The 2000 Manifesto

This is Your Future

In 1994, you entrusted your future to Chandrika Kumaranatunge and the People's Alliance because they promised you a secure future and meaningful changes. Time has revealed how Chandrika's incompetence in governance; her shortsightedness and deceit have aggravated existing problems while creating new ones.

Corruption in government has become the order of the day. Journalists who expose such corruption were assassinated. The North/East conflict has become a lucrative enterprise. Law and order has been abandoned. Our economy, which was the best in South Asia, has virtually collapsed. Two million people are unemployed. Health services have deteriorated immensely. Transport has broken down. Education has been tampered with.

Chandrika's promises of the 1994 general elections have vanished into thin air. Chandrika gave three more pledges subsequently; during the 1999 Presidential elections: that she would end the war within six months; bring down the rampant cost of living and eradicate unemployment.

At the Presidential election she not only cheated your franchise but she also stole your future. Instead of ending the war, she lost the Elephant pass camp and sacrificed the lives of thousands of our brave soldiers. Cost of living has risen to astronomical heights. Many people have been reduced to one meal a day. Factories have closed down. Prices for agricultural products have reached rock bottom. Unemployment has been exacerbated. The nation is fast falling towards the pre-1977 era when people were forced to eat out of dustbins, stand in queues and go semi-naked. The UNP is the only party that can save this country from this chaos and secure your future. The UNP is the only party that posses the necessary experience and competence to rebuild the nation.

After 500 years of foreign domination, in 1948 the UNP under the leadership of right honorable D.S. Senanayake was able to obtain independence for our country. Free education and free health services were introduced. The Galoya reservoir was built. Agriculture was revived. At the time, Sri Lanka was the only country in Asia, which did not have to borrow a single cent from any country or institution. 

The SLFP led governments that ruled Sri Lanka from 1956 to 1965 brought ruin to this prosperous nation. From 1965 to 1970, a UNP government led by Dudley Senanayake revitalized the economy and made Sri Lanka a beneficiary of the green revolution. He developed agriculture, founded the tourist industry and reformed the education system.

But the seven-year curse of the SLFP led United Front government brought our country to the abyss of economic, social, political turmoil. The economy caved in. Barriers were erected across the country to prevent the transport of rice and chillies. Consumption of rice was banned on Tuesdays and Fridays. Mile long queues were formed to purchase half a loaf of bread in the mornings. Free education was reduced by two years. Corruption and nepotism reigned. Rule by a political elite became the order of the day.

The UNP came forward to liberate the people who were suffering untold hardships and difficulties. From 1977, UNP governments under the leadership of J R Jayawardene and Ranasinghe Premadasa brought about a revolution. The economy was opened out to the world. Foreign investment was promoted. Gigantic development schemes such as the Mahawali, inaugurated. Goods were plentiful in the market. Houses were constructed. Industries and trade developed. Technologies were taken into the villages. Entire villages were reawakened. Competency and merit were recognized. People were uplifted from poverty. Shares were made available to the people. Freedom of thought and expression was instituted. Power was devolved.

In 1994, when I handed over this country to Chandrika, we had a strong economy where unemployment was under control; people had money in their hands; the war was confined to the Jaffna peninsular and democracy had been re-established.

I was born in an independent Sri Lanka and received the full benefit of free education - including that of a university degree. Like all of you I love this country and my aspiration is to make our country prosperous like Japan and Singapore, thereby ensuring you of a secure future. Therefore on the 10^th of October, go to your polling station early in the day, mark a cross against the elephant and vote for the UNP. You will thereby entrust to my party and me the responsibility of securing your future.

- Ranil Wickremesinghe

Leader of the United National Party

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If the UNP's economic policies had been consistently pursued since 1947, Sri Lanka could have become a developed nation - with full employment. It could have even surpassed other nations in Asia such as Singapore, Japan and Malaysia. Unfortunately, each time an SLFP led government was elected, it undermined the economy of the country. Every time the economy was revived and nursed by the UNP, successive SLFP governments crushed it - in 1956, in 1960, in 1970 and in 1994, resulting in increased poverty. Yet, today, the People's Alliance who were the harshest critics of the UNP economic policies, have adopted the very same development policies. The problem here is that they, unfortunately, do not possess the necessary administrative skill or the management capacity to execute these policies efficiently. The UNP's economic policy is founded on the basic principle of augmenting the purchasing power of the people. The cornerstones of this policy are to increase productivity, to develop effective distribution systems and to create new income generating opportunities.   By increasing your income and your purchasing power, and thus reviving business opportunities, we aim to kick start the stagnant economy by the dawn of the New Year Season.

