accounts Committee will be given to the Opposition.
• Special programmes to uplift the living conditions of disabled soldiers as well as war widows.
  n Remove all obstacles that stand in the way of an independent judiciary
• Take measures to protect the people’s right to freedom of information and expression.
• Investigate attacks on media personnel that have taken place and bring those responsible to justice.