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Wednesday, 29 July 2015 01:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Dharisha Bastians
Better late than never, the United People’s Freedom Alliance yesterday unveiled its framework for governance if the coalition is returned in the 17 August Parliamentary election, promising big handouts and swift return of mega development project the party claimed had been stalled by the 100-day Government.
The UPFA manifesto was unveiled amid fanfare at the Henry Pedris Stadium in Colombo last morning, with UPFA candidate for the Kurunegala District Mahinda Rajapaksa, as presumptive premier of the alliance, handing over the first copies of the document to Buddhist clergy, senior members of the UPFA and leaders of the alliance’s constituent members.
The manifesto was titled ‘Assurance for the future: Empower the country and let›s start afresh’.
The former President leapt on to the stage, waving enthusiastically to the crowd to the sounds of a song hailing him as ‘appachchi’ – a term of endearment made popular by the UPFA during the presidential election campaign in January. Large crowds were gathered at the stadium for the manifesto launch.
The manifesto has a 12 point program focusing on various areas such as national integrity, anti-corruption mechanisms and judicial independence, economic management, education, foreign policy, health, housing, environment and wildlife and infrastructure development.
The manifesto pledges to conduct transparent investigations into all charges currently being made and ensure the public is kept informed about the revelations of those probes. The policy document also pledges to ensure the independence of the Judiciary and capacity building in the judicial service.
The policy document also contains a 30-day practical action plan that aims to restart development projects that the UPFA’s de facto prime ministerial candidate claims have been suspended by the UNP Government.
“We have learned lessons from the past,” Rajapaksa claimed, addressing the crowd. “We can be patient when we want to be.”
Evoking his strongman, tough on national security image, the ex-President, wearing his trademark white national and burgundy shawl, vowed to get tough when the country needed fighting for.
“We are ready to fight for the country, we will take on that struggle,” Rajapaksa charged.
Hinting that the UN report on allegations of major war time abuses by Government forces and the LTTE would become a hot button campaign issue in the weeks ahead, the UPFA’s premier hopeful demanded: “Will you vote to divide this country and take us to court in Geneva?»
Rajapaksa also promised a new constitution within six months of winning the election in August. “The electoral reforms will also be enacted under the new UPFA Government,” he vowed.
The former President also denied speculation that the UPFA was a deeply-divided coalition, saying the party’s only adversary was the United National Party.
“There is only one faction in the UPFA. That is the faction against the UNP,” Rajapaksa asserted.
He said the UNP Government had stopped “58,000” development projects around the island. “All that because of a hatred of us – 1.5 million jobs were lost because of this,” he told the crowd.
Emphasising the UPFA’s refrain that the party was hoping for a second chance, Rajapaksa announced: “We are ready to start afresh.”
Borrowing from a copy of a leaked manifesto allegedly designed by the Rajapaksa camp in May 2015, the former President said: “Let’s build a modern nation, a proud race and a harmonious society.”
UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha said the party had a short-term plan and a five-year plan included in the manifesto released yesterday.
“There is no doubt that Mahinda Rajapaksa will be elected prime minister on 17 August, and it is our development plan for the country that will be implemented,” Premajayantha promised.
Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and former UPFA dissident Rajiva Wijesinha attended the manifesto launch and each were handed over copies of the document by the former President.