 

Rapid Economic Development

To ensure economic development through Sri Lanka, we will demarcate the country into five economic regions as follows:

 

West	Western Province
South	Southern Province, Ratnapura, Moneragala Districts
Central	Central and North Central Provinces, Badulla District
Northeast	North-East Province
Northwest	North-West Province, Kegalle District

• There will be an Economic Development Commission for each region that will be responsible for creating a regional economy, thereby creating jobs.

• Each commission will promote industry, agriculture trade and tourism in the region .

• This Commission will also create an environment to attract foreign investment into the region.

• We will promote computer and information technology to become a leading sector of the economy - creating hundreds and thousands of new jobs.

• We will establish a graduate employment  scheme to provide jobs for unemployed graduates. The private sector too will participate in this scheme.

• We will encourage foreign companies to relocate in Sri Lanka.

• We will promote local and foreign investment in infrastructure projects needed to modernize the country such as highways, power-generation, water supply schemes, high-rise buildings etc.

• We will make Sri Lanka an air / sea hub in the Indian Ocean.

• For this purpose, we will develop the Tricomalee harbor and establish two international airports in the North East and the South. This will enable the rapid development of these regions by providing easy access to export markets and encouraging tourism.

• We will move Sri Lanka away from low value added tourism to high value added tourism, and increase the number of tourists up to a million a year.

• We will help the garment industry to meet the challenges of 2004 and strengthen the industry which is one of our leading economic sectors.

• We will help all sectors of the economy in similar ways.

• We will establish a new development bank to provide capital for local business; this will safeguard and create new jobs.

• We will make telecommunications a leading sector targeting on two million telephones initially.

• The law of the sea conference gave us a special economic zone. This is our new economic frontier. We will encourage the commercial exploitation of this zone by foreign and local investors. This will create a large number of new jobs.

• We will modernize the agricultural sector by promoting new crops, utilizing new technology including green houses and drip-irrigation, and by introducing systems of business management. In doing so we will promote the establishment of a large number of agro businesses.

• We will promote reforestation as well as the protection of water resources. This will also create additional jobs.

• We will promote increased investments in the transport systems and thereby increase jobs.

• We will re-establish an environment conducive the advancement of small and medium businesses.

The UNP introduced and expanded free education to this country. Successive SLFP led governments devalued this opportunity by excluding English language and technical skills.

Chandrika's government tried to limit free education only to children between the ages of five and fourteen through her new constitution. This is a further denial of the right to education.

The overall student population in higher education in Sri Lankan is 40,000. Australia, which has a population similar to ours, has five lakhs of students in their universities and large numbers in other fields of higher education. Singapore, which has only a population of thirty-seven lakhs, has forty thousand students in its campuses.

Globalization is a tangible reality of the 21st century. We will equip our students with the technical expertise and knowledge in computing and information technology to face the challenges of the information age. At the same time, we will encourage students to learn about our local literature, culture and history.

• We will ensure that all students are proficient in English and are computer literate within 10 years. Thus, students will have access to the global network of knowledge via the Internet.

• We will make higher education and professional education more opportunity-friendly and market-oriented by broadening its compass to suit changing needs and times.

• We will make sure that undergraduates in our universities have a choice in the selection of subjects like their counterparts in the UK and USA.

• We will introduce a voucher system to fund students attending fee-levying institutions. As a result, poverty will not be a barrier for students to pursue higher education and training.

• We will establish Higher Institutes of Technology at undergraduate and graduate levels as well as colleges of technology in all districts.

• We will start a multimedia university to enable access to higher education. This would allow all people Ð from working people to those housebound, to educate themselves and widen their horizons without reference to limitations of age and time. Thus, education will not be constrained to a particular time of life.

• We will abolish the special exam Ð the General Proficiency Test for university entrance to be held in January, and select students for university admission on the basis of the G.C.E. A Level.

• In future, parents, teachers and past pupils will be responsible for their local school through a Development Board.

The UNP has consistently developed agriculture. The priority given by Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake to agriculture has always been a key feature of UNP policies.

The greatest problems faced by the farmers are finding a market and a reasonable price for their products. Farming is no longer a viable economic prospect. Our policy is to provide our farmers with a better price (unlike the PA, which supports farmers in foreign countries to the detriment of the local farmers).

• We encourage and support local agricultural production by limiting the importation of agro-products.

• We will guarantee the prices of basic agricultural products.

• We will introduce new technologies to farming, and encourage the growth of high value new crop varieties.

• We will promote research and development in agriculture and seed production.

• We reduce production costs in agriculture by providing subsidies for selected fertilizers and agro chemicals.

