Hindu,  Fri Jan  1 15:28:07 EST 2010

    COLOMBO: Commander-turned-politician and major opposition parties’ consensus presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka has urged the voters to seize opportunities to build on the triumphs of the island nation on the foundations of reconciliation, prosperity, development and true peace.Full Story


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- The Academic

1 - Stamping out large scale corruption which will immediately increase Sri Lanka’s growth rate by 2 percentage points. Legislate anti-corruption measures using emergency law. Within days reactivate and give teeth to the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption and fast track legal action to severely punish those found guilty of bribery and corruption. Proceeds of corruption will be taken away.

2 - Balanced regulation streamlined beaurocracy to unleash Sri Lanka’s potential and boost economic growth and distribution of wealth.

3 - Prosecute the economic war the same way General Sarath Fonseka prosecuted the LTTE war by formulating winning strategies and appointing professionals and not political stooges.

4 - Work with the new government to ensure inflation is maintained at low levels, interest rates are brought down and exchange rate is stable so that businesses can have greater certainty thus reducing the overall cost of doing business.

5 - Tax reform - streamline numerous taxes, and taxes on taxes imposed on every business. Customs duty, surcharge, excise duty, VAT, CESS, PAL, NBT, BTT, SRL are only some. It estimates the total implied tax rate of 64% of profits.

6 - Take steps to bring every single stranded Sri Lankan migrant worker back home at the earliest possible. Takes measures to improve the skill level of the women who wish to proceed overseas so that they can obtain better paying semi-professional jobs. Also ensure that returning migrant workers are provided opportunities at home engage in profitable ventures with low interest loans etc.

7 - With all Party Cabinet, initiate action to regain the GSP+ facility in first day in office so these jobs will be saved.

8 - Empower women employees and champion the cause of women’s empowerment in society. Encourage more and more employers to follow suit so that they can create win-win partnerships with these women. Take concrete steps to improve the lives of  poor estate women.

http://daretodreamsrilanka.com/2009/12/28/fonseka-pledges-to-eliminate-corruption/


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Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. - Albert Einstein

Athos wrote:

3 - Prosecute the economic war the same way General Sarath Fonseka prosecuted the LTTE war by formulating winning strategies and appointing professionals and not political stooges.
http://daretodreamsrilanka.com/2009/12/28/fonseka-pledges-to-eliminate-corruption/

Silly me. I though daretodream run by Mangy.
Now I know for sure it's not because Mangy did not like the way SF managed the war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgSR7_bRnDI

Now the kabaragoya has turned into a thalagoya and some people find it difficult to digest.

Back in the day when the armed forces were fighting both the JVP and the LTTE, Mahinda Rajapaske went to Geneva crying HR abuses by SL army. These human right champions now complaining when others do the same.

Uncle Henry live with his foot inside his mouth.


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Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. - Albert Einstein

Athos wrote:

Back in the day when the armed forces were fighting both the JVP and the LTTE, Mahinda Rajapaske went to Geneva crying HR abuses by SL army. These human right champions now complaining when others do the same.

Uncle Henry live with his foot inside his mouth.

C'mon Athos. You are a smart man to know what happened in late 80's was a blatant human right's violation. Young boys were dragged from homes middle of nights and were burnt by roadsides in piles. How can that be in anyway a comparison to human lives lost middle of a war. Mangy was crying about conduct of war and was willing to do anything to reverse the course calling SF that he was not even suitable to run the Salvation army. Oh plzz....


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Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way! - Proximus
"I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways" - Michael Jackson

Dammika wrote:

Athos wrote:

Back in the day when the armed forces were fighting both the JVP and the LTTE, Mahinda Rajapaske went to Geneva crying HR abuses by SL army. These human right champions now complaining when others do the same.

Uncle Henry live with his foot inside his mouth.

