By Sajith Premadasa –
Sajith Premadasa
I am delighted by the prospect of having this opportunity of meeting all of you. Let me succinctly put forth Sri Lanka’s policy in the future with regard to inter-state relations.
We are firmly committed to maintaining a policy of friendship with all nations, both in the region and beyond. Considering our geographic location, our foreign policy will be focused on working with all nations in partnership, to transform Sri Lanka into a hub in the Indian Ocean, with a knowledge-based, competitive, social-market economy.
For this purpose open trade, freedom of navigation, and a rules-based world order are essential. Sri Lanka will remain firmly committed to these principles.
We will work closely with countries with which we already have development assistance programmes, trade partnerships and strong people-to-people contacts, while forging new and stronger connections with Indian Ocean nations and beyond.
We recognize the significance of our geographic location in the East-West maritime highway, and we want to ensure that we have mutually beneficial, meaningful and constructive partnerships with all nations. Air and maritime connectivity will play a critical role in our nation’s progress.
Trade is essential for our sustenance. As you are aware, Sri Lanka’s first modern and comprehensive free trade agreement with Singapore came into force in May last year. Sri Lanka was also the first country to enter into a FTA with India. I remain committed to pursue a path of enhancing trade and economic connectivity with states in the region and beyond. I also recognize the need to carry forward the regulatory reform agenda to enhance the ease of doing business with Sri Lanka.
Maximizing Sri Lanka’s location, heritage, and diversity in fauna and flora to enhance the tourism industry and also promote Sri Lanka as a Rest and Recreation Centre in the Indian Ocean with sports tourism and newer forms of tourism is also on our agenda.
In order to empower the village and rural population of Sri Lanka that has been somewhat marginalized over the years, I am committed to focus attention on creating special economic vehicles with the participation of international partners to create export-oriented industry and service centres across the country.
It is evident that there cannot be sustainable economic development without reconciliation, stability and peace in our country. The steps that have been taken in the last few years to strengthen reconciliation, rule of law, human rights and democracy have played an important role in placing Sri Lanka on a progressive path to healing and realizing our vision of a reconciled, democratic and developed Sri Lanka. Harnessing our full potential as a modern, stable, prosperous nation requires celebrating, acknowledging and fully recognising our country’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual nature, while securing individual rights and upholding the dignity of all citizens. Our journey on this progressive path to build inclusivity and undertake necessary reform initiatives will continue.
On the international stage, Sri Lanka will pursue meaningful engagement with all partners, and remain committed to facilitating dialogue, building trust, and strengthening multilateral mechanisms and processes.
We will take necessary steps to realize the Sustainable Development Goals while doing our part to mitigate climate change and take measures for adaptation. These are areas in which we will need international support. Combating terrorism and preventing violent extremism are also areas where we will work with the international community.
I want to assure you that we remain firmly committed to working as a team in government, and that we will ensure that Sri Lanka meets its voluntary international commitments.
*Remarks by Sajith Premadasa, Presidential Candidate of the United National Front (UNF) at the interaction with the Diplomatic Corps – Wednesday 02 October 2019
Hela / October 4, 2019
Who wrote this?
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Praba / October 6, 2019
Certainly not Gotha
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Real Revolutionist / October 4, 2019
Very ordinary statement; insufficient from a budding leader.
People are still kept guessing.
(Ranil wrote it?)
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 5, 2019
Who wrote this ? – Has Dayan J changed sides.
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Lankan / October 4, 2019
A thought provoking ideas if only applied in practices.
They can say many thing but do little .
Application of these ideas are important
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SJ / October 4, 2019
It means business as usual
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Eagle Eye / October 4, 2019
Sinhalayo should demand a written guarantee from Sajith Premadasa that he will scrap 15th Amendment that reduced the cutoff point from 12.5% to 5%. This change was done by President Ranasinghe Premadasa on a request made by M H M Ashraff of the SLMC before the 1988 elections. The reduction was with political intent and resulted in ethnic-based political parties with ethnic-based agendas to enter parliament and legislatively weaken and destabilize Sri Lanka incrementally to what it is today.
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justice / October 6, 2019
Eagle Eye Mahindapala,
You are dreaming, for a long time.
Read about Sri Lanka Tamils, here:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Tamils
If you think that repeating your imagined stuff, will convince people,
you are wrong.
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Dharshana W / October 4, 2019
Does the real Sajith even understand the crux of things as mentioned in this brief wrte-up?