• We will provide subsidies for agricultural wells, agricultural implements, seed and plant material to farmers who commit themselves to enhance agricultural productivity.

• We will reduce the taxes on agro-equipment such as tractors.

• We will institute Agro-business centers in every Pradeshiya Sabha area so as to train farmers in new technologies, agro skills and management and marketing. We will institute a market network for fresh agricultural products in partnership with the private sector.

Similar to agriculture, we need to develop the fisheries industry to become a main component of our economy. We will take the lead to modernize the fisheries industry so as to create an ocean economy.  

• We will establish Fisheries Training Centers to introduce new technologies, tools and techniques so as to upgrade the skills of fishermen.

• We will commence easy payment schemes for the purchase of fishing craft and equipment.

• We will provide ice plants and other storage facilities including mobile freezers for the transportation and better storage of fisheries produce.

• We will remove the ban on outboard engines over 15 horsepower in capacity.

• We will develop fully equipped fishery harbors and anchorage facilities.

• We will make use of new technologies to breed both sea and fresh water fish.

Agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, medium and small-scale enterprises and trading are integral components of the village economy.

• By developing the above sectors we will invariably invigorate the village economy. We will link the weekly village fair with urban markets.

• We will institute a network of micro banks to support and assist the rural entrepreneurs.

• We will devolve village-level powers of governance to the Pradeshiya Sabhas.

• Maximum authority will be given to these bodies for local development.

• The development of village infrastructures such as transport, telecommunications and electricity will thus become the responsibility of the village government so that villagers themselves are empowered to make decisions relating to their economy, culture, and development schemes.

• We will provide opportunities for NGOs to work in partnership with these local government authorities unhampered by any unfair restrictions.

Today, local entrepreneurs are profoundly affected by the downturn in the economy. Only the UNP has the capability to provide a solution.

• We will introduce an incisive development program to assist small entrepreneurs with financing, the supply of equipment and marketing.

• We will develop effective links between small / medium scale entrepreneurs in the villages, and big producers and large-scale distributors.

• We will offer capital to assist local entrepreneurs via a special program and provide relief to entrepreneurs who are in debt.

• We will set up a special unit to expand and develop local entrepreneurship.

• We are committed to furthering trade links between India and Sri Lanka, at a time when there are free trade zones such as NAFTA and EEC being created globally. We will re-negotiate aspects of the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade agreement which are adverse to Sri Lanka's interests.

• We will raise the living standards of the plantation communities.

• We will upgrade schools in the plantation sector to be on par with other schools.

• We will provide better infrastructure and housing for plantation workers.

• We will upgrade the health service in the plantation sector and expedite the issue of National Identity Cards to those in plantation communities. We will work to resolve all outstanding problems relating to those of recent Indian origin without delay.

In recent times there has been an unprecedented increase in crime as a result of the support extended by this government to criminals and underworld gangs. Political interference has precluded the police from trying to arrest this situation. Sexual abuse of children, the violation of women and drug dealing and drug related offences have augmented drastically under ChandrikaÕs rule. Army deserters joining up with underworld gangs have aggravated this situation. Civil society has been gripped by a fear psychosis. It is essential that we arrest this crime wave.   

• We will seek the assistance of international experts to fight crime.

• Parliament will enact tough laws to suppress crime.

• We reiterate our commitment to creating a society where citizens can live in peace without fear or favor.

Today, the Bribery and Corruption Commission has been reduced to a farce. The Commission has been deprived of the necessary staff to inquire into complaints. Chandrika who waxed eloquent on bribery and corruption has debased the Commission to a powerless entity.

• When elected, we will set up a truly Independent Commission on bribery and corruption - answerable only to Parliament.

• We will seek the views of the Opposition and civil society organizations in setting up this Commission.

• We will provide the Commission with the relevant facilities and support services to eradicate bribery and corruption from political and social structures.

We will appoint an Independent Police Commission to create an environment conducive to the execution of police duties according to the law and justice, and to protect the integrity and autonomy of the police officers. The appointments, transfer, promotion, and disciplinary control of police officers will be carried out by a fair and transparent process.

Today, the unofficial officer in charge of a police station is the local government politician. The police are in the unfortunate position of having to renounce law enforcement in favor of the whims and fancies of government politicians. We will take steps to terminate this era of political interference.

• We will make it the duty and responsibility of the local Officer in Charge and the Assistant Superintendent of the area to strictly enforce law and order, and thwart crime.

• We will establish a new Ministry of Internal Affairs to be in charge of the Police Service, to look after the welfare of Police Officers and to fight crime.

