Navin Dissanayake MP – Talking about the lack of a meritocracy in the UNP, while clearly forgetting he is in a Govt. of a family cabal!

Speaking at the last session of the Sri Lanka Economic Summit sponsored by the umbrella Chamber, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, at the Cinnamon Grand on Thursday 12^th July, Navin Dissanayake a junior minister in the governement was given time to address the audience as the first panelist of the 7 politicians present at the event.

He waffled on about what he felt were the critical elements, he was insincere in his comments, stressing the need for Governance. It was obvious he was uncomfortable in defending the govt’s record, and given a chance would bolt. The ‘perks of office’ has him stuck to his chair unable to get out!!

While mentioning the time of JRJ with fondness and his father, Gamini Dissanayake’s time in power, he amazingly said that the UNP was a meritocratic party then, and now has veered under the present leadership to be anything but. He failed to say that after leaving the UNP he has jumped from the frying pan into the fire! He represents a Govt. where all the power and decision making rests with just one family of brothers.

Waffling on the Govt. indefensible record and using the obvious issue of the lack of governance, did not endear himself to the audience as he had nothing new to offer those who were looking for something concrete from a Government spokesman. He was the only Minister present, the others representing the UPFA were Udith Lokubandara MP from Badulla and Udaya Gamanpila from the Hela Urumaya.

As there was nothing memorable to offer to an audience of the ‘Captains of Industry’, responsible for the Country’s growth, it will be nice to see what the main papers covering the event would have to say about it this morning.

Sri Lankans are ace bullshiters when it comes to seminars, and they love to waste money attending these tamashas at the expense of their companies. Whether they take anything out of it is a matter of conjecture, and to see so many well respected people and pundits in the audience, I wonder if they just go round the merry-go-round, in churning the same ideas without anyone adding any new thinking to the audience.

While Sumanthiran MP said that FUTA bundling requests for higher educational spending to their demands should be noted, and therefore backed it was left to Ruwan Wijewardene MP to stress the real importance of Education to all ills.