The Government will definitely fulfill its responsibility towards the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. “There may have been certain delays.” However, he assured that they are ready to make that commitment for the people affected by the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings. He said that the Government is aware of the predicament faced by the people and families affected by terrorism.
Premier Rajapaksa was speaking during a ceremony held on Thursday, October 28 at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena launching the first phase of the project providing houses to the people affected by the blast at St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, Colombo.
The Prime Minister said the Government will take steps to ensure the non-recurrence of such a situation again in the country. The Premier said that people should have the right to live freely, travel where they want and visit any places of worship to practice their religion.
Organic farming
The SLPP Parliamentary Group meeting convened by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was held at the President’s House on October 24. President addressing the meeting had told the Government lawmakers to resolve their issues within the Government rather than expressing dissenting views outside on certain matters.
The President had said that switching to organic farming was not a unilateral decision taken by him adding that it was a policy decision stated in his “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” national policy framework which was endorsed by 6.9 million people.
President Rajapaksa had said officials were instructed to implement the organic fertiliser program. Therefore, steps were taken to ban chemical fertiliser and promote the use of organic fertiliser. However, the contribution of the officials to this program was not sufficient and it should be implemented with the participation of all. As a notable feature, 52 Government MPs had not attended the group meeting. Of them 20 MPs had informed the party hierarchy of their reasons for being absent. There are 159 MPs in the Government ranks and of them, only 107 were present.
However, Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara during the SLPP parliamentary group meeting had strongly defended the right of the constituent parties of the SLPP to take up contentious issues in public. Nanayakkara had said that their right to differ on matters of public interest shouldn’t be questioned.
He had said so when Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena and MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi faulted some constituent parties for expressing dissenting views on certain issues. SLPP Badulla District MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi had told the SLPP parliamentary group meeting, “When we do politics, we should act responsibly by protecting the Government.”
MP Suren Raghavan had told the group meeting that the farmers in the North appreciate the moves made by the Government to introduce organic fertiliser for their cultivation. He said when the farmers in the North engaged in organic farming, it was surprising to see the farmers in the South stage protests.
Two resign from party posts
SJB Ratnapura District Parliamentarian Hesha Withanage and SJB Badulla District Parliamentarian Chaminda Wijesiri have resigned from their party posts and seat organisers posts. They had handed over their letters of resignation to the SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara on October 25.
It is said that the two SJB Parliamentarians have taken this decision due to their disgruntlement over the projects of SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa. It is said that another reason for the resignation is the people’s distrust of the Government and the majority of politicians, and the inability for the people’s representatives within the SJB to carry out any program to strengthen the opposition’s stand.
Despite two SJB frontliners highlighting the need for the implementation of certain programs for the benefit of the people, they had not received the anticipated encouraging response from their leader, forcing them to take this decision. However, MP Hesha Withanage has refuted media reports that he and Chaminda Wijesiri are due to join Government ranks. Speaking during a recent media briefing, Withanage said they have no reason to even consider joining the Government at a time when public dissent has mounted against it.
New Fortress agreement
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa briefed the Government’s allied political parties on the agreement executed with the US-based New Fortress Energy on the Yugadanavi Power Plant at Kerawalapitiya.
Minister Rajapaksa had said that the agreement signed on Yugadanavi was only the initial agreement and had requested the constituent parties to submit their proposals on the matter. A meeting of leaders and representatives of Government allied parties and several Ministers chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was held at the Temple Trees on Thursday, October 28.
The discussion which commenced around 5.30 p.m. went on for nearly four hours. There were about 12 points on the agenda to be discussed on various matters regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, organic fertiliser issue, Yugadanavi and issues that have arisen at the Colombo Port. However, while the Yugadanavi issue was the last issue on the agenda to be discussed, Minister Wimal Weerawansa had requested the President to take up that issue first as it has been described as the most urgent issue in the country. Accordingly, his request was granted and the issue was taken up for discussion at length.
The President during the meeting had requested the Finance Minister to report on possible amendments to the Yugadanavi agreement based on concerns raised at the meeting and how those changes can be implemented if they are required.
Minister Basil Rajapaksa had said that if there are changes to be incorporated, they could be done through further negotiations. Speaking to the media later, SLFP General Secretary State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said the Finance Minister has informed them to submit suggestions of the Government’s allied parties pertaining to the Yugadanavi power plant to him. SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said the issues raised by several representatives regarding the transparency of the Yugadanavi power plant deal were resolved at the discussion.
“No political future with Sajith”
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando declined to reveal the names of Opposition MPs who were planning to support the Government, but confirmed that there would be a change in party compositions in Parliament.
Responding to journalists’ queries during a ceremony held in Kandy to launch development of the road stretch from the Kandy-Heerassagala junction to Kandy Railway Station into a four-lane road, the Minister said, “I do not want to give away names. Some Opposition MPs have contacted us and expressed their willingness to join the Government.”