• The Ministry will look in to the housing and other requirements of Police Officers.

We will reinstall the right of public servants to retire on a full pension after 20 years of service.

We will have ongoing discussions on the special issues faced by pensioners with pensionersÕ associations. We will also set up a special Council that would be consulted on welfare measures for pensioners.

We remain committed to the protection of Buddhism and Buddhist sites. Similarly, we are committed to the protection of other religions and their rights. We will ensure that laws and executive actions do not belittle or discriminate against any religion.

We will establish a High Council to promote and develop Buddhism based on the advice of the Mahanayakas of the three Nikayas rather than rely on the choice of the Minister of Buddha Sasana as in Chandrika's constitution.

The UNP will continue to support and further Pirivena education.

A strong economy can only be founded on modernized infrastructure and transport facilities. If we are to increase productivity, transportation of commuters should be efficient. We will make every effort to institute and maintain bus and rail services that are punctual, efficient and comfortable.  

• We will remove road barriers, which close up roads unnecessarily and choke traffic.

• Diesel tax will be abolished.

• We will minimize commuter time through the better coordination between public and private transport services.

• We will electrify the railways and modernize the buses to provide reliable and comfortable services to the people through planned investments.

• Roads bring development to the village. As a matter of priority, we will build a network of highways to suit the 21st century.

We will seek an all-party consensus to formulate a national health policy that will be of benefit to all.

We are grateful to the doctors, nurses and other health workers who carry out their duties under tremendous pressures. We will see that a more positive working environment is created for all who are engaged in the health sector.

• We will introduce a national health insurance scheme.

• We will take immediate steps to rectify the current shortage of medical drugs.

• Estate hospitals will be fully equipped.

• We will institute a systematic and practical scheme to settle problems affecting the health sector; thereby eliminating any unnecessary confrontations with those engaged in the health services.

• We will set guidelines and standards for the private health sector.

• We will ensure that the indigenous health services are on par with western medical services. We will also promote the cultivation of herbal plants and research into local medications. 

We will solicit the people's participation to ensure the protection and preservation of the forest cover in the mountains and in and around the villages.

We will ensure that inland reservoirs and lakes are pollution-free so that the people can benefit from the resulting fisheries resources.

We will preserve the bio-diversity of the country through the proper protection and management of wildlife sanctuaries, rainforests and other protected areas. We will also conserve Sri Lanka's costal belt.

We will take steps to minimize the pollution caused by motor vehicles.

We will encourage and support institutions that provide opportunities for young people to further their talents in the fields of song, music, dance, art acting and sculpture.

• We will set up a University for the Arts dedicated to the study of creative arts, performing arts and the electronic media. A panel of experts from these fields will manage the institution which will award degrees and foster creative activity.

• We will take steps to release artists from political control; introduce contracts of employment; amend the current Intellectual Act; assist senior artists and introduce a pension scheme for artists.

• We will build a fully equipped theatre for the Performing Arts of international standards.

• We will resolve the crisis in the national cinema industry and develop the industry to an international level.

• We will market Sri Lanka globally as a leading film location.

The Parliament voted monies for the defense of the Elephant Pass camp. Despite this, a force of fifteen thousand were unable to defend this camp because the monies voted by Parliament had not been utilized by the government. In comparison, a battalion of 800 defended it successfully in 1990. For the first time in the history of this conflict the army had to fall back abandoning the camp. This is the most serious setback in this conflict.

The main reason for this is the politicization of the armed forces and the resulting deterioration. Even though monies were voted by Parliament the required arms and spare parts were not purchased. There is large-scale corruption in the procurement of arms. Able officers are sidetracked; the welfare of the troops is ignored; and the war is fought according to a political agenda. These are the main reasons for the serious setbacks suffered by the armed forces.

• We will eradicate politicization within the armed forces.

• The management and administration of the armed forces will rest in the hands of senior professional officers.

• We will establish a committee similar to the combined Chiefs of Staff. This committee will be responsible for the conduct of all combined operations.

• We will institute a Board constituting of retired senior military officials to advise the government.

• We will have modern and professionalized armed forces reflecting the ethnic mix of our country.

• We will institute a Board constituting of retired senior military officials to advise the government.

• We will have modern and professionalized armed forces reflecting the ethnic mix of our country.

• Competency and military integrity will be the main criteria for appointment.

• Human resource development in the armed forces will receive our special attention.

• We will set up an Independent Procurement Authority to draw up new guidelines to prevent corruption in arms procurement.

• We will create a Veterans Authority to be responsible for displaced soldiers, retired soldiers and bereaved dependents.