Ask the Minister: Matters of Public Interest 

A Chat With Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Minister of Regional Development 

Some of our readers will be very interested in getting to know the progress of the present government and the future plans of the Ministers. With the endeavour of creating awareness in this regard, Daily Mirror Life met up with some Ministers and asked them a few questions. Their answers will be carried in this weekly column. This week, we speak to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, the Minister of Regional Development. 

As this is a new Ministry people are a little confused by the function of it. Can you elaborate? 

I try not to get involved with infrastructure as it is being done at various levels by others. For all this infrastructure work, they need to get money from the government and our country doesn’t have money. For my projects, I want to depend mainly on investors and get them to come and establish their industries such as agriculture, large scale farming etc. My aim is to make the country export oriented and cut down on the imports. This will also create and facilitate employment. If we do this in underdeveloped remote areas of the country, it will bring some sort of development to the area. Where there is a big farm or a big factory, the area benefits. I will have to coordinate with the BOI for these projects. 

What are the institutions under your Ministry? 

In addition to the regular function, my Ministry has been given the task of implementing special projects in certain identified provinces and districts. There again we are getting involved with development but at a higher level in those areas. Then the HADABIMA Development Authority also comes under the purview of this Ministry. That is mainly based on agriculture and soil conservation work. This was under the Ministry of Agriculture before but now it is under me. There will be a new act passed soon to facilitate the establishments of two Development Boards. One is for the Central Province and Badulla. The other one is for the North Central and Eastern Provinces. 

When you talk of agriculture what crops would you engage in? 

It’s not paddy because we have enough of it. It will be vegetables and fruit. We are trying to aim at the export market. Under the special projects, we hope to implement many projects which will boost and strengthen our tourism in specific areas. This will include attractions such as cable cars in selected areas. If we want our tourism industry to go forward, we have to explore more than the beaches to attract tourist. Funding for these projects will come through the investors. Our part will be to give them the infrastructure facilities such as the land, electricity, water and labour and they have to establish their project here. 

If there is anyone interested in this kind of investment, how do they get more information? Is there a website? 

This Ministry is very new so the websites are not yet set up. We are still in the process of recruiting staff. If there is anybody interested they could come through the Ministry of International Trade as that Ministry deals a lot with investors. Or they can come directly to us. 

Military officers are not permitted to involve themselves in politics. How does this work for a Field Marshal, and what are your responsibilities? 

As a Field Marshal, I don’t have any defence responsibilities although I am considered not retired and in active service. Basically the Field Marshal rank is given as an honourable rank. So I have the freedom to get involved in politics or anything else. All over the world officers are promoted to the rank of Field Marshal only on retirement. Kings and Heads of States of many Middle Eastern Countries and African Countries are Field Marshals. Prince Charles has been given the Five Star rank from all three Services. He is a Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force and Admiral of the fleet. 

For what occasions would you wear your Field Marshal Uniform? 

If I am invited to a Regimental level function, I would not wear it. I would go in national wear. If it is a national event, I would go in my Field Marshal uniform. 

What is your opinion on national service? 

National service is good for a society which is a little more advanced than ours. Our society has different political ideologies. Some of these ideologies are meant for downtrodden people. In this country majority of the people are living with problems and they are frustrated and disgruntled. In this kind of environment national service will not be good. After getting the military training these youngsters will be approached by various people for various activities. National service is good for more developed countries. So that is out of the question. 

Also, getting university students to go for military training, like the last regime did, is the last thing we should do. University students need a lot of freedom. They are not ready to bow down and listen to instructions, learn to march and do all that. Psychologically they are not ready. 

What do you think would be the best way to instill discipline in a society like ours? 

If it is only for discipline purposes then the Cadet Corp at school level can be made compulsory for everybody. Then it’ll be just a taste of military training and conduct. Of course you have to ensure that you make it attractive. Schools must give some kind of additional recognition for this. Then the students will like to join. For school children it will be a very good thing. 

So you think that it will make a difference to society? 

Yes. It will definitely make a difference. 

After reaching the pinnacle of success in your career and winning a 30 year war, what is it like to be a politician now? 

I came into politics at a national level so I’m still learning. Everyday I’m learning something new. When I came into politics, there was absolutely no democratic politics in existence in Sri Lanka. Politicians were not trying to develop the country but they were trying to develop themselves. I fought to do justice for the country and to make changes to the prevailing situation. I had to face huge obstacles and confront very powerful enemies when I was powerless. It was an isolated battle that I fought. 

We hear that you are also going to write a book. Some people have written a book or two about the war, so how will your book be different? 

Yes that’s right. I am in the process of writing a book. This book will be fairly comprehensive and it’ll cover a colossal amount of information. It will include the larger strategies and the different tactics we used because the fighting as well as the training was different this time. I’m sure it will be very interesting and people will come to know the truth. I don’t have to attempt to make myself the hero. I have to only write the book and then the actual facts will be known to everybody. First I’ll write a book about the last war, the victorious one. Then subsequently I will write my autobiography. 

Do you think that you are the best person to put on record the historical victory of the three decade war, for our future generations? 

Yes, of course. To include what happened within the 200,000 Army is not like a Battalion Commander or a Brigade Commander or a Division Commander writing. A Division Commander can write about what happened to the 6000 men under him, but nothing more. I as the former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, have to write what happened in the North, East, South and everywhere during that period and what the 200,000 men were involved with. At Division Commander level, a person doesn’t have to think about the overall strategy, overall thinking or any overall concepts. He is doing only a limited task given to him. As Army Commander my frontage is limitless. So obviously my version of the War will be the most comprehensive across the board. 

Did you know? 

• He studied at Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda and Ananda College, Colombo. 
• He was the Ananda College swimming and water polo captain in 1969 and later represented the defence services and the country in these sports. He also represented his alma mater in cadetting. 
• His daughters are Apsara and Aparna. 
• His father was a school principal and his mother was a teacher. 

Questions for the ministers can be emailed to [email protected]