Asked to give an exact number of Opposition MPs talking to the Government to switch their allegiance, Minister Fernando said, “I would not mention the figures. Sajith Premadasa is trying to save his position as the Leader of the Opposition. Anura Kumara Dissanayake is trying to hold on to his party leadership. We are not going to reveal our strategies. You will see the numbers when the time comes. With what they tell us in the Parliament lobby, we know their frustration. They are convinced that the incumbent Opposition could never defeat the Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The Minister said some Opposition lawmakers are convinced that they do not have a political future with Sajith Premadasa as the Opposition Leader. During the past few months, the SJB’s vote bank has been shrinking. Asked whether the Opposition MPs would cross over during the Budget debate, the Minister said that he would not tell the exact time. He said “If we give the time, the Opposition will prepare a plan to disrupt that. All of you have to wait and see. The procession will come.”
CP Chairman removed
The Chairman of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka Raja Collure was removed from his post by the party a couple of days ago. Party Vice Chairman and Parliamentarian Weerasumana Weerasinghe was appointed as the acting Chairman of the party.
A statement issued by the party said Comrade Raja Collure was removed from the post of party chairman following the adoption of a resolution brought by the party politburo to the party Central Committee meeting held at the party headquarters on October 24.
Party Vice President Weerasumana Weerasinghe said that Raja Collure, who is also the Governor of the North Western Province, was removed from his post due to a statement made by him regarding the teachers’ and principals’ strike. Collure had recently been quoted in the media as having warned teachers that as Governor of the North Western Province, he would consider cutting their salaries if they did not report for work upon the reopening of schools on October 21.
However, Collure came under heavy criticism for his remarks and teachers’ unions responding to his remark said the Governor has no authority to slash their salaries as claimed. However, speaking to reporters regarding the party’s decision, Collure said that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka has no authority to take disciplinary action against him for a decision taken as the Governor.
President thanks USA
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has thanked the United States for the support extended to Sri Lanka’s efforts to curtail the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and for the vaccination program. The President said so when the outgoing US Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz paid a farewell call at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday, October 28.
President Rajapaksa had thanked Ambassador Teplitz for her efforts to advance bilateral ties and wished her well in her future endeavours. US Ambassador Teplitz had also thanked the President and the Government of Sri Lanka for the cooperation extended to her during her tenure in Colombo.
New national plan
Sri Lanka leftist party, the JVP, will launch a new national plan to find solutions to the social, economic and political crises facing the country. JVP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that views will be sought from scholars, professionals, artists, trade union representatives, civil society activists and people from all walks of life.
He said that changes were needed in all areas, including education, the economy, law, health and agriculture, and that debt management and re-evaluation of development projects needed to be done expeditiously. He said accordingly, the JVP will launch a new national plan to find solutions to the social, economic and political crises currently facing the country.
UNP to present new program
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the new program of the UNP will be presented to the public after the Budget with a new concept and a new vision. He was speaking at a recent discussion with Party officials at the Party headquarters at Sirikotha regarding the future plans of the Party.
Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, Deputy Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Chairman Vajira Abeywardena, General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara and others participated in the discussion. Wickremesinghe had instructed party officials to launch this program at village level after the Budget. UNP Leader Wickremesinghe had emphasised that the youth should be given the opportunity to come forward to do something new as it is difficult to bring all the separate forces against the Government together in the traditional way.
TPA leader visits SLFP leader
Leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) MP Mano Ganesan met former President and SLFP Leader Maithripala Sirisena at his official residence on Thursday, October 28.
Ganesan told the media that he had met Sirisena to inquire about the SLFP’s stand regarding the electoral system and to discuss it further. The TPA Leader said, “Attempts are being made to completely change the electoral system, abolish the Proportional Representation (PR) system, implement only the mixed system, undermine the existence of political parties with alternative political policies and the minority parties, and bury the current multi-party democracy in this country.” He said that it was revealed at the Select Committee meeting that the SLFP has also expressed support for the mixed system.
Ganesan said, “At this meeting, I explained to the former President that this stand by the SLFP was contrary to the position previously expressed directly to me by him as the SLFP Leader and the General Secretary of the Party MP Dayasiri Jayasekara.”
He said that he had explained to the former President that the SLFP is the third-largest party in the country today and in such a scenario, the proposed mixed electoral system will affect not only the Tamil and Muslim parties but also the SLFP, JVP and all other political parties with alternative political policies.
Powerful political force
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told SLFP electoral organisers and district organisers that all parties that are not represented in the present Parliament will join the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) by next month to make it a powerful political force.
He said all efforts will be made to build the UPFA into a powerful political force by bringing together members and non-members of all parties and political groups in Parliament. Amaraweera said the SLFP is the largest party representing the UPFA and it is aimed to make the UPFA the greatest political force in the country.
He said all parties that are not represented in Parliament will join us on November 11. As a result, we will undertake talks with a number of other minor parties at a later period. He said that the SLFP has no intention of destroying the current Government adding that, however, any party that supports the UPFA’s agenda is open to join.