Minister fishing in troubled waters

United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) General Secretary and Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera appeared to throw the government’s Yahapalanaya (Good Governance) principles out of the window this week. He publicly declared that the Government would provide more aid and carry out development work in areas where the party gained more votes at the recent local council elections.

Addressing a public meeting in Angunukolapelessa in his home district of Hambantota, Mr Amaraweera related a story where a person from a nearby household had asked him whether the road in his area would be tarred. He said he looked towards the house and saw the symbol of rival Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) prominently displayed on a tree in the garden. “I pointed out to him that I could not tar the road as it belongs to the local Pradeshiya Sabha, that was won by the SLPP. I told him I for one would not repair their road.”

The minister then declared that he had already begun repairing and constructing new roads in areas where his party (Sri Lanka Freedom Party – SLFP or the UPFA) had won. “In such areas, households will benefit from the Government’s development activities,” he said.“I have told people that we are prepared to fund development projects in these areas even with our own funds to ensure that households which worked for us during the election are benefited,” Mr Amaraweera stressed, adding that the Government should do more for areas which supported it.

The minister also appeared to blame the media for the Government’s humiliating election loss, stating that negative coverage by some media institutions influenced some people to vote against the Government. “Politicians will now have to decide whether to start their own media institutions, because unless they (the politicians) behave according to the way these media institutions expect them to, it will be difficult to win an election,” he quipped.