Representatives of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on April 06 to discuss matters relating to the prevailing situation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. They expressed their satisfaction over the measures taken by the Government to combat the pandemic in the country. Both parties agreed that the battle to contain this disease should continue without political or any other differences.President Rajapaksa elaborated on the measures already taken by the Government to prevent the spread of the disease and future actions to be taken in this regard.
During the discussionthe President explained to the SJB representatives in detailthe responsible manner which the Government acted following the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) about the pandemic. The President said that the Government was able to take several swift actions to safeguard the citizens of the country and added that every possible step has been taken to ensure uninterrupted day –to-day civilian life. The President told the representatives that these timely measures,taken under the guidance of experts in collaboration with the health authorities and the tri-forces,were instrumental in controlling the spread of the disease. President Rajapaksa said pre-testing to identify the infected and those associated with them will continueto enure early detection of the affected.
The President said the quarantine process continues at 40 centers countrywide while programs have been launched with the assistance of Public Health Officers (PHIs) to mitigate the spread of COVID- 19 in areas where the infected have been identified. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that if there are any shortcomings in the Government programs, immediate action will be taken to rectify them.President Rajapaksa and SJB Leader SajithPremadasa requested the employers to attend to the needs of their contract employees earning daily wages includingthose in the construction sector as theymay be stranded due to curfew.
Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena, Nimal Siripala De Silva, Wimal Weerawansa, Dullas Alahapperuma, Bandula Gunawardana and Johnston Fernando represented the Government while the SJB was represented by its leader Sajith Premadasa and General Secretary, Ranjith Madduma Bandara. Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara and several other senior Government officials also participated in the discussion. The Government and the SJB representatives focused their attention on future plans fora number fields including healthcare.
The President explained that after taking the current global economic and social crisis into account, plans are already underway to implement an appropriate economic model suitable to Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa highlighted that the experts have been consulted to uplift the apparel and tourism industries which have suffered a setback and that the Government will take action according to their instructions when opportunity permits. The Head of the Special Presidential Task Force on Essential Services, Basil Rajapaksa,said that if any individual had not received their allowance yet, he or she is entitled to make an appeal to their respective Grama Niladharis.
Meanwhile, after the discussion between the Government and the SJB representatives, Minister Wimal Weerawansa who also attended the discussion told the media that SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa and other representatives requested the President to reconvene Parliament. However, the President in his response to the SJB members had categorically stated that he had no idea whatsoever to reconvene Parliament. He had told the SJB representatives except to declare a state of emergency, there is no legal provision to reconvene Parliament. The President had also said that he has no intention to declare a state of emergency at this juncture. The Government Spokesman and former State Minister,Mahindananda Aluthgamage, at a recent media briefing held at his Nawalapitiya residence told the media that the Opposition MPs are forcing the Government to reconvene Parliament with the intention of getting salaries and other perks. He also said that if Parliament is reconvened, a huge amount of money will have to be spent but the people are not requesting to reconvene it. What the people request is for the Government to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and provide relief measures to the people.
Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday (April 07) made a special statement on the current situation in the country and the steps taken by the Government. The Premier in his address to the nation said whether we will live or not will be decided by how steps are taken to control the COVID-19 pandemic. He said our focus, our dedication and our discipline will decide whether we live or die in a pandemic of this nature. Premier Rajapaksa said for this reason, the President and the Government had acted giving great attention to the lives of the general public from the moment this pandemic was reported. It was because this situation was well understood by the Government that steps were taken to send a plane to Wuhan, China,to bring back the Sri Lankans trapped there, even before many other countries did so.
The Premier said that at no time did we take decisions based on political, racial or religious lines. We will not do so in the future either. This is a moment when all political party leaders have with great dedication come forward to assist the Government. This is not a time to be divided along religious or racial lines. At this moment, we can have only one enemy and that enemy is called Coronavirus. He said this is not a time to follow traditions as required by a religion or a race but a time to unite and overcome this huge crisis.