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Rajiv Tennekoon / October 4, 2019
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Good Sense / October 4, 2019
Yeah! the man has a degree that includes the subject of Foreign relations BUT WITH AN AEGROTAT. Oh! that means the guy knows something and fulfilled all other requirements for the degree excepting that the fella was unable to sit the final exam due to illness. But then will a guy having fulfilled all other requirements to hold a degree that includes foreign relations write some crap like this. Don’t tell me that if and when the man is elected to be the President and he fails to take oaths because of illness will he become the President with an Aegrotat? Buddy! tighten your seat belts so that the other guy who reserve the air travel can travel in peace.
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K.Pillai / October 5, 2019
There is the local problem which has snowballed from the ‘Us&Them’ syndrome which has festered for long.
The syndrome can be traced to the British Empire’s forcible merging of the Tamil State and the Sinhala States, which existed before and during the Portuguese and Dutch colonial period.
The “Them” have been relegated to ‘Second Class Citizen’ status.
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Eagle Eye / October 5, 2019
K.Pillai,
There was no Tamil State in Sinhale to merge with Sinhala State. These Malabaris who are pretending to be Tamils, who do not know the history of Sinhale are cooking up these stories about a ‘Tamil State’.
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During British rule Wellala Malabaris became ‘First Class Citizens’ and Native Sinhalayo who are the majority became ‘Second Class’ citizens. Wellala Malabaris wanted to maintain that privileged status after British left. That is the root cause of the so called ‘Tamil (Malabari) Problem’.
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Ajay / October 5, 2019
What a load of spiel !!! In this media-savvy age, it is vitally important to reel off the obligatory rigmarole even as you sharpen the bodkin under the table to screw the shit out of your supporters once they cast their goddam votes to you. Who’s the speech writer for Measles Hora? Go a bit easy on the cant, Okay? Looks like both Gotler and Measles have hired the same American PR glib merchants. There’s no difference at all between their economic policies: the same old neoliberal globalist agenda.
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Eagle Eye / October 5, 2019
If Sajith wins, he will become the p*odle of Ranil. He can make big noise but that is the reality. He said he will not agree to any conditions but at the end he agreed to all the conditions of Ranil and became the Presidential candidate. Ranil and his ‘Royal Gang’ will go ahead with their agenda without any hindrance. The NGOs thriving on $$$s will be able to go ahead with their ‘Anti-Sinhala, Anti-Buddhist’ campaign.
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Lightning Strikes at odd places. / October 5, 2019
Sajith,
you are delighted but the country is not delighted.
What kind of democracy do you have in mind. ??????
Democracy to rob, cheat, plunder, to trample in arrogance, to strike when it suits, to hold the innocent and humble to ransom etc etc, is this the kind of democracy you have in mind.
You had better use your brain if you have one in coming out with better ideas to get the country out of the cesspit it is wallowing in.
Sri lankan politicians presently those in power are a National Disgrace not only to the learned man but to the whole world accept to the Banana Republics where the same kind of perverted specimens survive.
You haven’t the Guts and balls to take on the strikers and arrogant buddhist clergy of the country and if you try they will make minced meat out of you.
You haven’t the balls to take on the rogues who have robbed the blessed land of its treasures and glory and if you try your dirty linen will be washed in public.
You haven’t the balls to tackle the Drug Mafia, and the unseen God Fathers who rule without being seen and most probably you may know them but prefer to look the other way for fear of getting a bullet up your rear.
Sri lankans will never learn the easy way as long as they are cajoled at election rallies with empty promises and lies from 1948 to present.
Instead of hoping to be the next President we suggest you take a trip to Syria in depth and see first hand the sufferings those people have undergone because they were ruled by two arseholes all their lives who were and are corrupt to the marrow of their bones.
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Sena / October 5, 2019
Another Shit hole in the waiting.
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Ranjith(SPRRW) / October 5, 2019
Something special from Shri mukaya (Holy mouth) or Carbon copy of somebody else’ writing ???????
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Horizon / October 6, 2019
How can you knock down this flowery article full of fantastic visions of a milk and honey Sri Lanka.
But where is the mention of elimination of corruption, halting the unhindered robbery of state resources, repairing a broken system of law and order, reforming the puppet judiciary, addressing large scale losses by state enterprises, plan for repayment of a mountain of national debt and so forth?
Once again it will be terrible politics and disastrous business as usual. We sure need a fundamental change. But I do not see any signs of radical and transformational changes sorely needed, to salvage Sri Lanka out of the current hopeless, disastrous mess.
