President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the delegation that went to Jaffna on Saturday, February 11, to open the Jaffna Cultural Centre (JCC) visited picturesque paddy lands on their way back to Colombo.
After opening the JCC, the President along with his Chief of Staff Sagala Rathnayaka, Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Adviser Ruwan Wijewardene also joined to watch the cultural show. While looking at the cultural show, the President who turned to his delegation said, “Our presence here with the security personnel is an obstacle for the ordinary people to watch the cultural show.”
After the President and his delegation left the venue, it provided the opportunity for the people to come closer to the stage and watch the cultural show.
The following day when the President was getting ready to return to Colombo, one his officials informed him about a well cultivated paddy land in Pannankandy area, Kilinochchi. The officer conveyed that message following instructions given to him by the President to look into such paddy land in the area. Once he received the information, the President and the group decided to visit that area immediately.
The people had a great interest in the stranger who visited the area unexpectedly. As the President visited the area at short notice with less security personnel, it provided him the opportunity to go closer to the people alone and talk to them. Then the President inquired about the cultivation activities of the farmers.
The farmers told the President, “Sir, if we are given the facilities, we can reap a good harvest.”
The President replied, “I will give you fertiliser and other facilities, and then you all can provide the necessary rice to the country.”
When President Wickremesinghe explained about the area, farmers listened with amazement. After the President left the area, the farmers who talked to each other said the President had a better knowledge of the area than them.
One of the elderly farmers told the President and his delegation, “We made only two requests when Hector Kobbekaduwa visited the area during the Presidential Election held before the war. That was to develop education and agriculture in the area. Today the incumbent President comes and says that to us.”
The President from that paddy land pledged the entire country to overcome the fertiliser issue and pay Rs. 100 per kilo of paddy purchased.
The President who returned to Colombo on Sunday evening went to the US Embassy on Monday morning to participate in the Youth Forum Leadership Summit organised by them to mark the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the United States.
After concluding his speech, President Wickremesinghe provided the opportunity to youth to raise any issues if they have. A large number of youth submitted questions to the President and the President gave comprehensive answers to them.
During the tea party the President met the youth and inquired about various issues from them. The President also exchanged views with youths on the ‘Aragalaya’ and system change.
The President came to his office on Monday afternoon. It was a busy day for him as the Cabinet meeting was also held on that day.
The President submitted a Cabinet paper to provide a series of relief measures to the people. It was proposed to provide 10 kilos of rice to a low income family for two months. That Cabinet paper had also proposed to allocate Rs. 19 billion to purchase drugs and pay worker incentives.
UNP Management Board meets President
On Tuesday, the President attended the Security Council meeting and came to his office in the evening. The UNP Management Board officers had come to the President’s office to inform him about the party’s future activities. They also discussed the Local Government election.
At the beginning of the meeting, the President said that he doesn’t have any involvement with the election activities.
UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara said, “The Election Commission is asking for money while the Government Printer says she cannot print ballot papers if she is not given money.”
UNP Chairman MP Wajira Abeywardena said in lighter vein “Even the beggars on the pavement are asking for money. Those who can give and others do not.”
UNP National Organiser Sagala Ratnayaka said, “We are aware the Treasury doesn’t have money to give. The Opposition groups had to first implement the proposal submitted by the President to reduce the current 8,000 Local Government members to 4,000 and then go for the election.
UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said then the election would have been held during the period August to October in a proper manner.
UNP Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said two Opposition groups quit targeting the election. Most of them wanted to sabotage the President’s program and deceive him.
Then the President said in a serious tone, “Even now I am ready to rebuild the economy along with all groups in Parliament and reduce the number of Local Government members and then go for the election.
Shamal Senerath said, “However, Opposition groups frighten officers. They say conspiracies are being hatched to sabotage the election by summoning the Finance Secretary, Government Printer and Election Commission members.”
UNP National Organiser Sagala Ratnayaka said there is no hindrance for Government officers to meet the President and discuss issues.
The party seniors left after deciding to call for the UNP Working Committee on Friday under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to discuss the party activities.
The President who met agriculture officers and security officers instructed them to provide relief measures to the low income families without ignoring any of them.
German MP meets President
German Member of Parliament Peter Ramsauer met President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday. The progress of the projects being implemented at the Karapitiya Hospital with the support of the German Government was reviewed and future activities were discussed during the meeting.
President Wickremesinghe said that he expects Germany’s technical assistance and investment in Sri Lanka’s upcoming development program and requested further assistance in this regard.
The President expressed his thanks for the projects that Germany had introduced to manage the human-elephant conflict in the country and Ramsauer expressed his appreciation for studying and implementing them in the country.
President Wickremesinghe also said that he is looking for support to further expand the training programs for Sri Lankan students through German technical colleges.
Important speech
The President made an important speech at the launching of the Centre for Governance and Public Policy (C-GaPP) at the Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC) Research University at Trace City in Colombo on Wednesday.
President Wickremesinghe said that the Government will not give into the demands of protesters. He said that simply because certain groups strike demanding the removal of certain officials, the Government will not remove anyone arbitrarily as there is a procedure that has to be followed and the Government will follow the rules and act accordingly.
He said one was staged at the Ruhuna University demanding the removal of the Vice Chancellor and another one demanded the removal of the General Manager of a state corporation.
President Wickremesinghe said that the removal of the General Manager is a matter of the Government. “We will not remove him simply because there is a strike. There’s a procedure that has to be followed if they think there are any shortcomings of serious nature against him.
