Eran highlights UNP achievements

• Outlines promises kept, stronger macroeconomic stability, rise in public revenue, judiciary independence, doubling FDI 
• Backs anti-corruption drive, insists issues cannot be solved quickly as result of many decades 
• Concedes all expectations not met but insists future would be brighter under present Govt. 
• Urges all to vote on 10 Feb.

State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne became the latest top United National Party (UNP) official to step out in defence of the Government’s performance record, issuing a statement outlining the economic and governance developments that have been implemented over the last three years and urging the public to vote to keep the change.  

In the missive, Wickramaratne conceded that the Government had not delivered on all its promises but argued that a continuation of its achievements were still better than a return to the anti-democratic past promoted by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his loyalists. 

He also called on the public to step out and vote on 10 February to keep Sri Lanka on a path of development.    

“I know that all expectations and aspiration have not been met. But you must admit that as a result, a more open, transparent government has emerged.  Let’s ensure that we continue down this road, rather than revert to the bleak period of the past. Let’s build a Sri Lanka our children will be proud to call ‘home,’ a country they would want to return to, rather than find greener pastures elsewhere,” Wickramaratne said, adding, “I urge you to vote. Your decision will determine the destiny of our beloved nation.”

The Minister stressed this process of change began in January 2015 and it needed to be supported to continue. He acknowledged that a coalition Government was not the “perfect arrangement” but it was a compromise that had to be faced given the mandate provided by the people.  

“The United National Party (UNP) along with its allies obtained 106 seats and formed a coalition government with the SLFP.  This was not the perfect arrangement, but given the voter mandate, it was the best under the circumstances,” he said. “While the high expectations of voters have not been fully realised, the journey to see change has begun and will continue. Many of the political, social and economic issues that we face today have been in the making for a few decades.” 

He noted that since 1994, the country has been steered by Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Presidents and governments mainly dominated by the SLFP.  After two decades, since 2015, the UNP has been able to influence the direction of the government.  

“In this short period, we have restored the independence of the Judiciary as seen by recent judgments, strengthened Parliament by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, reducing presidential powers and instituting independent commissions, strengthened the rights of citizens by introducing a Right to Information Act, removed cabinet ministers from office pending investigations,” Wickramaratne said.

On the list were also starting investigations into corruption allegations of the present Government, while also probing corruption and murder allegations against members of the previous regime, managing the debt burden, reducing the budget deficit and increasing Government revenue.

“This has been a Herculean task as we inherited an economy on the verge of collapse. But 2017 has proven to be the turnaround year with increase in exports, doubling of foreign direct investment and the creation of real jobs in the private sector, as opposed to an increase in public sector employment,” Wickramaratne said.