President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday extended an open invitation to form an All Party Government comprising all political parties represented in Parliament.
The President was speaking at a discussion at the President’s House in Colombo with party leaders and representatives, operating independently in Parliament. During the discussion attention was drawn on the need to form a National Consensus Government to continue the activities of the Government and to appoint a National Council with the participation of the leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament as its initial step.
President Rajapaksa said that he would agree to the points contained in the common proposal presented by the party representatives if all political parties supported it. It was also decided to nominate five representatives from among those who took part in the discussion, to take forward the mechanism of forming an All-Party Government.
Discussions were also centered on formulating a systematic program after obtaining the views of other political parties in Parliament, including the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).
Earlier, the President expressed regret that there has been no positive response to the invitation to all political parties seeking their contribution to the All Party Conference to find a lasting solution to the present situation in the country.
He said that no party has responded positively to the request for assistance in liberating the country from its current position by accepting ministerial portfolios. However, the President reiterated that his invitation remains the same for all political parties. President Rajapaksa in his reply to the letter sent by the Chief Prelates of the Three Chapters said that he had to appoint a Cabinet of Ministers consisting of a majority of young members with the assistance of Senior Ministers for a short period of time to find a quick solution to the burning issues of the people.
Political stability
Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalaka Godahewa said that political stability is the most important factor in overcoming the economic crisis prevailing in a country. While stressing the importance of re-establishing political stability in Sri Lanka to overcome the existing economic crisis, Dr. Godahewa said that the President has agreed to support an Interim Government or any other political solution to ensure political stability.
He was responding to a query by a journalist regarding the idea of an Interim Government at a recent media briefing at the Government Information Department. Minister Godahewa said the President was not taking a firm stand at the moment and that he had a very principled policy regarding the economic crisis and would not object if there was an agreement in Parliament to change the Government.
The Minister said that as a country with the oldest democratic structure in Asia, it is important for Sri Lanka at this juncture to protect parliamentary democracy and act in accordance with the Constitution and that the solution lies in Parliament and that all including the people’s representatives should work towards that end.
‘No progress’
National People’s Power Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that they are not agreeable to an Interim Government as long as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa remains in the post. He said there are two crises in the country, the political crisis and the economic crisis. There doesn’t seem to be any progress made to move forward and resolve this crisis. He said, “The farmers protested against the wrong decisions adopted in the agriculture sector, but due to the Government ignoring them the food prices have skyrocketed.
As a result of the dollar shortage there is a huge shortage of imported items. In fact, the Government has failed to even ensure the basic needs of the people. This has prompted the youth and the middle class, who prior to this never participated in such protests, to take to the streets. However, the President, Prime Minister and various Government groups are trying every trick to cling on to power,” Dissanayake said that the economic crisis cannot be resolved without the political crisis being resolved.
“SJB will not be a part of Interim Govt”
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that the SJB will never be a part of the proposed ‘Interim Government’.
The SJB Leader was speaking at Galigamuwa town on Thursday during the Party’s protest March from Kandy to Colombo. He said at this crucial moment even the people in the country have rejected the ‘Interim Government’ concept and the SJB’s only objective is to create a corruption free and unblemished Government with the support of the people. Premadasa also demanded that the Government focus attention towards reducing the escalating prices of essential commodity items including milk powder, gas, petrol, diesel, kerosene oil and many other goods considering the plight of majority down-trodden citizens in the country.
Inflation index
UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said that the majority of the people are of the view that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is the only person who can save the country from the current economic crisis. He said Maha Sangha, scholars, professionals and all accept this but unfortunately they are reluctant to say it openly. He said that the only thing the present Government has done in three years is to bring Sri Lanka to the third position in the world inflation index.
Wijewardene was speaking to a group of scholars and professionals at his Union Place office in Colombo recently.
He spoke about the problems they face professionally and the problems in the country. He said inflation in the country is rising rapidly and the people are suffering.
This Government has taken steps to take Sri Lanka to the top of the world inflation index. He said, “We are in third place today. Only Lebanon and Zimbabwe are above us. This is the first time in history that Sri Lanka has been in such a position. He said nearly 80 percent of the loans we took were used for settling the loans obtained by Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government.
Only 20 percent of the loans were able to be used for development. Although a conference hall was built in Hambantota at a cost of tens of millions of rupees, no revenue has been earned from it yet. The same goes for the Suriyawewa Cricket Stadium while Mattala Airport, Hambantota Port has not yet earned enough revenue to repay the loans taken.
He said, “The best white elephant is the Lotus Tower. Not a single rupee of the money spent has been collected as income yet. The loans taken for this were paid by our Government on time. However, we also gave relief to the people while paying off all debts.”
“PM should not resign”
The Provincial Councillors’ Forum unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday stating that neither Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa nor the Government should resign. The resolution was passed at a meeting between the Prime Minister, Government Ministers and members of the Provincial Council at Temple Trees on Tuesday.
