The components of the program imply the present Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has failed to deliver true democracy and equitable development.The approval by the WC will see its Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe making a policy statement at the forthcoming UNP convention. In a statement, the main Opposition said the UNP believes that every person deserves a chance and the Government needs to help everyone secure that chance. “The Rajapaksa economy, based on drug money, hot money, and black money, has instead deprived the people of that opportunity to get ahead in life. Power and wealth are today concentrated in the hands of 1% of the country. This has been achieved through Government control, both direct and indirect, of the economy,” the UNP said, adding, “an economy based on the primacy of markets where those who manipulate the market also control the capital. A system under which Government losses are socialised, i.e. all of us have to bear the burden, while the profits are privatised, i.e. benefits only 1%.” The UNP’s ‘Radical Statement’ specifically rejects the Colombo stock market capitalism based on the primacy of markets. “We have again reiterated our belief in a highly-competitive social market economy. This is in keeping with Chapter VI of the 1978 Constitution, i.e. directive principles of State policy as well as economic objectives of the European Union. Therefore the radical statement upholds the primacy of politics where the principles relating to the market economy are determined by the political process which is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all,” the statement said. The radical statement also emphasises a UNP commitment for the empowerment of women who constitute more than half of its population and do not enjoy equal rights to their self-determination and self-fulfilment by ensuring economic and political empowerment for women. The other highlights of the radical statement are: Firstly, a political system that will ensure every person The full benefits education including 13 years of compulsory school education, healthcare, social protection, and housing Equal opportunities for upward social mobility and success An adequate income enabling every person to exercise the freedom to select from a wide range of goods and services which fashions his/her lifestyle Promote social equality by identifying and eliminating where necessary through affirmative action, the barriers establishing social exclusion Secondly, a system of government based on A new Constitution which will achieve the stability necessary for a Sri Lankan identity, national unity, strengthening the democratic institutions and rights, upholding equality, rule of law, re-establishing the independent Commissions, a representative Government based on a Cabinet of Ministers responsible to Parliament, provision for devolution of power and term limits for the President and other key office holders A legal framework to promote national reconsolidation by implementing the LLRC Report and the undertakings given b y the Government of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Organisation The Universal Access to Education as a fundamental right and a Right to Education Law New laws to combat bribery and corruption including (i) enforcing the UN Convention on Corruption with an effective and independent anti corruption mechanism; (ii) protecting public property and archaeological treasures from politicians and their supporters (iii) implementing the Right to Information Act and (iv) providing transparent and accountable public funding of political parties to eliminate the pressure from interest groups, thereby enabling citizens to participate in government. Thirdly, safeguarding the environment by taking effective measures to safeguard the environment through sustainable development including a low carbon economy. “This is a radical program which invests in people, invests in values, invests in the environment, invests in social welfare, invests in infrastructure, invests in enterprises, invests in jobs. A radical program for you, your children, and for Sri Lanka,” the UNP statement added.
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