President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka will work in a planned manner to build a powerful, rich and strong country by 2048.
He told the 76th Convention of the UNP at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo on Tuesday, that a targeted program will be implemented to reach this target. He said that to make Sri Lanka an economically strong and rich country in 2048, a clear program will be implemented step by step in five years. He also said that the foundation will be laid for this strong program with the active participation of all sectors.
According to the President, the Independence Day of 2048 will be celebrated in an economically strong country. Attention has been drawn on several sectors to be utilised for achieving economic prosperity such as tourism, agriculture technology and many more.
Speaking on the agriculture sector development measures, the President said that moves have already been taken to provide farmers with fertiliser, seeds and fuel from the Maha season. An agriculture revolution will be carried out countrywide to achieve food security as establishing food safety is among the prime concerns of the Government.
The President said that democracy will be further strengthened. More MPs will be given responsibilities for that. He said that the responsibilities of COPE and COPA committees will be given to the Opposition to strengthen parliamentary democracy.
President Wickremesinghe said, “A national assembly will be established to oversee financial affairs of the country while empowering Parliament to look into the financial activities of the country. The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will be abolished and another Bill will be presented instead. A truth-seeking commission will also be set up.” He also said that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution will be brought to further strengthen parliamentary democracy.
The UNP’s 76th Convention was held at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo on Tuesday on the theme ‘Ekwemu’ (Let’s Unite). The UNP held this year’s Convention under a President of the Party after 28 years. The last time the UNP held an annual convention under a UNP President was in 1993. All Party Leaders representing Parliament and others were invited to join the UNP anniversary celebrations and many of them, including Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena had attended the event.
New political alliance
The group of independent political parties and Parliamentarians including former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and Vasudeva Nanayakkara launched their new political alliance, the ‘Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya last Sunday, September 4.
The first general conference of the alliance was held at the National Youth Council premises in Maharagama, during which the party office-bearers of the alliance were announced. National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa was appointed as the Chairman of the alliance while General Secretary of the Communist Party Dr. G. Weerasinghe was appointed as its Secretary.
Democratic Left Front (SLF) Leader MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara is the National Organiser of the alliance while Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader MP Udaya Gammanpila, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) General Secretary Tissa Vitharana serve as Deputy Chairmen. MP Gevindu Kumaratunga was announced as the Deputy Secretary of the new coalition and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, President of the Vijaya Dharani National Assembly, was appointed as the Patron of the alliance.
In addition to that, an Executive Council representing all parties in the coalition has been appointed and this includes NFF National Organiser and former State Minister Jayantha Samaraweera, NFF MP Mohamed Muzammil and Weerasumana Weerasinghe of the Sri Lanka Communist Party.
Deputy Chairman of the SLFP Thilanga Sumathipala and officials of the Chinese, Russian, Iran and Vietnam Embassies and Indian High Commission also participated.
Blame game
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said leaders of the minor political parties which represented the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are following a double standard over the support by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Sri Lanka.
He said those party leaders blamed the previous Government for not seeking the support of the IMF at that time and they are blaming the present government for seeking IMF support. Addressing a media briefing at SLPP headquarters, Battaramulla on Tuesday, Kariyawasam said the SLPP has been following the same economic policy for the past six years for the country.
He said, “As a political party, we are of the view that Sri Lanka needs a national economic policy. Our party has always followed the most suitable policy for the country.” The General Secretary also said that Sri Lanka faced an economic crisis recently and it turned into a political crisis adding that the future will reveal the real characters that were behind this crisis.
“Will come together in the future”
The new party office of the ‘Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya’ was opened at Battaramulla on Monday. The party is led by former Minister and Kalutara District Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga also graced the occasion. MP Welgama formed the Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya on March 6, 2020, claiming it is seeking to uphold the now forgotten Bandaranaike policies.
At the time Welgama said he was forming the new party because the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) created by the late S.W.R.D Bandaranaike of which he had been a member has become a sell-out in recent times. Participating in the ceremony, former President Kumaratunga said whoever remains in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) are a set of bankrupt politicians.
She said that the true spirit of the SLFP is all gone. Speaking to the media, former President Kumaratunga took former President and SLFP Chairman Maithripala Sirisena to task. While noting that the SLFP’s democracy has been destroyed and the party has no policy, Kumaratunga also said that what matters to her the most are the party’s policies and the people and she will continue to serve both.
MP Welgama said the President should call for an election after January 25 and pointed out that he and his party is ready to support him in an election. Welgama also pointed out that even though groups led by Wimal Weerawansa, Dallus Alahapperuma and some other groups seem to be going on different paths, they would come together at one point in the future.
“People destitute”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa charged the Government for failing to provide adequate relief in several sectors to the people severely affected by the economic crisis. “By increasing the price of kerosene, the Government cannot continue to protect the fishery sector, industrialists and estate community.
The urban people are destitute and there is no relief for them. There is no relief for small and medium scale industrialists, there is no relief for the three-wheeler owners for the settlement of their leasing installments”, Premadasa said at a recent SJB meeting in Akmeemana.
He also alleged that moves were afoot to remove the Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe. He said, “The country’s 22 million people are distressed. Essential economic reforms needed to be implemented. Restructuring should take place.” The Opposition Leader also charged the Government that the Presidential Pardon granted to Ranjan Ramnayake was conditional and demanded an unconditional pardon for him.
