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New Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that his priority is to identify the pressing needs of the public and fulfill them without delay.
He said, “Some say that today, our country is in a somewhat dire situation, but we are a nation that has overcome even more serious challenges in the past. I expect the support of all stakeholders in taking the country forward.”
After assuming duties at his Ministry on Thursday (July 8), Minister Rajapaksa said, “My priority is also the priority of the people of the country, which is the priority of the President, the Prime Minister and the Government. I appeal to all the farmers, fishermen, professionals and public servants in the country to think that the Finance Minister is their colleague and help by giving guidance. Work with us. We also request trade unions to assist us in dealing with this situation.”
The Minister recalled that the country has faced bigger challenges before. “At one point, this country was in a very difficult situation. At that time the Security Forces were facing a huge challenge, the economy was also in a crisis situation. But we overcame all those difficulties.”
Rajapaksa recalled that during the past, officials such as Dr. P.B. Jayasundera were politically victimised and the country’s foreign reserves had fallen to US$ 1.2 billion. The Minister said the country is not facing such a situation now and the present challenges can be overcome with hard work and the support of all. “We have overcome bigger political challenges in the past. We can do it again,” he said.
Soon after taking oaths as Finance Minister before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (July 8), Minister Basil Rajapaksa was sworn in as a Member of Parliament before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. He then signed the Member’s Roll kept before the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake. This is the third time that he has entered Parliament.
Resigns
On Tuesday (July 6) SLPP National List Parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda resigned from his Parliamentary seat to make way for SLPP founder and National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa.
Ketagoda was first elected to Parliament in 2000 representing the Colombo District. He told the media, after handing over his resignation letter to Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake at the Parliament Complex, that he was happy to give his seat to SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa, who is known for his organising skills and political astuteness. He said Rajapaksa is a political personality who must be in Parliament. SLPP backbenchers recently urged the former Minister to come back to Parliament to support Government endeavours.
Legal action
UNP Leader MP Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the party’s legal unit to take immediate legal action against the Government’s decision to ban protests and agitations under the Quarantine Act and the arrest of political activists, including leaders of political parties participating in them. The UNP Legal Division had previously said that under the present Quarantine Laws in Sri Lanka prohibiting protests and arresting those participating in them was not possible.
With the arrest of members of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Frontline Socialist Party, Wickremesinghe had instructed the party’s lawyers to seek legal protection for them in courts. The UNP legal division is due to file several fundamental rights petitions in the Supreme Court this week, following instructions from UNP Leader Wickremesinghe.
Discipline
Sports and Youth Minister Namal Rajapaksa told Parliament that disciplinary action will be taken against any player, no matter how talented, for dishonouring the country they are representing. The Minister said, “No matter how talented a player is, if that person acts in a manner that disrespects the reputation of the country, we will take disciplinary action and it applies to all sports, including cricket and athletics.”
Minister Rajapaksa was responding following a question raised by SLPP Parliamentarian Premanath Dolawattte. The Minister said, “There are many shortcomings in Sri Lanka cricket now. During the earlier days we had a proper process where we had school cricket, cricket development squad, club cricket, domestic cricket and our cricket A-team, a fine balance.”
People’s problems
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said the entry of Basil Rajapaksa to Parliament will not offer relief or provide solutions to the problems faced by the people. SJB MP J.C. Alawathuwala told the media at the Opposition Leader’s office that promoting nepotism and not being sensitive to the problems faced by the masses were a clear indication of the Government’s priorities.
He said, “The Government is trying to make the public believe that all the problems they are faced with will be solved if Basil Rajapaksa comes to Parliament. He was always a part of the Government mechanism. He was the head of several task forces that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa initiated.
Alawathuwala said his entry into the Parliament will not change anything. It is clear that this Government is only interested in improving the lives of the Rajapaksa family and their supporters. He asked why the Government needed to bring someone already given a leadership role in a ‘Task Force’ into Parliament when the ruling party already has a two-thirds majority.
Ridiculed by the people
SLFP General Secretary State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara told the media recently that the present Cabinet of Ministers was not appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa but was created by Basil Rajapaksa.
He said SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa and Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera also created State Ministries such as clay, cinnamon, pepper and batik, which he received, were ridiculed by the people. Jayasekara also said that he and some other State Ministers had been sidelined by the Rajapaksas and that the SLFP had been placed in a position where it was not a part of the Government.
Unsubstantiated claims
Responding to the statement made by State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said that Dayasiri was grumbling about his Ministerial portfolio due to his inability to carry out the assigned duties and responsibilities in his State Ministry.
The Minister told a recent conference that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa created the State Ministries and assigned responsibilities to develop local industries, agricultural produce and thereby improve the exports.
Abeygunawardena said, “Dayasiri Jayasekara can bring the batik and apparel industry to greater heights. But, what has he done? Prasanna Ranaweera, who was assigned the State Ministry of Rattan, Brass, Pottery, Furniture and Rural Industrial Promotion, has been successful. He has promoted those products not only in Sri Lanka but overseas as well”.
