President Ranil Wickremesinghe who returned to Colombo after his visit to Nuwara Eliya, arrived at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday to begin work.
Since it was the first day after the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, the staff of the President’s Office had traditionally prepared a tea party on that day.
Before going to his office, the President went to the table of sweetmeats prepared by his officials. Due to the message that the President will be there, the President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Director General of Government Information Dinith Chinthaka Karunaratne were waiting at the entrance of the Presidential Secretariat to receive the President.
When they invited the President and his group to the table of sweetmeats in the Secretariat premises, the assembled employees began to wish him for the New Year. Greeting everyone, the President went to the table of sweetmeats and also invited the employees to join the tea party.
“Last year, we couldn’t celebrate the New Year freely. But in general, everyone could celebrate the New Year, this year.” This is what the employees who came to wish the President said.
“No matter what difficulties there are, it’s worthwhile to celebrate the New Year,” Secretary Saman Ekanayake and Government Information DG Dinith Chinthaka said, looking at the President.
By then, a number of Ministers had also come to the Presidential Secretariat to wish the President for the New Year. After the tea party, the President went straight to the place where the Ministers were waiting. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena too came there at that time. The President, who also invited him, stepped towards the Ministers. Many Ministers such as Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Keheliya Rambukwella and Mahinda Amaraweera were present. The President wished all those present individually. The place was full of stories and jokes.
While congratulating Minister Wijeyadasa, the President said that he will have to tell the people the true story about the Anti-Terrorism Bill. When the President approached Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and asked about monkeys, everyone couldn’t stop laughing.
Seeing that the President was also smiling, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said, “The President is happy as the people could celebrate the Sinhala New Year freely. If Sir was not there, there would not have been a chance to celebrate the New Year.”
When he said that, everyone nodded in approval.
“Sir, do you know that this time too, the Leader of the Opposition was spending the Sinhala New Year in a distant area outside Colombo. Because of that, many people were unable to wish him,” MP Wajira Abeywardena told the President.
“That is because he is always in the Yala National Park. That’s why I looked for a place to build a separate official residence there.” Even though the President left the place saying that, those who were there could not stop their laughter.
A group of foreign Ambassadors had requested Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to provide them the opportunity to wish the President on the New Year and the President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake had prepared the Ambassador’s meeting accordingly.
Many Ambassadors were present and they wished the President for the New Year. That evening, the Cabinet meeting was held and several Bills, including the Anti-Terrorism Bill were approved.
Several Government services were declared as Essential Services through a gazette issued by the President’s Secretary.
UNP Management Committee meets
The United National Party (UNP) Management Committee meeting was held on Tuesday evening and many officials of the party attended it. Opinions were exchanged about the May Day rally. UNP General Secretary Range Bandara said that all arrangements have been made to hold the UNP May Day rally at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Colombo.
“There is talk of going for a National Government. Party members are asking us about this. What is the true story? Working Committee member Shamal Senarath asked.
“As far as we know, the President did not ask to form a National Government,” UNP National organiser Sagala Ratnayaka replied. “They are saying that it is a National Government talk and now they are not coming. They are the ones who want a National Government,” said Range Bandara joining the conversation.
The President said, “I said that Parliament itself should work as one Government. It is being done now. A majority of the Sectoral Oversight Committees are chaired by the Opposition. The chairmanship of the State Finance Committee has also been given to the Opposition. Now Parliament is working as one Government.” Everyone’s doubts were reduced by the unexpected answer given by the President.
President Wickremesinghe informed the audience that he will not participate in the May rally being a non-partisan President. The President advised those present there to make plans to celebrate May Day with the party supporters as well as the youth.
The progress review meeting of the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Labour was held on Wednesday morning. There, the President made a strong decision regarding the education of the children. The President strongly told the officials that if the university lecturers keep postponing the marking of the GCE A/L answer scripts, education will be declared an essential service. That evening, the President went to the Defence Headquarters to watch the New Year festival organised by the Defence Ministry.
The President came to the Ministry of Finance on Thursday. Everyone present appreciated his statement regarding education.
“Indeed, the President has also adopted a stern attitude like Minister Kanchana Wijesekara. What was said about education is appreciated by every parent who has school-going children,” State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said while appreciating the President’s stand.
“There is no way to hold the GCE O/L examination because the university lecturers do not mark the answer scripts. If we were not strict, the parents would scold us. This time we have to take the children’s side,” said MP Madura Withanage, which received unanimous approval.
State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe outlined the assurance given by creditors at the meeting in Washington as well as the assurance received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “The plan we presented for the next 25 years and the plan presented for five years were appreciated by them,” said a beaming Semasinghe.
In the afternoon, a group of Ministers met the President at the President’s Office to discuss the current situation of the country as well as parliamentary affairs.
