President Ranil Wickremesinghe today assured the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, that he will go through with the proposed electoral reforms.

“We are also bringing in the new anti-terrorist legislation. I'm going to call the Parliament to say once and for all that they must agree on electoral reform. This has been going on. The parties are arguing among themselves. I give them six months. If they don't, I'll have a referendum and ask the country which system they want. The political parties can't be putting this off forever. They have to bite the bullet at some stage. So, if they are not willing I will go for a referendum on the major reforms,” he said.

The President also said that former Speaker Karu Jayasooriya and Victor Ivan have come up with the concept of People's Councils at grassroots level.

“We are giving them support, whatever finance they require. And officials at grassroots level have been asked to promote the concepts. So, it will be done not by us. And that's a request, even with the Galle Face protest that the people at village level must be allowed to express their views. So, there will be 14,000 people's councils in the 14,000 basic units.”

He also said that discussions have been held with Tamils regarding detentions under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

“We've agreed on a formula that will set off against the judgment and the period in detention,” the President said.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe also said that he is focusing on an export oriented, competitive market economy for Sri Lanka as the country has the opportunity of supplying South Asia, Southeast and east Asia.

“Our focus is on competitiveness and export markets. That's what we are working on looking at the industry for technology and modernizing agriculture. If you look at the region by 2050 from Saudi to Indonesia there will be an addition of 500 million mouths to feed at high income level.”

President Wickremesinghe said that the wheels have been set in motion to make Sri Lanka a prosperous nation by 2048 as the country looks to celebrate the centenary of its independence.

He also noted that as far as democracy is concerned, the 22nd Amendment is before Parliament.

“We are waiting for Parliament to pass it. In administrations, we have brought out the first Cabinet manual in Sri Lanka. Hence, that will have to go before the Cabinet and we'll establish procedures for the whole of the Cabinet. The oversight committees are back again and we'll be looking forward to support from the USA.”

He thanked Ms Power for the $40 million US assistance for the farmers, which will certainly be a big help as the country is about to launch a food security and nutrition initiative.

Meanwhile, Samantha Power highlighted Sri Lanka's vibrant private sector and said measures should be taken to unleash the potential of the private sector.

“You have such an incredible private sector, such entrepreneurship. But the government, over so many years has largely stood in the way of unlocking that potential instead of fueling it. Mangala used to say, as you know, government has no business running business. And you know what was done in the telecom sector? If that could be done in other sectors in an expeditious and transparent way, to unlock the potential of your people, it would be incredible.”

She said that the political reform agenda and the economic agenda go hand in hand which they have already seen this in the United States in trying to engage the business community to look at Sri Lanka now and to see the opportunities that exist here.

Ms. Power assured assistance of $60 million in new assistance.“But compared to the challenges you face, that is very, very small and very modest. But we want to use our convening power to be catalytic as best we can, at the international financial institutions, with the private sector, with other countries that themselves are looking anew at Sri Lanka and thinking where to go.”

Samantha Power, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Julie Chung, United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Sonali Korde, USAID Deputy Chief of Staff, Änjali Kaur, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Asia, Gabriel Grau, USAID Sri Lanka Mission Director, Anamika Chakravorty, Political Officer, U.S. Embassy, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasooriya, Chief of staff Sagala Rathnayake, President Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Foreign Ministry Secretary Ms. Anuni Wijewardhana, Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardhana and Advisor Dr. R.H.S. Samarathunga participated in the meeting.

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