A meeting of the SLPP was held under the patronage of SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa on Thursday. The meeting was centered on the current political situation in the country.
During the meeting, SLPP National Organiser said that those who told former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa “Gota go home” are now asking “Gota come home”. He said, “Those who first hatch conspiracies to oust former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa are now asking him to return to the country. That is the biggest joke. Those who ask Rajapaksas to quit are now asking them to come back. I will not come back to Parliament again. However, I will take steps to strengthen the SLPP on behalf of the people.”
It was also discussed during the meeting on the accommodation to be given to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after he returns to the country. Then SLPP Parliamentarian S.B. Dissanayake has said that he is ready to give his official residence to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Emergency Regulations
President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the Emergency Regulations will not be extended further as the situation in the country is getting back to normal and that it will lapse by the end of the week. “But that is not enough. We have to have an attitudinal change and if we do that, then this country will have a future,” said the President.
He was speaking at the 2022 awards ceremony of the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka which was presided over by him.
President Wickremesinghe said, “Just after I became the Minister of Finance, I found that I was richer than the Republic of Sri Lanka as far as the foreign exchange was concerned. I had a thousand dollars at home which I had saved, so I was a thousand times richer than the Republic.”
The President also said that discussions are under way with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to finalise a staff-level agreement, while there are two groups that prevail now, the West which is planning to provide a haircut and China which would like to give additional loans to pay off existing loans. He said “We are talking with Japan about how this could be achieved. If we move fast, this will be a short way and if we still keep arguing, then we all are going to suffer.”
President Wickremesinghe said that they are trying to make Parliament into a Government by having Oversight Committees and a National Council. The Oversight Committees will not only consist of the members of the Parliament but also five youth representatives who are allowed to question parties with the permission of the Chairman. He acknowledged that no other country in the world has allowed young people to take part in oversight committees.
The President said, “In this Parliament, we must have the capability of coming up with a new system. We cannot be passing it to others. The baby is ours. We have taken it, we have got to carry it. If possible, from there, we should go ahead to a new Constitution. He said “We are also looking at the Diaspora. It is a strength; it is also a source of investment noting that the country needs to sort out the issues among ethnic groups. The President also said that the Government has paid attention to establishing a separate office to deal with the Diaspora in order to obtain its support.”
President meets Basil
A meeting between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa was held on Thursday. The notable feature was the meeting was just confined to the President and SLPP National Organiser and no party representatives attended it. The political sources had reported that it had been extensively discussed about former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s return to Sri Lanka.
Later an official meeting between the President and the SLPP representatives was held at the Presidential Secretariat. Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam, Parliamentarians Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Johnston Fernando, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Namal Rajapaksa and Sanjeewa Edirimanna participated in the meeting on behalf of the SLPP. President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake, UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, Shamal Seneviratne participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa requested the President to facilitate the safe return of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the country. He has said that it is the foremost request of his party from the President.
Former Minister Rajapaksa has reiterated that the SLPP will extend support to the President unreservedly to get the country out of the present economic crisis.
“Will provide positive support”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that he is not supporting an All-Party Government with the intention of obtaining privileges. Joining a recent meeting held with a group of representatives of women’s organisations at the Opposition Leader’s office, Premadasa said that he would unconditionally support the program for building the country.
He said, “We have been invited to join an All-Party Government to receive ministerial posts. According to sources a large number of Ministers are going to be appointed. This is not a system change, but further implementation of the old rotten system.” The Opposition Leader also said that the amount of money spent to maintain Ministers can be used to keep the children of this country alive.
He said the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and Samagi Jana Sandhanaya together with all the progressive groups within the Parliament thoroughly refuse the suggestion to receive ministerial portfolios, other perks and privileges, but nevertheless, they expect to provide positive support towards the joint national program to build up the country through the parliamentary committees.
Conspiracy
Chief Government Whip and Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga alleged that there is a conspiracy to politically isolate the well-established politicians in the Government and remove them from politics under the guise of a struggle.
He said that SJB, JVP, the Frontline Socialist Party, the section of the Tamil Diaspora, and certain representatives of non-governmental organisations are behind this conspiracy. They do this in the guise of helping the struggle.
This conspiracy is being perpetrated because of their fear of the political opinion of the SLPP. SLPP politicians who represent the Government have been targeted by this conspiracy and the aim of the conspirators is to prevent these politicians from being among the public and visiting their villages.
This is being done to defeat political sentiments of the SLPP at future elections. The Minister was speaking remarks during a special discussion held with the MPs representing the Gampaha district and the heads of Local Government bodies in the district regarding the upcoming political program of the Gampaha district.
These conspirators used the people’s pressure caused by the shortage of fuel, gas, and electricity for their advantage and the main target of the violent incidents that took place on May 9 and July 9 were the politicians representing the ruling party.
He said, “The SLPP still holds the majority of power in Parliament it received in the 2020 Parliamentary Elections. No one can act inside or outside Parliament by forgetting the massive 6.9 million people’s mandate. The party is strong and our branches, women’s, youth and affiliated organisations are still with us. It is true that the party suffered certain setbacks. But still, our party members, supporters, and public representatives are with us.”