The group asked for information about the Anti-Terrorism Bill and also about compensation for ecological damage caused by the X-Press Pearl ship fire.
“The Anti-Terrorism Bill has been brought to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Actually, this was brought during the 2015-2019 period. Those who were in favour of it then say it is not good today. It is not clear to me what has happened to the Opposition group today,” Wajira Abeywardena said.
“This was brought due to the request from the international community as well as the country. Even civil organisations then said that this Bill is good. Now what they are talking about is unclear,” said Minister Manusha Nanayakkara chipping in.
The President advised the MPs to continue talking about this in front of the media.
Minister Prasanna Ranatunga then brought out a different story. “Since the SJB cannot oppose the proposal of the International Monetary Fund today, they are trying to run away from the debate by showing another issue.”
Minister Ranatunga revealed new information. “Yes, they are now saying that this agreement should be given in all three languages. The SJB has forgotten that the Indo-Lanka Agreement was also debated in the Parliament only in the English version.”
Minister Bandula Gunawardena also replied in the same way.
“When asked to come to the TID to get a statement regarding a statement made on the Easter attack, the former Attorney General did not come, but as the former Finance Minister, I did not get such opportunities,” said Ravi Karunanayake.
“If he spoke the truth, why is he afraid to come,” Madura Withanage also inquired.
“Many people want monkeys to be sent out of the country now. But the Chinese Embassy has said that they did not ask for monkeys,” Minister Ranatunga pulled out another story.
“Yes, I am going to appoint a committee to look into all these matters.” Everyone laughed at the way the President said it.
Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardena who distributed 80 new buses to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts recently, came to Nuwara Eliya again last weekend.
Electric trains
The Minister, who was engaged in observing the work of starting a electric train service from Nanu Oya Railway Station to Kandapola, received high response from the people of the area. The Minister’s aim was to construct the Kandapola-Ragala railway which had been built during British rule, centering on Nuwara Eliya.
The Minister went around the area and looked into the rapid development program carried out under the scope of his Ministry so as to have a high contribution to the development of the area by getting opinions about the project from the officials of the institutions and from the people of the area.
Minister Gunawardena who engaged in a friendly conversation with local and foreign tourists and local residents at the Nanu Oya Railway Station, Nuwara Eliya and Kandapola cities, was praised by everyone for providing solutions to many public transport problems of the local people at the same time.
A ceremony was held at the Haputale railway station to pay tribute to a guard of an estate in Haputale who helped to prevent a major train accident near the Haputale railway station due to a huge tree falling on the railway track, risking his life to save six-hundred lives including local and foreign tourists. A reward of Rs.100,000 was also presented by the Minister to this brave man H.M.Jayasekara.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that the sole aim of this Government is to destroy the democratic rights of the people through state brutality and state terrorism brought through the Anti-Terrorism Bill and all progressive forces are gathering to defeat this aim.
Premadasa informed his group of MPs that a massive force should be formed against the Anti-Terrorism Bill and to get ready for it. MP Kabir Hashim commented extensively on the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
“Wajira Abeywardena who has commented on the nature of the new Anti-terrorism Bill should get tuition from Kabir Hashim,” said MP Eran Wickramaratne.
“Today, the country is run by blackmarket moneylenders. It doesn’t matter if they even sell monkeys to find some money.” This was said by MP Thushara Idunil.
MP Indunil also asked the Opposition Leader about the fake news circulating that a group of Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs will join the Government. “We know that the Government has nothing to do. But we have work to do. So, don’t answer such empty jokes,” Opposition Leader Premadasa said.
“But Kabir had given an excellent answer,” General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said.
During a press conference, Kabir Hashim said that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya was formed based on principles and that no SJB MP including himself would join the National Government betraying the country. This country cannot be built only with the aid of the International Monetary Fund, Kabir said.
Meanwhile, MP Mano Ganesan also gave a good answer to the fake news in circulation.
Mano Ganesan said that his party is aligned with the Samagi Jana Balawega and his party has not conducted any discussion regarding joining a National Government or the Government. He stated this in a tweet while responding to the false news published by the media that his party would join a National Government.
SJB May Day rally
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya will hold its May Day rally on a grand scale on the theme “The struggle of motherhood that starts from the workplace.”
“We haven’t been given any of the grounds that we requested to hold the May rally,” MP Nalin Bandara said.
At that moment, General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara spoke to the authorities and asked why the stadiums are not reserved for the SJB.
“We will meet and make a decision about it and let you know.” When receiving such answers from them, General Secretary Madduma Bandara said, “Why is the Government afraid of our people?”
In the end, the SJB was able to reserve the A.E. Gunasinghe ground in Colombo.”But it’s not enough for the large crowd. But it’s a big thing that we got it right on time,” Mujibur Rahuman said.