Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Dhammika Perera speaking to reporters during his participation in the “Sathutu Pawula” (Happy Family) educational and trade exhibition at Kirindiwela Madhya Maha Vidyalaya has outlined that the Party has established what he described as “ten conditions” for the selection of its presidential candidate.
Responding to queries from journalists, the ex-business giant asserted that he is actively engaged in formulating strategies to meet these ten stipulations.
Expressing his aspiration to become a presidential candidate in 2024, Perera highlighted the significance of the SLPP as a prominent political entity in Sri Lanka. The party has set forth ten directives, including the imperative to generate one million jobs, a prohibition on the sale of government institutions, and the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) due to its perceived burden on the populace, he emphasised.
“I am working to become a 2024 presidential candidate. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is a huge party in Sri Lanka. Coming from that party, we have been told to meet 10 conditions. These include the creation of one million jobs for the people, a condition prohibiting the sale of government institutions, and another for the slashing of the VAT because the burden it imposes on people is too much. I have been given 10 conditions as such. So, I need to fulfill them,” Perera told the reporters.
He acknowledged the substantial responsibility of fulfilling these conditions within the five-year timeframe, equating to 9600 hours of diligent effort.
“Five years means 9600 hours of work. Then it should be completed within 9600 hours. Now I am making plans on achieving that goal. The last day for the 2024 presidential election is October 12. There are still 286 days left. So let’s see how we prepare for it in the next 286 days.“
Perera stressed the importance of meticulous planning and disclosed an ongoing process to meet the outlined criteria before the 2024 presidential election deadline on October 12, and asserted that the official announcement of the candidate who satisfies these conditions rests with the SLPP.
Addressing concerns about the country’s recovery, MP Perera dismissed financial constraints as the primary obstacle, promising that impactful initiatives can be undertaken even in the absence of substantial funds.
“You don’t have to worry about whether this country can be recovered. Because recovering it without money is the only difficulty now. But even without money, you can do many things up to a certain level. So it’s not really about money, people have realised that even the things that can be done without money have failed accomplishment. That is why people got angry at that point,” he noted.
He suggested that the crux of the matter lies in recognising and addressing the unfulfilled potential of endeavours achievable without financial resources.
This sentiment arises from a public realisation that certain initiatives, despite being financially unencumbered, have not been actualised, thereby fueling public discontent, he noted.
