Following the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, President Ranil Wickremesinghe left the country for a visit to Europe including the participation in the conference for a new global climate financial agreement in Paris. Before leaving the country last Saturday morning, the President handed over the responsibilities of the Finance Ministry to Shehan Semasinghe and the Defence Ministry to Premitha Bandra Tennakoon.
President Wickremesinghe, who visited London, participated in the session of the Association of International Diplomats. He first met Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland. Expressing her appreciation for the change in Sri Lanka’s situation in a few months, the Secretary General informed the President about the digitisation programs that will be launched in the Commonwealth of Nations. She also expressed her appreciation to the President for the action that Sri Lanka is taking on climate change.
President Wickremesinghe discussed with the former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, at the annual conference held in connection with the 40th anniversary of the International Union of Democracies.
Views were exchanged about solving Sri Lanka’s debt crisis as well as climate change and reconciliation. During the discussion led by the former Prime Minister of Canada, the crisis in this country was also a topic.
After the International Democrats’ Conference, President Wickremesinghe went to the residence of Niranjan Devaditya, a former member of the British Parliament. It was to join a birthday party he had organised. The ruling party politicians also got to know that a group of former and current members of the British Parliament were also present.
The President left for Paris from London on Wednesday. The delegation including President Wickremesinghe, who arrived in France, prepared for the speech at the conference for a new global financial agreement which was held on June 22 and 23. In the meantime, he asked for information from President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake. The President’s Secretary briefed him about the current situation and there were three matters in focus. It is about the Anti-corruption Bill, appointment of Rohitha Bogollagama as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Britain, and about the return of an elephant received as a gift from Thailand to the country.
Former Member of Parliament Susantha Punchinilame who came there, inquired about the appointment of Rohitha Bogollagama from the President’s Secretary. He said, “The President said a few things to everyone who asked him about this. One is the fact that the recommendation for this appointment should come from the Foreign Minister. On the other hand, Bogollagama is a former Foreign Minister. So, he has a lot of connections. The ideology of the European Union is formed here. That’s important to us.” That was Secretary Saman Ekanayake’s reply.
“There is a big mud-slinging campaign going on against Bogollagama.” It was raised by the Director General of Government Information Dinith Karunaratne.
“Yes, there are two sides here. Foreign Service officers are not being undermined. Rohitha Bogollagama knows the President’s opinion very well because he worked with the President for a while. There is also an opinion in the Government that someone like Rohita is suitable for the program in Europe,” President’s Secretary said.
Karunaratne raised another serious issue. It is the news of the country losing an elephant that was given to us as a gift by the Thailand Government.
“We cannot anger Thailand because Thailand is a very friendly country for us. On the other hand, the country has the largest number of Theravada Buddhists. So, let’s talk about this after the President returns. This is an issue under the International Convention on Animal Protection,” MP Wajira Abeywardena said.
“Yes it is true. When we talked about a free trade agreement with them, we didn’t have money to go to that country. It costs us a lot of money to travel to Thailand, so they spent money and came to Sri Lanka to help us,” said the President’s Secretary, recalling the past.
On the instructions of the President, Director General of the Presidential Media, Dhanushka Ramanayake participated in the third session of the Fifth Youth Parliament. He informed the young MPs to submit their proposals and ideas to the President.
In Paris, President Wickremesinghe met Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva on Wednesday morning.
The Managing Director of the IMF expressed her happiness about the economic process in the country and said that she will continue to help the country.
The President met United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, United States Treasury Secretary, Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. The President is due to return to Sri Lanka tomorrow.
Even though President Wickremesinghe is not in Sri Lanka, UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena and the team are fulfilling the duties entrusted to them. As they have been informed to fulfill a target of 80 party balamandalas, the team of party officials is working hard for that target. Party General Secretary Range Bandara stayed at the Sirikotha party headquarters on Monday and Tuesday and those who left the party and members of other parties came to meet him to join the United National Party.
Party Legal Director, Daya Palpola, PC informed party officials including the General Secretary about the progress related to changing the UNP constitution. He explained how the party constitution will be amended to suit the demands of the youth.
The party headquarters has become a busy place due to the presence of party members and SJB and SLPP members. Secretary General Range has become their sounding post. As the General Secretary intervened and provided solutions to the problems of the majority of the visitors, these people left Sirikotha after taking a photo with Range Bandara.
‘Sankathana Mandapaya’
The ‘Sankathana Mandapaya Sahitya Kala Sabhawa’, organised by the Prime Minister’s Office was held on Thursday on the theme of Sagara Palansuriya or as everyone knows KS, the poet of the Colombo era. After Dinesh Gunawardena became the Prime Minister, he started this program and before this various distinguished literary figures were appreciated in the Sankathana Mandapaya held at Temple Trees. As usual, Maha Sangha, artists, academics, journalists and schoolchildren were present.
Premier Gunawardena, this time joined the Sankathana Mandapaya when Ven. Prof. Pathegama Gnanissara Thera was delivering the keynote address. “It is only for someone like our Prime Minister, the idea of passing this kind of literature to the next generation will come,” he said.
“KS environmental praises should be discussed in environmental conferences, beyond literary conferences,” the Prime Minister said
When Sagara Palansooriya was in the Opposition as the Member of Parliament for Horana, during a crucial vote in the Parliament, the then Prime Minister called him to the room and asked him to vote for his side and that he will appoint him as the Minister of Education tomorrow. However, he came and sat on the parliamentary chair saying that policies cannot be changed for mere positions.”