“No genuine intent”
JVP politburo member and former MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that discussions aiming at forming an All Party Government (APG) are in progress without genuine intent. He said that the concept of forming an All Party Government is a ruse and the President or the government does not have a genuine interest in forming such an All Party Government to face the challenges ahead in the country.
Dr. Jayatissa said that the objective of forming an All Party Government should be to run the country with the participation of all parties in Parliament for a brief period until the people are given an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice at an election. He said that Parliamentarians can extend their support from the Opposition if the government is for bringing democratic reforms and provision of relief to the public.
President visits veteran actor
President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the Colombo National Hospital on Friday to check on the well-being of veteran actor Jackson Anthony, who suffered critical injuries in a recent motor accident in Anuradhapura recently. The President visited Anthony at his hospital room and inquired about his treatment and also spoke with the doctors regarding his condition.
President Wickremesinghe also met Jackson Anthony’s wife and extended sincere wishes for his speedy recovery. President also requested her to inform him immediately if there is any help required regarding Anthony’s treatment. President Wickremesinghe had told the family members of Jackson Anthony that as religious and spiritual blessings are important as well as medical treatment, they should organise a religious program for him.
On his way out of the hospital, the President did not fail to inquire into the well-being of the patients who had come to the hospital for treatment. Later, President Wickremesinghe, who met the Director of the National Hospital, had said that expeditious measures will be taken to supply medicines to the patients which are currently facing shortages. The President said that he has a greater responsibility regarding the lives of the patients affected by the shortage of medicines in the hospitals across the island.
Common program
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that he does not believe that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will get involved in politics again after returning to Sri Lanka. Responding to a question from journalists on whether he is expecting the former President to engage in politics again after returning from overseas, he said: “No, never. I don’t think so.”
The Education Minister made these comments to reporters following an event in Jaffna on Thursday. In response to another question, the Minister denied that the Government recently lifted the ban on several Tamil Diaspora groups due to the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva. Asked about the forming of an All-Party Government, he said that most of the political parties have expressed their views positively towards a common program, but some of them have made their statements towards joining the Government and forming a National Government.
Kandy Perahera
After a lapse of two years, President Ranil Wickremesinghe viewed the Kandy Dalada Perahera last week which was held with the participation of a huge crowd which thronged Kandy.
When the perahera commenced, the President came out of the Kandy President’s House to make his way to the Queens Hotel to witness it. Before that President Wickremesinghe didn’t forget to wave to thousands of people who flocked to Kandy from countrywide areas to view the perahera. Some of the crowd who waved the President said, “Sir we could witness the perahera this time because of you. Then the President told the crowd it is not only me, you all could freely witness the perahera because of the support extended by all of you.”
Later, the President moved towards the Queens Hotel to view the perahera. Along with the President, Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake and former North Central Province Governor Sarath Ekanayake also viewed the perahera from the first floor balcony of the Queens Hotel.
‘The Game’
SJB Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake who is currently serving a prison sentence in Welikada Prison, went to the Gold Class Theatre at Scope Cinema at the Colombo City Centre on Friday to watch the movie ‘The Game’ in which he acted. Ramanayake was taken by the prison officers to the theatre at around 2.30 pm on Friday under strict security and a limited number of people attended the scene.
The Film Director had made a written request to Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to allow Ramanayake to watch the movie and accordingly he had been granted special permission. It is reported that for the first time in the history of the Prisons Department that a famous actor-turned politician was allowed to go to a cinema to watch a special screening of a movie in which he acted.
India gifts maritime patrol aircraft
India on Monday gifted a Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft to Sri Lanka Air Force. President Ranil Wickremesinghe was present at the handover ceremony which took place at the Air Force base, Katunayake on Monday.
The Indian High Commission tweeted “Ceremonial welcome for India’s latest gift to the people of Sri Lanka in the august presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and other dignitaries. Dornier 228 Aircraft which was handed over to the Sri Lanka Air Force will add to its security.”
The donation was in response to a request by President Wickremesinghe in 2018 when he was the Prime Minister for two Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft from India to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of the country. In his address, President Wickremesinghe thanked India for gifting the Dornier aircraft to Sri Lanka and said it will help start cooperation between the Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Navy with the Indian Navy in maritime surveillance. He said this is the start of cooperation between the Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Navy with the Indian Navy in maritime surveillance.
To extend support
Ten Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs have decided to extend support to the All Party Government, sources said. Meanwhile, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara on Thursday categorically denied the statement made by certain print and electronic media that several SJB Parliamentarians including himself have decided to join the Government within the next few days.
“It is completely a false and fabricated statement. Our Party members have never taken or will never take even such a decision now,” Madduma Bandara said.
Madduma Bandara expressed his dissatisfaction over the planting of such made-up statements by certain media with the sole intention of gaining cheap publicity and said neither himself nor any other SJB MPs join this nature of temporary formed government where members have been picked from other political parties even without considering their abilities.