National List Newcomers
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12 THE SUNDAY TIMES PARLIAMENT Sunday April 25, 2010 National List Newcomers Career banker Eran Wickramar- this country and participate in policy Harsha De Silva hitherto was known as the (DFCC) and had co-founded a market were urgent. “You cannot continue atne is one among the nine individu- debates” he said. man who had helped write former Army research organisation earlier in the dec- to have a 10 per cent budget defi- als nominated by the United Nation- When the Sunday Times asked him Commander General (retired) Sarath Fonseka’s ade which was later sold to the Nielsen cit,” he says referring to the 824 al Party (UNP) to the seventh Parlia- how he would don the role of an MP election manifesto prior to the high profile presi- Company. Taking technology to vil- billion rupees interest and capital ment on the national list. Till recent- he answered “we have the responsi- dential election of January 26. De Silva is an lages, he says, has been one of his ini- debt payment figure as against ly, the 52-year-old Wickramaratne bility of holding the executive arm of economist whose doctoral thesis in the early 90s tiatives in recent times. “A lot of people revenue earnings of 702 billion ru- was CEO of the National Develop- the government accountable.” Ac- from the University of Missouri in the US had in Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector are pees in 2009. “I want to challenge ment Bank (NDB), a job he enjoyed countability on how public finances dealt with a case study of Sri Lanka in the era of poor. They need technological tools to people who are always saying very much, but adds he had “always are utilised would be a key issue for economic liberalisation. increase efficiencies,” De Silva says. things without evidence or data,” been interested in larger issues con- him. But writing General Fonseka’s manifesto He added as part of a new project in he says hinting at his strategy for cerning the country.” The UNP’s national list released a would have been a tougher venture because the Dambulla, he has been able to help peo- Parliamentary debates. Since his post-graduation in economics from few days ago had surprised many even from document had to reflect a middle path between ple monitor the prices of vegetables through cel- Apart from the economy, De Silva says, his at- the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) within the party. two contradictory economic policies of the main lular telephones. When the Sunday Times asked tention would be focused on restructuring public in London, three decades ago, Wickramaratne “A lot of people may know you but it takes protagonists – the relatively liberal UNP and the him as to why he opted to join politics given his institutions. “For democracy to flourish, we need has been working on enhancing banking infra- time for people to know what you stand for,” says ultra nationalistic Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna engagements otherwise, his response was, “I to ensure that institutions work well.” structure in this country. Wickramaratne when asked whether his lack of (JVP). was happy with whatever I was doing but I also When asked if his entry into Parliament had While he may have been ideologically close to experience in electoral politics would impede his Prior to his nomination to Parliament this week realised that there is only so much you can do.” become a contentious issue for many within the the UNP for many years, his association with the growth in the party. While Wickramaratne knows from the UNP’s national list, De Silva, 45, was Now, with a seat in Parliament, De Silva as- UNP who had been hopeful of berths in the na- party became obvious in 2001 during UNP leader many senior UNP members and careeer politi- careful not to be identified as being close to the pires to influence policy making. As a strong vo- tional list, he says, “The national list has tradi- Ranil Wickremasinghe’s second premiership. cians have been left out of the national list, he party. “I was not a card holder of the UNP. It was tary of economic reforms he seems to think that tionally been for people from non-political, under- Wickramaratne was an advisor to the then does not think this would spur tensions within just that my views were very close to those of protectionism with regard to the economy that represented groups. It is only in the last few government on the application of information UNP ranks. According to him, political parties the UNP,” he says, may have been necessary during the war should years that this had become a route for backdoor technology (IT) for development. “We launched should continue with the tradition of offering De Silva has been a chief economist for the now be set aside. The need for liberalisation and entry into Parliament for those who lost at the the electronic governance programme for the seats through the national list to people from non- Development Finance Corporation of Ceylon better fiscal management, according to him, polls.” country then. The idea was to create jobs in new political backgrounds. technology sectors and build the IT communica- While hoping the Lankan economy gets the tions infrastructure,” Wickramaratne says. Bridg- post-war policy focus it deserves, Wickramaratne ing this country’s digital divide has been of inter- does not share the perception that the UNP Malani Fonseka - In a recent survey on ac- Malini’s colleagues from the film world whether you contest or come on est to him. “I worked hard to get global brands should alone be blamed for its disastrous per- tors in Asia, the American TV network CNN - Geetha Kumarasinghe – had contes- the National list it is obvious the such as Microsoft to invest in this country a few formance at the recent general elections. “You hailed Malani Fonseka as one of the continent’s ted the parliamentary elections but parties put forward their best years ago,” he adds. can’t look at the UNP in isolation. It is the current Top 25. was defeated. On this subject, Malini’s choice and it is the responsibility Although Wickramaratne by his own admis- political situation of the country after 30 years of Educated at Gurukula Vidyalaya, Kelaniya and response was: “As an artiste if she of those parties. I cannot assess sion had “assisted the UNP leadership in organi- conflict,” he says while admitting that there has a career spanning 40 years in as many as 150 came to politics it would have been the party decisions. It is up to sational and management matters related to the been a consolidation of “gratitude votes” in favour films, she is Sri Lanka’s queen of the silver better but it is difficult to assess the them,” Malani said when asked if party,” he could still be considered a novice in of the ruling party. screen. This week, Malani was nominated to public. The people have decided on the public were really concerned parliamentary politics since he never contested He was coy to mention his connection with the Parliament from the national list by the United that and we cannot go beyond it we about who is elected to Parlia- elections. He had been a backroom boy in the Assembly of God (AoG) Church in Sri Lanka play- People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). “I have been have to accept the verdict.” ment. UNP. But now he will be sharing Opposition space ing down what he merely called was his "associa- in the film field for over 40 years. I think I have UNP parliamentarian from Gampaha Ronald Reagan was an actor be- with his elected colleagues in Parliament. “I hope tion" with it. He could not be drawn into elaborat- reached the peak in that field. As a citizen I think and small screen actress Upeksha Swarnamali fore he became the President of the US. The to contribute to (making) sensible legislation for ing on his role in its activities. I can do a better service. That’s why I entered who made it to Parliament with a substantial Sunday Times asked Malini. “Do you think an politics,” she said when asked about her enter- number of preferential votes would be sharing actor will become the President of Sri Lanka ing the political theatre. “I was invited earlier to the Parliamentary forum along with Malani. someday” (or are you saying that Mahinda Raja- enter into politics but I did not want to enter pol- Swarnamali often referred to as ‘Paba’ after her paksa is an actor because he acted in some Tiran Alles has been nominated During Samaraweera’s tenure as itics then,” she told the Sunday Times. TV name became famous with just that one tele- film)? “It not matter from which profession you to Parliament on the national list by Telecommunications Minister a According to her, Sri Lanka is a free country drama series before being elected to the new come from. What matters is how you serve the the Democratic National Alliance few years ago, Alles had been em- where she now is ready to take on “any respon- Parliament. “Unlike Paba, I came on the National people. You can be an engineer, a doctor or from (DNA). Although the 50-year-old broiled in a controversy over alleg- sibility and carry out any duty.” “It depends on list. I would not like to comment on the public any other profession, but as a politician you businessman does not have any pre- edly making money by securing ex- the responsibility given to me,” she said adding opinion and about electing her but it is good if should serve the people.