President calls for mandate for lasting peace, development

(November 24, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)The government seeks a mandate from the people to create a lasting peace and development. We want to take the country along a new direction, says President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Informing the leaders of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday that a decision had been taken to hold the presidential election first, the President said that at the party convention held recently, people had wanted a presidential election.

“We will seek the mandate of the public to create a country that could compete with the rest of the world,” the President said.

Meanwhile, various views were expressed by both government and opposition political party strongmen.

“According to the provisions given to the President in the Constitution to hold a Presidential election and seek a second term after completing four years in office, the Elections Commissioner has been notified of a presidential election. We are preparing for it,” said Susil Premjayanth, General Secretary of the UPFA.

“The UNP has been expressing its views bearing a very firm stance. The UNP and the UNF will reveal its candidate within hours from the government announcing the poll. We will also have the power to lead our candidate to victory,” said Gayantha Karunathilaka, UNP media spokesman.

JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said there was no ethical right to hold a presidential election.

“According to the agreement with the JVP at the previous presidential election, the executive presidency should have been abolished. Nevertheless, the presidential election, which should be held in November 2011 has been called in November 2009.

“This has been done forfeiting two years in office. If he wants to develop the country, those two years are adequate. It is sufficient to establish democracy and uplift the health and education sectors as well,” said Dissanayake.

-Sri Lanka Guardian