The Provincial Councillors’ Forum also decided to convey their decision to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Members of the Provincial Councilors’ Forum pointed out that it is essential that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa continues to serve as the Prime Minister to save the country from the current economic crisis.
They said that it is unethical for the Members of Parliament who got elected using the name and photographs of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to now become ‘independent’ and go against the Prime Minister. This group pointed out that the majority of the 6.9 million voters are still with the Prime Minister, adding that this situation has arisen due to the silence of this minority group and the undue publicity on social media and the mainstream media given to these minority groups.
NCM
SLPP Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila said that the Government has lost the simple majority in Parliament as there are 120 members who are of the view that the incumbent Government should resign allowing the Parliament to form an Interim Government.
He said the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) to be brought by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) can be tabled now and it will have the support of even more members if moved. Addressing a press briefing held in Colombo, Gammanpila said 120 MPs include the 65 MPs who are already in the Opposition, 39 MPs who became independent in Parliament recently, 10 SLPP MPs who issued a statement seeking the resignation of the Government recently, three Muslim MPs who withdrew their support to the Government recently and Minister Nalaka Godahewa, MPs Dullas Alahapperuma and Charitha Herath who asked the Government to resign issuing a statement recently. The former Minister also gave an ultimatum of one week for the Prime Minister to resign.
“Majority have signed”
The main Opposition SJB said the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Government will be tabled in Parliament before May 4. SJB Parliamentarian Ashok Abeysinghe has said that 125 Members of Parliament have signed the motion thus far.
He said that they have made requests to the group of 11 political parties and the 10 backbencher MPs who became independent in this regard. He said, “Let’s see whether they sign this motion. They will not be able to go back to the village without signing this NCM.” Abeysinghe said they will hand over the NCM before May 4 with the required number of signatures.
Welgama proposes seven measures
SJB Kalutara District Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama informed the Speaker on Thursday that he will not sign the No Confidence Motion nor will he endorse moves for an Interim Government. Welgama has informed the Speaker in a letter that he will abstain from voting in the case of the above two matters being subjected to a vote.
He has also stated in the letter that he will not support any Government action as long as the President remains as the Head of State. In the letter Welgama has also proposed seven measures that Parliament should take to save the country and the people from the current crisis.
Delay
Former Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has called for the resignation of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The former Media Minister in a letter to the President said that Parliament should be given an opportunity to overcome the challenges facing the country collectively by forming an All Party Government. The former Minister viewed that the delay in taking this important decision will have a negative impact on the country’s future and its stability.
He said, “It is my view that the majority of legislators don’t want to be members of a Government or an Opposition who are working irresponsibly.” The former Minister commended the President’s decision to appoint a Cabinet with the highest number of youth representation. He said, “Though this decision is commendable, it has become one of the few decisions which have not been taken at the right time.”
Coalition partners reiterate call for interim Govt
Parliamentarians of 11 coalition parties of the Government who recently decided to become independent in Parliament have reiterated their call for an Interim Government. SLPP Parliamentarian Weerasumana Weerasinghe said that if the Government does not respond positively to the members of the 11 coalition parties they will be compelled to either support the SJB sponsored No-Confidence Motion against the Government or to bring a similar motion of their own.
He said that the 11 parties will decide on a political program next week in accordance with the democratic and constitutional rules. He said the group of independent Parliamentarians had decided to meet with Ambassadors to help resolve the crisis following the formation of an Interim Government, and as a step in that direction, they recently met with the Chinese Ambassador and Russian Ambassador.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday reiterated that he has no intention of ever stepping down from his current portfolio. The Premier said this during a meeting with a group of SLPP Parliamentarians and Provincial Council members at Temple Trees. During the meeting, Provincial Council members had ratified a unanimous proposal stating that neither the Prime Minister nor the Government should quit at this stage.
“Will not leave office”
Responding to the proposal, Premier Rajapaksa had insisted that he had no intention of leaving office. He said, “I feel these economic and political crises could be resolved in the coming weeks. So I urge you to do your duty by the people and not to believe in baseless and fabricated rumours being spread about me and the Government. Today you all requested me not to resign as the Prime Minister. Don’t worry I will not and I will continue to be the Prime Minister.”
Twenty-first Amendment
TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said that he told Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa that the country should move towards the 21st Amendment, not only the abolition of the Executive Presidency, but the repeal of the 20th Amendment and the implementation of the 19th Amendment.
Sumanthiran said that a discussion was held between him and the Prime Minister in Colombo at the invitation of the Prime Minister and during this meeting, he briefed the Premier on these matters and many other matters for the future of the country. Sumanthiran said the Prime Minister had told him that it would be difficult to hold a Referendum and get a two-thirds majority in Parliament if the Executive Presidency was to be abolished. Sumanthiran had told the Prime Minister that he was confident that the people would give their fullest support if the country goes for a Referendum for the abolition of the Executive Presidency.