C'mon Athos. You are a smart man to know what happened in late 80's was a blatant human right's violation. Young boys were dragged from homes middle of nights and were burnt by roadsides in piles. How can that be in anyway a comparison to human lives lost middle of a war. Mangy was crying about conduct of war and was willing to do anything to reverse the course calling SF that he was not even suitable to run the Salvation army. Oh plzz....

ah some trying to resurrected the great HR activist MR? Having seen what MR has done with Human rights in the 4 years of his presidency it is clear that he did not go to Geneva to fight for human rights. Lets not kid ourselves on it. He went there with a political agenda to gain at any cost even for his country. Mahinda Rajapakse went to Geneva against the army which was fighting both the LTTE and JVP at the same time unlike the recently concluded war. There were two wars taking place in this country. He openly called for sanctions against his so called "motherland" and for stopping of foreign aid. I wish i could just pull up some hanzard reports of his despicable speeches. Lot of young people going to vote this time don't know the MR of before. UK had already placed an arms embargo on sri lanka and many countries would have followed if MR's agenda was allowed. Fortunately he was caught with the pictures at the KIA airport.

Yes HR violation are nothing new. Mass slaughter of innocent was started during the 1970's regime and since repeated by all at good measure. The last eelam war was no exception although we try to pretend as if nothing happen. I for that matter is against HR violation but at the same time feel that there is no war ever faught in history without them. If we want to prevent HR and War crimes for god sake let us not go to war.


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VOTER COORAY
"A nation is a collective enterprise - outside of that it is a gambling hall for the opportunism and adventurism of power."-Wole Soyinka

Dammika,

 Wijeweera was killed after he surrendered and so were LTTE leaders allegedly. In the end both insurrections were suppressed decisively. Both were suppressed because everyone who aided and abetted terror were brutally killed. Its a good lesson for anyone contemplating any more Jihads in this manner. Mahinda Rajapakse kept the govt excesses in check just as the opposition did so in recent history.

Then and now very similar. The differences are Mahinda Rajapakse made it far more difficult for forces. The forces who were fighting a much harder battle as Cooray mention. His meddling obviously contributed to LTTE surviving for many more years.  You sound like you just stepped out from a kindergarten - but thats ok.


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Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. - Albert Einstein

I am hoping for some constructive criticism of some bold ideas i have for Presidential candidates. May be these idea are more suitable for candidates who don't want to get elected.
1.Citizens Bill of rights that enshrine the rights of all communities. Equal opportunity bill which will end discrimination of both the majority and minorities in both private and public sector.
2. Census to be conducted every 10 years to determine the ethnic ratio of each district. Language skills of public sector employees and education opportunities in each district will have to reflect this ratio. Multi-lingual officers should be paid a bonus.
3. 25% increase in salaries of all public sector employees and elimination of retirement pensions. All public sector employees will have to pay withholding taxes on their income and contribute to EPF and ETF. All citizens over 21 will have to open a tax file regardless of income. Only then will people will realize the important of ending corruption, wastage and better use of tax payers hard earned money.
4. Voting rights for all migrant workers and citizens abroad. Only then will migrants worker's conditions will improve and their voices heard.
5. Entrance to public universities for both fee paying and non fee students who meet specific education criteria. Ratio of such can be maintained at around 50/50 and all fees go to improving the universities. Loans to be provided for students to enroll in public/private universities and technical colleges which they need to pay at concessionary interest rates once they find a job.
6. Allow private hospitals to provide services for free for low income patients and costs reimbursed by the government at specific rates. This will ease the burden on public hospitals while ensuring the access to health care for the ones who need it most.
7. Merge CTB and private bus service into one service. Both operators will be paid a fare by the government for the KM they run and the times they operate on their allocated route. Income will no longer determined by the number of passengers they carry thus eliminating overloading and encourage bus operations even during non-peak hours.  All fees collected from bus tickets from both private and public buses will go to the government.
8.Free wi-fi hotspots to provide internet access for all tax payers.
9. Allow the distilleries companies to market a low cost but safe and regulated alcoholic drink to replace Kassippu.
10. All elected offices will have fixed terms and fixed election dates unless they resign before. All candidates to elected office should file a manifesto together with the nomination papers. Allow citizens to sue elected official including the President for breach of trust for non- fulfilling a promise. All elected officials cannot grant themselves salaries or privileges. All such salary increases and privileges will be granted only to the next round of elected officials elected by the people.


