The growing frustration within the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentary Group over Party and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was clearly indicated by SJB Parliamentarian Chaminda Wijesiri who launched a verbal tirade against their Leader Premadasa saying that the party will not gain anything by pointing out the shortcomings of the Government and trying to gain power by making use of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At a recent press conference, MP Wijesiri said that his party should change its stance if it is to come to power. He said, “We would like to remind our Leader Sajith Premadasa that our party cannot come to power by pointing out weaknesses of the present Government and over the dead bodies of Covid-19 victims. We have to come up with an alternative plan to build up the nation if we are to come to power.”
However, in response to MP Wijesiri’s remarks, the Opposition Leader told journalists even a schoolchild can understand how his party works.
He said, “We have moved away from traditional ways that an Opposition party adopts for the first time after gaining Independence. We have already donated medical equipment to 28 hospitals as per our program - ‘Vipakshayen Husmak’.
The Opposition Leader said he even requested the EU not to withdraw the GSP+ because he has the vision to develop the country adding that even a child who goes to the Montessori is aware how the SJB works. Premadasa said he expects to have a dialogue with the MPs concerned and iron out whatever differences that might exist.
SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara told the media that the party was considering disciplinary action against MP Chaminda Wijesiri who recently criticised Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa at a press conference. He said “I will question him about these remarks. Those are internal matters of the party. If there was such a concern, it should have been discussed within the party. It is not appropriate to discuss these matters at press conferences.”
Crisis in the TNA
A longstanding tussle between two TNA factions was exposed when TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran was not invited to a discussion held by its Leader R. Sampanthan in Colombo on Wednesday, September 29.
The crisis within the TNA was due to the signing of a letter sent to the Geneva Human Rights Commission intensifying the rivalry between MP M.A. Sumanthiran and TNA Leader R. Sampanthan. This is subsequent to a letter written by factions friendly with the United Nations Commissioner of Human Rights regarding facts including Sri Lanka’s accountability.
Several TNA members have been finding fault with Sumanthiran in public and the views expressed by the group from the TNA, on the letter sent to Geneva had been contradictory to each other.
This culminated with MP Sumanthiran not being invited to attend a discussion at the home of TNA Leader R. Sampanthan in Colombo regarding the crises and the action to be taken by the TNA.
Media freedom
The Government denounced the summoning of several print media journalists to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to record statements on a news report published on the alleged garlic scam. Mass Media Minister Dallas Alahapperuma said that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had informed the officials at the CID that journalists should not be summoned to the CID over this incident.
At the weekly Cabinet press briefing, Minister Alahapperuma said the Government cannot condone such acts. The Government is committed to ensure media freedom. The Minister said “We regret the incident. It should not have happened.”
Minister Alahapperuma said Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena had lodged a complaint with the CID pertaining to the incident. However, he had not named any media institution or journalist in his complaint to the CID. Minister Alahapperuma said some journalists, including the editors of several newspapers, had been summoned by the CID.
The Minister said, “We apologise to the journalists who were subject to the questioning. Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera has reassured us that journalists will not be questioned over this matter.”
Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara has called for an inquiry into the incident where the CID had interrogated media persons despite instructions not to do so. The directives had been sent to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne.
Minister Weerasekera has instructed the IGP to hand over the investigations into the garlic scam from the Peliyagoda Special Crimes Division to the CID and to conduct a comprehensive probe.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa condemned the summoning of several newspaper editors to the CID, adding that it was a threat to media freedom. He said, “It is a duty of the media to expose corruption and fraud in the country. The CID has no right to summon and question journalists for doing their duty. Summoning them to the CID over their news reports is an insult. It is an undue threat to their media role.”
The Opposition Leader said that his party stands up for media freedom and believes that there should be no media censorship other than self-regulation.
Health guidelines
The online meeting of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Control chaired by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa was held on Friday, October 1.
The Committee had said that with the opening up of the country, the authorities should closely monitor whether the health guidelines are being strictly implemented. As public gatherings are expected to take place after the curfew is lifted, the health authorities emphasised the need to adhere to the health guidelines issued to prevent the re-emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 Committee had also discussed the health guidelines to be followed when summoning public and private sector employees to work and regarding transport activities should be maintained in accordance with the relevant circulars. It had also been lengthy discussed on the health measures that should be taken for the progress of tourism and economic sectors.
During the Committee meeting, emphasis had been laid on the progress of the Government’s vaccination drive where the health authorities had pointed out nearly 95 percent of the total population over the age of 30 has been vaccinated with both doses. The vaccination of people in the age group of 20 to 30 years and the vaccination of children aged 12 to 19 years, who are with chronic diseases, is being carried out successfully.
