Mahinda Rajapaksa, President for two full terms until 2017

By. Dr. T.C. Rajaratnam

(February 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Mahinda Rajapakse will complete his term of office in 2017. He will be elected again at the next Presidential elections and shall have the privilege of serving the full term. His determination and vision for the Nation has richly blessed him with the affection and allegiance of the Nation.

It is futile to vote for any other party as the Head of State shall reign supreme and development is possible only if the Governing Party is elected at the Provincial Council elections.

Colombo votes have been misconstrued to be leaning towards the opposition party. Not so this time, with the successive victories that have been experienced by the ruling Party, it is now certain that the Western Provincial Council Elections would be won by the ruling Party.

"We must learn to discuss matters with those who are different to us. Not just people who agree with us but with somebody who is different. We need more conversation and less combat. When we differ, we ought to offer an alternative."

The Business community and the elitist together with the rest have now been convinced that supporting the ruling Party is the only way to development of the Country and the revival of the limping economy.

The main opposition Party has lost its confidence due to the ruling Party’s victories in many parts of the country. The war is almost won. The international community no longer holds a file for Terrorism.

President Rajapakse has been a tower of strength to the poor, the homeless and the destitute people of Sri Lanka regardless of race or religion. He has a deep sense of responsibility and has performed his duty with commitment, determination and courage to bring about a lasting solution. It is his inherent duty to protect the Nation as a whole.

There was so much chaos and conspiracy to humiliate and persecute him but he has overcome all adversities and adversaries owing to the faith the Nation has of him.

Politics has become more and more fractured and pluralized just like our lives.

The ruling party should be supported.No progress can be made unless a common ground is established. To endeavour to establish common ground certain specific responsibilities on the people and political leaders should be imposed. More of our people must set an example. People should be made conscious of their conduct.

We must learn to discuss matters with those who are different to us. Not just people who agree with us but with somebody who is different. We need more conversation and less combat. When we differ, we ought to offer an alternative. We should say what are for and just not what we are against. We ought to look relentlessly at the long term and remind the people that the problems we have developed over a long period of time.

We have to move beyond division and resentment to common ground. We have to go beyond cynicism to a sense of possibility. There should be only one race - the human race - all religions speak of compassion, love, forgiveness and good conscience - let us not segregate and commercialize religious values which are not to be labelled but borne in our mind. Religion is a subject that should not drive us apart.

Religious freedom is a necessity - a human necessity within the legal norms. The Government has an obligation to protect that freedom. It makes a difference in the way we live and the way we function and our ability to overcome adversity.

The people have elected a leader to fulfill the promises and their aspirations. We must pave way for the process and progress of the mechanism, it os the duty of the Nation to support the ruling Party at the forthcoming elections.

*[ Dr. T.C.Rajaratnam LL.B(SL)., LL.M(Lond)., Ph.D(Lond)., was the Co-ordinating Secretary to the Chief Government Whip of Parliament, Late Jeyaraj Fernandopulle; The Member in charge of the English Media of the Media Observation Unit founded by Late Jeyaraj Fernandopulle for the Presidential Election Campaign of President Mahinda Rajapakse in 2005; Candidate for the Colombo District for SLFP-PA in the 1994 Parliamentary General Elections; Author; Orator; Member of the World Lawyers & Poets Society ; International Legal Consultant; CEO of the Chambers of Academic & Professional Studies] E mail: tcrajaratnam@gmail.com



-Sri Lanka Guardian