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VOTER COORAY
"A nation is a collective enterprise - outside of that it is a gambling hall for the opportunism and adventurism of power."-Wole Soyinka

Quote:

votercooray says, 9. Allow the distilleries companies to market a low cost but safe and regulated alcoholic drink to replace Kassippu.

Russia will protest Internationally against this   Mind you, they just increased the price of Vodka to stop alcohol abuse Beside thousands of folks live from this unregulated industry whether it is Kasia, Dankotuwa or Toddy.  Produces of high priced spirits (Arrack/beer) will protest.



Last edited by Amarakoon on Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:56 pm; edited 1 time in total

votercooray wrote:

Merge CTB and private bus service into one service. Both operators will be paid a fare by the government for the KM they run and the times they operate on their allocated route. Income will no longer determined by the number of passengers they carry thus eliminating overloading and encourage bus operations even during non-peak hours.  All fees collected from bus tickets from both private and public buses will go to the government.

Regulate all bus companies so that each company has at least 500 vehicles as in Singapore. Each transport company will compete for allocated routes.  The buses will operate on allocated routes according to time table.


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Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. - Albert Einstein

Gen Fonseka Declares His Assets

http://mangalasamaraweera.com/2009/12/19/gen-fonseka-declares-his-assets/

According to the asset declaration by SF he has just close to one million rupees in total, including his wife’s in liquid cash. Assuming all the money kept in FD, they will get a monthly return of less than Rs. 10,000/- per month.

Having retired now in order to maintain the same social status, it is obvious he badly needs to be the President of the country. Our “poor” SF needs the voters vote   to maintain his social status.


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MAC1

you cannot pull down somebody who is sitting on floor.
MAC1, how about asking MR to do the same?

MAC1 wrote:

Having retired now in order to maintain the same social status, it is obvious he badly needs to be the President of the country. Our “poor” SF needs the voters vote   to maintain his social status.

So by the same token I bet Mahinda doesn't need any money to maintain "his life style"??

http://www.lakbimanews.lk/news/laknew3.htm

Robbing the poor has been perfected to a fine art by the Brothers starting from "Helping Hambantota" to now.

CC
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p.s.
Are all of Mahinda's boot-lickers this thick??

Athos wrote:

Dammika,

 Wijeweera was killed after he surrendered and so were LTTE leaders allegedly. In the end both insurrections were suppressed decisively. Both were suppressed because everyone who aided and abetted terror were brutally killed. Its a good lesson for anyone contemplating any more Jihads in this manner. Mahinda Rajapakse kept the govt excesses in check just as the opposition did so in recent history.

Then and now very similar. The differences are Mahinda Rajapakse made it far more difficult for forces. The forces who were fighting a much harder battle as Cooray mention. His meddling obviously contributed to LTTE surviving for many more years.  You sound like you just stepped out from a kindergarten - but thats ok.

Wijeweera was never surrendered, he was captured and killed. I don't have a problem with that too, but it is beyond naive to say that hundreds of innocent youths were not also murdered. Killed for as much as keeping a radical magazine at home. Everyone know how the people thought about the forces those days, MR did not need to do anything, govt did plenty of stupid things to tarnish the image of forces. Those who lived in Kandy area also know how well Udugampola kept up the reputation of the police. Actually i was already out of kindergarten by that time, few years, but i had the great opportunity to eyewitness the macabre that was unfolding on street sides.

But i do agree that MR must have come to understand what Premadasa went through those years.


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Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way! - Proximus
"I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways" - Michael Jackson

Negombo wrote:

MAC1, how about asking MR to do the same?

It looks like the declaration of assets is on a voluntary basis and not mandatory; please correct me if I am wrong. I could not find it in the constitution or in the election commissioner’s site.


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MAC1