“Former Prez must share experiences”
SLPP Parliamentarian and State Minister Anuradha Jayaratne said that it is important for former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to be involved with the next generation so that he can share his experiences.
He was speaking to journalists on the sidelines at the launch of the Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya, the new coalition launched by Independent Parliamentarians.
Jayaratne was questioned on whether the former President seeks a return to politics. Jayaratne said that the former President has not informed anyone about engaging in active politics, and said that he does not believe that the former President would reenter politics at this time.
However, he said that the former President Rajapaksa is one of the most experienced Presidents of Sri Lanka, despite his limited term of only two years. “Therefore, we need to get him involved with the next generation so that he can share his experiences with them. I believe that is what will happen,” he added.
“Will take action”
Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Dr. Harsha de Silva told the Government that he will take action if it fails to present the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Parliament.
Dr. de Silva said agreement was not approved in Parliament so far, and as the COPF Chairman he could take an action if the Government fails to present the agreement to the House. Speaking to the media, Dr. de Silva stressed that although the Government has signed a staff-level agreement with the IMF, Parliament wasn’t briefed on its terms and conditions.
Pointing out that Sri Lanka fell to its present state due to wrong economic policies and decisions taken by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Silva said, “Although the Government is pleased that they were able to reach the staff-level agreement, the people are still unaware of the terms and the conditions. We demand that President Wickremesinghe present this staff-level agreement with the IMF to Parliament immediately. There is no point in having any sort of discussion otherwise.” He said “What is the way forward?
We will have to implement new laws and regulations. We have to punish those who looted public funds. But will President Wickremesinghe do that? Will his deputies’ stand by him if he goes on to punish the wrongdoers?” the COPF Chairman said.
“Improper to walk away”
State Minister of Media Shantha Bandara told Parliament on Thursday it would be improper if the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) walks out of the Government when the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is at a disadvantage.
He said the SLFP competed in the election with SLPP when the latter had the edge. Thus, when the SLPP is at a vulnerable position, it is improper for the SLFP to walk away from them, he said. He said that his life was in jeopardy thrice while working for the rejuvenation of the SLFP. Bandara also pointed out that he accepted a state ministerial post for the betterment of the country.
However, the Party misread the move and some people wanted to remove me from the Party. The State Minister Bandara also said that they will not draw any salary or allowance for their portfolios until the prevailing crisis is over.
Thirty-seven Members of Parliament representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya have been appointed as State Ministers. State Ministers were sworn in before President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday morning.
Unaffordable
However, the Working Committee of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) expressed its unanimous objection to the appointment of a large number of new ministers amidst the ongoing economic crisis. Issuing a statement, the SJB said that the Government has despotically appointed a set of 37 state ministers at a time when the country has gone bankrupt and the cost of living is high. It is an unethical act. Maintaining such a large number of ministers is unaffordable to this country at this juncture and it further worsens the ongoing crisis, the SJB pointed out.
Economic stability
However, The State Ministers who were sworn in on Thursday said that they don’t need privileges to support the program carried out by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his efforts to rebuild the country.
They said that establishing economic stability in the country is the priority at the moment and as State Ministers, they hope to provide maximum support to the line ministries by taking on the responsibilities of the Government. State Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake said “We worked in the past with or without privileges.
There is no need to make this state ministry an ornament. We worked back then and we are working even now. Therefore, I did not accept this ministry to get privileges, to run after vehicles and fuel. I took over the rural ministry to serve the people. This is a ministry where I can work with the people in the village. I hope to provide maximum service to the people through this new position.”
Request for time to speak
SLPP Matara District Parliamentarian Dullas Allahapperuma requested the Speaker to allocate time for the 13 independent MPs to speak during Parliament proceedings. The 13 MPs who sat in the Opposition are yet to be allotted time to speak in the House. Alahapperuma said that it is their right to express their opinion in the House. He said that they should not be forced to go behind the Speaker all the time requesting time allocations. Alahapperuma made these remarks at the commencement of Thursday’s proceedings.
Homage
Two minutes of silence was observed in Parliament on Friday to pay homage to the passing of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Parliament convened on Friday at 9.30 am under Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and a two-minute silence was given to the proposal made by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the beginning of the Parliamentary session. Following that, Chief Opposition Whip, MP Lakshman Kiriella also made a statement and expressed the condolences of the Opposition to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
“No party approval”
The SLFP on Friday said that the SLFP Parliamentarians who have been appointed as State Ministers have accepted such posts without any approval of the Party. SLFP Chairman and former President Maithripala Sirisena said the SLFP MPs accepted State Ministerial posts for their own personal gain, contrary to the position of the Party.
“The SLFP was the first to propose that an All-Party Interim Government should be set up to create political stability in the country and overcome the prevailing crisis, as has been accepted by all parties, both nationally and internationally”, the former President stated in a media release.
“We are also concerned about the Government’s position in offering Ministerial posts to several SLFP MPs, giving a false impression to the l public that the SLFP is also holding positions and supporting the current Government, without any discussion with the Party or the Party leadership, while the negotiations are ongoing for the establishment of an All-Party Government.” Former President Sirisena said the arbitrarily awarding of Ministerial positions to MPs without any agreement with the SLFP shows that there is no real desire in the Government to set up such an All-Party Government as we suggested.