State Minister Nimal Lanza also told the media recently that Dayasiri Jayasekara makes unsubstantiated claims since he did not get the Cabinet portfolio he desired. He also advised Jayasekara to hand over his Ministry to another SLFP member if he felt that it did not suit him, rather than blame SLPP National Organiser, Basil Rajapaksa.
Yeoman service
State Minister S. Viyalendran said that SLPP founder Minister Basil Rajapaksa can make a significant contribution to strengthening the economy. He said Rajapaksa can render a yeoman service to the country as a Member of Parliament and the Finance Minister. Viyalendran said Basil Rajapaksa, as the former Minister of Economic Development, took many measures to strengthen the economy. He said the ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ and ‘Nagenahira Navodaya’ under Basil Rajapaksa were instrumental in improving the living standards of the people of the North and the East, who had been affected by 30 years of terrorism. He said Rajapaksa has also rendered great service to the country.
Door open to leave
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had told the media that the Government kept the door open for anyone to leave, if he or she did not agree with its policies. Commenting on recent statements by some Ministers critical of the Government, Premier Rajapaksa had said, “We are not keeping anyone forcibly. It is usual within an alliance for its coalition parties with various ideologies to have different opinions on political issues. We also maintain democracy within our alliance unlike many others in today’s politics.
“Anyone in the Government can leave. We have the people’s trust. We are implementing the development drive as we promised to the people in our manifesto. That is why the people gave us a resounding mandate.
‘Mockery’
The Premier said, “If anyone is not really happy with the way we conduct the affairs of this Government, our doors are always wide open for them to leave. Similarly, our doors are also open for anyone who wishes to join us if they approve the way we govern this country.”
SJB General Secretary, MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara has turned down the UNP’s call for the SJB to join them, calling it a ‘mockery’, and invited UNPers to join the SJB instead, after ‘purification’.
In response to an invitation of UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, he said, “The request made by a Party which has delivered a deadly blow to democracy by ousting Urban Council members elected by people is only a mockery. The UNP should engage in self-reflection to find out what went wrong.”
He said, “UNP officials might have forgotten by now that the SJB was formed with the consent of the UNP Working Committee. The people decided the UNP’s fate at the last General Election. We ask whether the people approve of its fraudulent and surreptitious deals with the Government by continuing to safeguard fraudsters involved in the Central Bank bond scam.” Bandara strongly rejected the UNP invitation, while emphasising that the doors of the SJB are open to UNPers, if they wish to join after purification.
Herculean task
Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella said that though the main Opposition has handed over a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila, which will be taken up for debate in Parliament on July 19 and 20, it would be a herculean task for them to win it. The NCM compiled by the SJB against Minister Gammanpila over the recent fuel price hike was presented to the Speaker recently. Kiriella said though his Party does not have the majority in Parliament to win the motion, they had tabled it against Gammanpila on behalf of the masses.
Full responsibility
SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said while the Party stance that Minister Udaya Gammanpila has to take full responsibility for the recent fuel price hike and to step down, remains unchanged, but the decision with regard to the voting for the NCM against Gammanpila is an internal one which will be made in due course.
He said the discussions in connection with the Motion filed against Gammanpila by the SJB will take place with other Party Leaders. Kariyawasam said, however, the party stance that as the minister in charge, Gammanpila has failed to take appropriate decisions to avoid circumstances leading to the fuel price hike remains unchanged. He said that this stance was taken only for the benefit of the public who have already been immensely affected by Covid-19 and not in any manner to strengthen or in support of the Opposition.
Protests
Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Dr. Sarath Weerasekara told Parliament on Friday (July 9) the Government will not hesitate to arrest anyone who flouts health regulations and engages in protests during the Covid-19 pandemic. Responding to allegations made against the arrests of several trade union leaders who had engaged in protests on Thursday (July 8) and sent for quarantine, Weerasekara said that irrespective of their status, anyone who breaks the law would be arrested.
He said, “These regulations have not been made by politicians but by the Health Services Director-General. He has issued clear orders to the IGP to stop all protests and gatherings due to the spread of the Covid virus.
He has the authority to issue such orders under the Quarantine Ordinance. Therefore, what the Police did was to carry out the task entrusted to them. Hence, even in the future, we will arrest anyone who engages in protests or public meetings, and will produce them in Court irrespective of their social status.”
Political witch hunt
National People’s Power Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the arrest of the protestors in Polduwa, Battaramulla on Thursday (July 8) amounts to a political witch hunt. Speaking in Parliament on Friday (July 9), he argued that it was no different to kidnapping. He said that it was an act of political vengeance to prevent people from protesting against the Government.
Dissanayake said, “The Police requested the Colombo Magistrate to grant permission to direct the 33 persons who were arrested on Thursday to undergo quarantine, but the Magistrate denied this request. That being the case, the Police had forcibly taken these arrested persons, including the clergy and females to a quarantine centre in Mullaitivu. This is a political witch-hunt against all laws and without a court order. This is nothing less than an abduction,” he said.