The Prime Minister in his address to the nation further said “We have faced bigger challenges in our history. I am confident that we can rise up without facing the disaster that other countries have faced. We must not only rise as a developed nation but also as a healthy nation.” He said that as soon as the first corona patient was reported, steps were taken to protect the children by declaring a holiday to all schools and universities. We were the first among Asian nations to set up a Special Presidential Task Force on Essential Services in this regard. We stopped arrivals to the country at the airport. Our policy at all times was to satisfy the needs of the public without causing any inconvenience to them. Even during the time of the war against the terrorists, we did not declare curfew. In the current situation, we declared curfew in deference to the wishes of the specialists in the health sector. He said that the Special Presidential Task Force which operates from Temple Trees is fulfilling the responsibility of distributing essential items including food and medicines to the entire country.
Premier Rajapaksa said it is without getting a budget approved in Parliament that we have allocated this large amount of money and given relief to the general public. The President did not have the opportunity to get the assistance of Parliament to do any of these things. The Parliament did not support us when we tried to get an interim budget approved before it was dissolved. The public who have the sovereignty ask us as to what use there is in reconvening Parliament. We have to think now about how we will live after overcoming this disaster. He said that the former Government moved away from state intervention in production, distribution and marketing in the country. In that era, the home garden program that we set up to ensure a self-sufficient home, and even the paddy cultivation, crashed.
Certain controversial remarks made by Minister Wimal Weerawansa on the conduct of the Election Commission were highlighted in the media circles a couple of days ago. The Minister charged that amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the Election Commission had engaged in politics. The Chairman of the Election Commission, Mahinda Deshappriya, in a recent letter addressed to the Prime Minister had said that under the prevailing coronavirus threat, some politicians are distributing aid to promote themselves and their political parties. However, after an inspection tour of the Homagama Base Hospital, Minister Weerawansa told the media that what they do right now is not politics. At this juncture, what is needed is to give a social leadership irrespective of party differences. He saidthat the Government officials alone cannot fulfill this task. If the Election Commission interprets this as doing politics, first they should be given medicine. Weerawansa said “here we are not doing any politics. We are only fulfilling a social responsibility. We don’t have any party politics here. Therefore, we call upon the Election Commissioner and his ‘gang’ to stop the politics that they are doing. Weerawansa queried and said that if they cannot assist the people in a catastrophic situation like this, what is the justice behind it? Who has the right to disturb it? That is our right and we would definitely do that on behalf of the people.” The Minister further said a member of the Election Commission had given a statement to the BBC stating that the country is heading towards dictatorship. In addition, the Chairman of the Election Commission as if he has just woken up issues a statement against the program launched to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Several key important decisions have been taken at a meeting with the ruling party members of the former Parliament held in Colombo on Thursday (April 09). This meeting held under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has focused a number of issues faced by the people due to Covid-19 outbreak in the country. The meeting had been attended the Head of the Special Presidential Task Forces on Essential Services Basil Rajapaksa, Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa, Wimal Weerawansa, Dinesh Gunawardena, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and former State Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Anura Priya dharshana Yapa, Rohitha Abeygunawardene, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Shehan Semasinghe, Kanchana Wijesekara and former UPFA Parliamentarian Piyal Nishantha. In a bid to prevent any rice shortage in the market, the Government at the meeting has decided to keep all main rice mills in the country open to continue uninterrupted processing of paddy. In addition, the service of all rice mills island-wide has been declared as an essential service to ensure uninterrupted processing of paddy. It has also been revealed at the meeting that the country has ample paddy stocks to meet the requirements of the people and there is no need room for any rice shortage in the country. The President and the Prime Minister have also focused attention on a number of issues in the fisheries sector. Premier Rajapaksa has directed the Finance Ministry Secretary to discuss these issues with the Fisheries Corporation and solve them immediately. The Government has also allocated Rs.600 million to purchase the fish stocks of fishermen immediately and distribute them countrywide under a systematic program.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had a meeting with medical experts representing various fields at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (April 09) with the intention of obtaining much needed expert medical opinion on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country promptly. During the meeting, the steps taken by the Government, tri-forces and the health authorities to prevent the spread of coronavirus as well as the steps to be taken in the future had been discussed at length. The group of specialist doctors had commended the President’s quarantine program launched with the aim of preventing the spread of the virus. The doctors had said the further strengthening of the existing quarantine process is the most effective approach to prevent the spread of the virus. The specialists have also pointed out the importance of conducting investigations on groups that were in close contact with infected persons. Even though there are sufficient coronavirus test kits available at present, President Rajapaksa had instructed the health authorities to take necessary steps to acquire more test kits in order to face any situation.