Interview with Gayesha Perera

Gayesha Perera

With my beauty I will fight for the country

Former Miss Sri Lanka and popular model Gayesha Perera faced the Nomination Board of the SLFP recently. As an aspiring politician she shared her thoughts with DM as to why she decided to enter politics.

Q. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ENTER POLITICS?

I want to serve people. I was not born in a bed of roses. I know what people go through, their sorrow, tears.  My mother had to struggle with poverty in bringing me up. As a person who can hear their heart beat I thought I should work for the people.

Q. WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE MUST VOTE YOU?

I have represented 20 millions of people when I represented Sri Lanka at the Miss World contest. I marked Sri Lanka’s name when I won beauty pageants, especially when I won the title Miss. Personality in 2011. As a person who has taken Sri Lanka’s name to the International arena, I think I am eligible to contest.

Q. IF YOU GET ELECTED WHAT ARE THE PLANS YOU HAVE?

I have a separate agenda. I will especially work for women’s empowerment. Many women in this country face many mishaps every day. I want to work for them. I will be focusing on three areas. One is the dengue menace. I hope to work towards dengue prevention. I will be walking from house to house.

The second area I would focus is malnourishment. Some children even in Colombo suffer from malnourishment. I would work on behalf of them.

The third area I would focus is the well-being of women. Also with the experience and the knowledge I have, I would like to help produce beauty queens for the country.

Q. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CONTEST FROM THE UPFA? DID YOU GET ANY INVITATIONS FROM OTHER PARTIES?

I received many Invitations from various parties to contest. I am a member of the UPFA from the year 2010. I have been with MP Namal Rajapakse’s youth programme and I have been a part of it. Hence I decided to contest from the UPFA. Also I appreciate and respect our President Mahinda Rajapakse and his leadership. I want to be a part of his team and be strength to him.

Q. AS YOU KNOW SRI LANKA HAD PRESSURE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL IN GENEVA.  IF YOU ARE ELECTED HOW YOU WOULD HELP THE GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH SUCH ISSUES?

As I said earlier I have represented twenty millions of people of this country in the beauty pageants. I have the capacity and capability to bring the message to the world. Our soldiers devoted their lives in bringing peace to this country. As a citizen and as a person who has represented the country it is my duty to appear on behalf Sri Lanka.

I think I am qualified to talk for my country. I will share one of my personal incidents. I was in Dehiwela town on the day there was a bomb blast in 1996. Until 2009 I had that shock in my mind that we might have to face this again.  But after 2009, we are free to travel everywhere. People are happy and they live peacefully. I will do whatever it takes to take this message to the international community.

Q. HOW DO YOU SEE OUR TIES WITH INDIA? DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CHANGE?

I think we have an excellent connection with India. Some of our actresses have made their way to Bollywood as well.  I believe our relationship with India is well balanced.

Q. ARE YOU POSITIVE THAT THE UPFA WILL WIN THE ELECTION AND DO YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN?

Definitely the UPFA will win and I am positive about my victory. I have done my part already and I will continue to do my part. UPFA’s victory means people’s victory.

I have a lot of people around me who support me constantly. All I want is to request the people to join with us, help me to work for you and raise my voice for you. My victory is your victory.

Source : DM