The Special Committee on Covid-19 Control had decided to conduct a comprehensive census of vaccinations as soon as possible. The Committee had also decided to continue to provide the people with the advice of health experts through the media to control the epidemic and to maintain the everyday life of the people uninterrupted.
Grossly unfair
Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris asked the international organisations as to how fair it is to give priority to the internal issues of Sri Lanka without paying due attention to the pandemic which is affecting the entire world.
At a media briefing at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters, Prof. Peiris said that the process of collecting evidence against Sri Lanka by international organisations including the UNHRC is not transparent and is grossly unfair. He said although it has become a timely need for every international organisation to get together to support administering at least one vaccine dose to every citizen worldwide, some of the organisations are attempting to achieve their ulterior motives and engage in a witch hunt against selected countries amidst the pandemic.
He also stressed that finding solutions to internal issues and human rights violation claims will only be done following a local mechanism and no decision would be taken as per the will or instructions of any international organisation.
“No solutions”
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that a continuous increase in prices of goods and shortage of goods can be observed and the Government has no solutions to address these issues. He said that the Government is not intervening to fulfill the people’s basic needs in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to this, there has been a continuous increase in commodity prices and a shortage of goods.
Silva said that leaders have no vision of where to take the country. He said that the Government has failed to provide the basic needs to people to survive. “A Commissioner of Essential Services has been appointed. But, unfortunately, the Commissioner has not been able to provide the essential items, including LP gas. The price of rice in the market is going up. The media is being used to deceive the people. The real problem is that the Government does not want to reduce commodity prices. There is no program.”
New journey
Leader of the New Sri Lanka Freedom Party and SJB Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama said he would gather all members of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and embark on a new political journey.
He told the media after paying tribute to the Bandaranaike Memorial in Horagolla, that he would lead this campaign. It marked the 62nd death anniversary of Sri Lanka’s fourth Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike on September 26. A commemoration ceremony was held in honour of the founder of SLFP, which was attended by prominent figures in the political sphere including his daughters, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Sunethra Bandaranaike.
Following the event, former President Kumaratunga told the media that the SLFP only exploited the name of Bandaranaike and that they did not organise anything in commemoration of the late Prime Minister.
She said the Party’s Chairman came to the Bandaranaike Memorial only once during his five-year tenure as the President of the country. She further said “He might come today since he has been chased away from everywhere else. I wonder whether it is to exploit the Bandaranaike name again.”
Later, SLFP Chairman and former President Maithripala Sirisena and other members of the party paid floral tribute at the Bandaranaike Memorial. Former President Sirisena said, “As the SLFP, we work with the Government with great cooperation. It is our belief that the greatest honour we can accord to the late Bandaranaike is to act according to his policies.”
Economic stability
Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Ajith Nivard Cabraal on Friday, October 1, unveiled the ‘Six-Month Road Map’ for Ensuring Macroeconomic and Financial System Stability to bring immediate solutions to some of the current burning issues. The event was held at the Atrium of the CBSL.
However, participation was strictly limited to invitees due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.. Outlining the Central Bank’s ‘to-do-list’ regarding macroeconomic stability concerns, Cabraal said that they will ensure the maintenance of mid-single digit inflation and ensure stability of interest rates and the exchange rates.
He said the CBSL will continue with steps to curb prohibited pyramid schemes and other financial scams and also introduce directions on IT Risk Resilience of Licensed Banks.
He said that the Central Bank balance sheet will be strengthened with gradual rollback measures and the buildup of external reserves. The Central Bank Governor said, “It will also strengthen off-site surveillance and improve risk management framework including Governance in financial institutions.”
Chief Ministerial candidate
SLFP General Secretary and State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekars said that he is ready to step down as a Parliamentarian and contest as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) Chief Ministerial candidate at the North Western Province at the forthcoming Provincial Council Elections. He told the media in Kurunegala recently, that he was ready to contest for the post if requested by the SLFP.
He said, “If we are going to contest the forthcoming PC Elections as an alliance led by the SLFP, I am ready to contest for the post of Chief Minister of the North Western Province. During my tenure as the Chief Minister there previously, I did a great deal of work for the people and hope to further strengthen it.”
Membership drive
The UNP has decided to recruit new members to the party in three stages. UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara told the media the methods to be used in this regard are issuing a Rs. 1,000 membership card, issuing membership cards online and the general method of recruiting members at village level.
He said the recruitment of members to the party which was to begin on October 1 has been rescheduled to October 20, the birthday of UNP founder and first Prime Minister of the country D.S. Senanayake. Under this program, the registration of existing members will also be renewed and an opportunity will be provided to renew membership using one of these three stages.
Range Bandara said that this program will be carried out in every village from Point Pedro to Dondra Head. The UNP General Secretary also said that under the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, new member recruitment will be carried out online and using social media. Youth groups will be organised via Zoom, Facebook and Tik Tok.