Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia

Media and Information Minister Anura P. Yapa, addressing a meeting of the UPFA Activists on the 22nd at Katugampola, has said that the major promise made by Gen. Fonseka, to abolish the Executive Presidency, is not in his election Manifesto ‘Vishvasaneeya Venasak’.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gen. Fonseka referring to this lapse says that his contract with the UNP,JVP,TNP and Mano Ganeshan is not to go home after winning the elections. But to remain as Executive President for some time dealing with Defence, Education and Finance.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Somawanse Amerasinghe at a meeting at Matara on the same day had said, that the JVP had told him about the need to abolish the Executive Presidency for which he agreed. But he had said that he cannot be a vase of flowers and that he wanted to manage state affairs as Executive President for some time.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It appears that Gen. Fonseka is pulling the wool over the eyes of the people as well as his team mates by saying ‘for some time’.

Because the question is, if elected, how long is this time going to be? So obviously, it will be one term which is 6 years. Therefore it could be assumed that his agreement to abolish the Executive Presidency is a bogus promise. His other unbelievable promises are:

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 1. 12-15 Perches of land to every baby born after he is elected President on the 26th. So we can expect a “Baby boom”

because people will have more children to get this block of land!

2. Wage rise of Rs.10,000 a month for public servants

3. A monthly stipend of Rs. 3000 for unemployed graduates

4. Wage rise of Rs.2500 for Estate labour

5. An allowance of Rs.2000 for Senior citizens.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We are not told how he is going to fund the above. We agree that he is an excellent soldier so he will be good at Defence but the war is over now. And definitely not in Finance, Economics and Banking. Therefore, his Manifesto should be titled,

” Avishvasneeya Venasak” – ‘Unbelievable Change’.