“As far as Vice Chancellors are concerned, there is a procedure that has to be followed. Just because people go on strike, whether it’s in a corporation or in a university, this Government will not change. We will follow the rules and act accordingly, because if I give into this now, next time they will want to remove the Deans and thereafter the heads of department,” he said.
Uninterrupted power supply
The officers of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) and Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) met the President on Wednesday to discuss the electricity tariff hike. Then the President instructed the officials to provide an uninterrupted power supply to the people as the PUCSL has given its approval to increase the electricity tariff hike.
The President also told the officials to provide concessions to the low income families and also give concessions to fix solar panels at religious places and state institutions.
The progress review meeting on the country’s economic affairs and financial situation is held at the Finance Ministry every Thursday.
President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake also joins the meeting. Government Director Information Dinith Chinthaka who saw the President’s Secretary just walking to the Finance Ministry from the Presidential Secretariat asked him “Why are you walking today. Is your vehicle broken.”
The President’s Secretary Ekanayake said, “Why should I use a vehicle to come this short distance? I walked from behind the Presidential Secretariat. Walking is good for your health.” Having said that, the President’s Secretary along with Director Information entered the Finance Ministry. The security officers who listened to their conversation said the present President’s Secretary is a very simple person when looking at the former officers.
US security officials
Several Ministers who met the President on Thursday talked about the media reports on the arrival of a group of top US security officers. Minister Bandula Gunawardena said, “It is said that the head of the CIA has come. If that is true, it may be the first time such a key officer has come to Sri Lanka.”
Then an official who was there said there is a truth in that report. However, President Wickremesinghe who listened to all those conversations didn’t make any comment.
When talking about the economy and the electricity bill, the President said, “I can understand the economic hardships faced by the people very well. However, it was the former President who created these problems and not me. Therefore, I have to take some unpopular decisions on behalf of the country.”
Economic blueprint
There were two people who first revealed that the country is turning to bankruptcy. One was Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and the other person was SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. Both of them first warned about this risk two years ago.
Then some people laughed in a sarcastic manner when the Opposition Leader expressed his views in this regard.
They said the Opposition Leader doesn’t have an understanding of economics. When Dr. Harsha de Silva also warned about this imminent danger, some people also laughed at him as well. However, all those who laughed had to cry today as the country has become bankrupt for the first time in its history.
The question raised by all was how to rebuild the country. There is no solution for the country’s education and economic collapse. There is also no solution for political setbacks. There is no use of boasting as it would not bring any results.
However, the SJB realised the country needs an answer to this burning issue. The SJB launched a significant program recently by providing an answer to that. It was called the ‘Blueprint’ economic summit.
The SJB unveiled its enhanced economic blueprint for a Sri Lanka with good governance and inclusive prosperity, in the presence of diplomats and the business community.
The fact that all communities undergo severe hardships economically, socially and politically was emphasised at the economic summit at the Hilton Hotel.
It was expected that about 1,000 leading businessmen, economists and intellectuals would attend the summit, but over 1,500 persons attended it. This led to the opening of an adjoining hall of the hotel for those who attended the summit. The SJB introduced its plan to get rid the country from the debt trap.
At the forum, SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the SJB is the only party capable of alleviating the suffering of the citizens of Sri Lanka. He said, “Sri Lanka is currently trapped in a stagnant mud pool. This is not a time for experiments. It is evident that we cannot thrive in a closed and controlled economic model. The SJB will maintain a welfare state, but it will be a carefully balanced approach and ensure that our national policies address every concern.”
UNP Parliamentarian MP Kabir Hashim who first expressed his views at the SJB economic summit explained the reasons which led to the current economic crisis.
He outlined how the country which started to go down in 2004 turned into a catastrophe with a huge debt burden during the tenure of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Therefore, nobody could avoid the economic vision introduced by the SJB as the main Opposition to rebuild the country.
Dr. Harsha de Silva said at present Lebanon faces a severe economic crisis not having proper health facilities and food. He said Sri Lanka should not turn into such a pathetic situation.
Dr. de Silva said, “The program we presented to rebuild the country is valid even for today. We presented our program in a systematic manner with proper order. Before introducing all these, we raised a big voice to stop corruption.”
A journalist who participated in the event posed a question to Opposition Leader Premadasa. He said, “The country has been heading to downfall during the past 74 years. If we take recent times, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe, they could not overcome this crisis. Then how do you propose to overcome this crisis?”
The Opposition Leader gave a very brief answer to the journalist. He said, “They only had themselves. They all tried alone. No one can do anything alone. I have a good team. I can rebuild the country with one team.”
LG election
It seems there is no end to the deliberate attempts made by the Government to postpone the Local Government election. Day by day the Government uses various tactics to postpone the election.
The Opposition Leader issued a statement after he received the news on the decision taken to stop the printing of ballot papers. He said the Opposition and all progressive forces should join hands to protest against this arbitrary move of the Government. SJB MP Nalin Bandara said, “We who first asked for an election and agitated for it.”
Then SJB Parliamentarian J.C. Alawathuwala said, “The UNP, SLPP and JVP are among the groups which didn’t ask for an election.
SJB MP S.M. Marikkar said, “Those days the JVP didn’t even file a case against the Government which violated the democratic rights of the people. But now they ask the people to get ready to come to the streets once they announce the date and time.” MP Thushara Indunil said, “What is said and done, the entire country knows the JVP still has close links with the UNP. They know the trend that they have created now will be exposed if an election is held.”