A special feature was the submission of a series of proposals to the Prime Minister by poet associations for Sandas poetry and the poets. “Prime Minister, we need a separate sub-committee for poetry and a separate award system for Sandas poetry.”
The poets who turned the activities of the program to their side started presenting their ideas through poetry.
“Okay, let’s work for literature, we started this program to do that for the children,” said Prime Minister Gunawardena to the poets surrounding him without panic. The Prime Minister, who was there for a long time, did not forget to talk to the scholars present including Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara.
Opposition Collective
The Executive Committee of the Opposition Collective met last week as well. The focus was primarily on the serious problems in the agreement between the International Monetary Fund and the Government. Everyone was of the opinion that the country has faced the present situation where the Government had agreed to IMF conditions in haste and as they wished.
“The Opposition needs to reveal all the facts without making any regrettable decisions,” Prof. GL Peiris said.
“We are saying that the Opposition and the Government should come together to protest against the restructuring of the local debt. If all 225 Members of the Parliament, regardless of party, colour, religion or race, say this in one voice, we can achieve many victories for the country. But the Government is ignorant,” MP Nalaka Godahewa said.
“We can make a clear impact on the International Monetary Fund and protect the deposits of all, including pensioners,” Eran Wickremeratne said.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that he is ready to secure the value of the deposits of the people of this country, but he is not ready to wave his hands at what the Government says.
“Repeatedly, Samagi Jana Balawega (SJB), as an Opposition, said that the data and documents related to the Government’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund should be tabled in Parliament. At that time, Basil Rajapaksa asked but was not given,” MP Kabir Hashim said.
“If the agreement was tabled in Parliament, the Government could have strengthened the agreement with the International Monetary Fund and implemented it progressively from the side of the people. But that it was hidden from the country and Parliament,” the Opposition Leader said.
“The Government says one thing at a time. Something else is said at another time. Trust in the Government has been undermined by such contradictory stories,” MP Dullas Alahapperuma said.
The Opposition Leader said that although many countries have agreements with the International Monetary Fund without restructuring their domestic debt, there is something hidden as Sri Lanka has to do it.
The Broadcasting Authority Bill was widely discussed by Sajith Premadasa and other SJB Parliamentarians.
“The media in a country is the fourth pillar of people’s democracy. Similarly, the media is the arbiter between the ruler and the people. Therefore, a an environment should be developed to provide information to all the media in one place. That is, journalists should be free to report information. The media has the right to protect its sources,” Sajith Premadasa said.
“There should be some specific law regarding the regulation of broadcasting organisations. The Government’s intervention should take place under restrictive conditions. In the name of regulation, media that criticises the Government should not be suppressed,” Gayanta Karunathilaka said.
“It appears that the Government is making some effort to manipulate the media unnecessarily with the document that has been submitted for the regulation of the media. It can seriously affect democracy in the country. What the Government should do is to develop a code of ethics and create a safe environment for professional journalists. Without that, it is not possible to bring such influential bills,” Sajith Premadasa said.
Last week, Sajith Premadasa went to four places without informing anyone, namely to four media institutions. He thus went to those institutions to congratulate them on Sirasa’s anniversary, TNL’s anniversary and 300th anniversary of Siyatha ‘Teli Vakiya’.
No one in those institutions knew that Sajith was coming to their institutions and the sudden arrival of the Opposition Leader was a source of surprise and happiness. After that, Sajith went to the office of the Tamilan newspaper on Thursday evening to congratulate it on its anniversary.
When former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa came to Parliament, his Chief Security Officer Nevil Wanniarachchi met MPs Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Chandima Weerakkodi.
“When US President Joe Biden fell on the floor recently, I remembered Nevil,” Anura Yapa started the conversation.
“What is that, sir,” Nevil asked.
“If someone like you was with Joe Biden, he wouldn’t have let him fall down like that. Because we know very well how you protect Mahinda Rajapaksa. How many times, the world’s worst terrorist organisation, LTTE attempted to harass Mahinda Rajapaksa. But Nevil always protected Mahinda Rajapaksa. How proud you are to protect the Leader who saved the country,” said Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.
“I always do my best to protect former President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” Nevil Wanniarachchi said with a slight smile.
SLPP meeting in Gampola
Last Sunday, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga participated in the Gampola Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Balamandala meeting. State Minister Anuradha Jayaratne had organised it and former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, State Minister Indika Anuruddha and others participated.
Organiser Anuradha Jayaratne and others were very excited as there was an unprecedented level of public participation. “I didn’t think that so many people would come,” State Minister Jayaratne whispered to Minister Ranatunga.
“Don’t be afraid brother. The people are with us. It is because we have lost lately that the JVP has been applauded in the village. If we go to the village, this game is nothing. People have not forgotten the Pohottuwa,” said Minister Ranatunga.
“To be honest, I was scared. If people don’t come, it’s going to be a disaster,” State Minister Anuradha Jayaratne said.
“Brother, never work half a day when you are doing politics. Work full time. Always go to people and stay with them. That’s how I am,” said Minister Ranatunga giving political tuition to Anuradha Jayaratne.
“It’s true, if we don’t go to the people, that politician will be rejected,” said former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage joining the conversation.
“D. M. Jayaratne is a leader among the people. I remember how he worked with my father to bring the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to power in 1994. The village man has not forgotten that history,” Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said.
“Every person in this village still remembers the late Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne. He worked a lot for this area,” said Anuradha Jayaratne emotionally.
“That’s what I’m saying, we should be able to say our father’s name anywhere. I proudly say everywhere that I am the son of Reggie Ranatunga,” Minister Ranatunga said.