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kali / October 6, 2019
Dear Mr.Premadasa Potential President
*** Let me first of all congratulate your on your historic mission to right the wrong. There is a saying that Charity begins at home. It is diasppointing that you have chosen to address Sri Lankas order of priority the other way round. Sri Lankas 30 year civil war was the product of 70 years of brutality and we have all suffered. Sri Lanka holds the World record for race riots which I hope you admit is a blot on Sri Lankas place in the civilised world. You as the rulers of Sri Lanka have the Army , Navy the Police at your command with the fire power. This fire power has so far caused so much Carnage which could have been avoided . You lost your father and I lost 3 members of my family.
Let me take issue with the following.
1) It is evident that there cannot be sustainable economic development without reconciliation, stability and peace in our country.
*** True they are inter connected.
2) The steps that have been taken in the last few years to strengthen reconciliation, rule of law, human rights and democracy have played an important role in placing Sri Lanka on a progressive path to healing and realizing our vision of a reconciled, democratic and developed Sri Lanka.
*** I totally disagree with you on the above. Your boss RW has been paying a lip service either through constraints placed upon him or lack of Commitment and honesty. .
3) Harnessing our full potential as a modern, stable, prosperous nation requires celebrating, acknowledging and fully recognising our country’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual nature, while securing individual rights and upholding the dignity of all citizens. Our journey on this progressive path to build inclusivity and undertake necessary reform initiatives will continue.
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Horizon / October 6, 2019
How can you knock down this flowery article full of fantastic visions of a milk and honey country-Sri Lanka.
But where is the mention of elimination of corruption, halting the unhindered robbery of state resources, repairing a broken system of law and order, reforming the puppet judiciary, addressing large scale losses by state enterprises, plan for repayment of a mountain of national debt and so forth?
Once again it will be terrible politics and disastrous business as usual. We sure need a fundamental change. But I do not see any signs of radical and transformational changes that are sorely needed to salvage Sri Lanka out of the current hopeless, catastrophe.
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kali / October 6, 2019
Part 1Dear Mr.Premadasa Potential President
*** Let me first of all congratulate your on your historic mission to right the wrong. There is a saying that Charity begins at home. It is disappointing that you have chosen to address Sri Lankas order of priority the other way round. Sri Lankas 30 year civil war was the product of 70 years of brutality and we have all suffered. Sri Lanka holds the World record for race riots which I hope you admit is a blot on Sri Lankas place in the civilised world. You as the rulers of Sri Lanka have the Army , Navy the Police Force at your command with the fire power. This fire power has so far caused so much Carnage which could have been avoided . You lost your father and I lost 3 members of my family.
Let me take issue with the following.
1) It is evident that there cannot be sustainable economic development without reconciliation, stability and peace in our country.
*** True they are inter connected.
2) The steps that have been taken in the last few years to strengthen reconciliation, rule of law, human rights and democracy have played an important role in placing Sri Lanka on a progressive path to healing and realizing our vision of a reconciled, democratic and developed Sri Lanka.
*** I totally disagree with you on the above. Your boss RW has been paying a lip service either through constraints placed upon him or lack of Commitment and honesty. Nothing tangible has been achieved.
3) Harnessing our full potential as a modern, stable, prosperous nation requires celebrating, acknowledging and fully recognising our country’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual nature, while securing individual rights and upholding the dignity of all citizens. Our journey on this progressive path to build inclusivity and undertake necessary reform initiatives will continue.
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kali / October 6, 2019
Part 2
*** You have had a go at it for 71 years and nothing has been achieved except death and destruction.. To achieve the above you need LOVE & VISION.
If you want to change the course of History and go down in History as a great leader you must LOVE your Country and its people both Sinhalese and the Minorities and have a VISION and I genuinely hope that you do. If so Devolve Powers both Land and Police Powers and let us live in peace and avoid the Horrors of Krishanthi.
I wish you the very best.
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Horizon / October 6, 2019
Is devolving powers the answer to any ethnic or minority problem in a country the size of 25,000 square miles? This an admission of inefficiency in the sense that the (central) government is incapable of managing a population of 20 million people employing sound principles of equality and non- discrimination.
We have created nine provincial governments for the same reason, that we cannot manage the country as a whole.
The country does not need devolution and fragmentation. What we need is unification of all ethnicities and peoples of all religions, under one rule if law to live together.
Proof- Did Singapore devolve the powers to regions and ethnicities to be successful as a nation?
Devolution may be needed in other large countries. But breaking the small country into tiny pieces is not a real solution. It is a cop out.
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kali / October 6, 2019
Horizon
Your horizon is limited to Sinhala Lanka and you are echoing the sounds of THUTTA GEMUNU. Keep up the good work and under Gotha the Country will be even further fragmented. See you in an years time. Mark my word. You and I are different people and we cant live together.
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