President Ranil Wickremesinghe left for Davos, Switzerland to participate in the World Economic Forum.
President Wickremesinghe had a special reason to join the World Economic Forum as Sri Lanka needs projects to move forward this year. Well-known businessmen and world superpowers from all over the globe attend this economic forum. This is a great place to explain to them about the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka.
The President worked hard the whole of last week to achieve that goal. Along with him, Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, President’s Adviser Ruwan Wijewardena, Deshal de Mel and the Chairman of the Board of Investment and a group of leading businessmen of Sri Lanka also joined him to contribute to this work. Many of them had gone there at their own expense.
The snow-covered city of Davos warms up in January as it fills with world-famous tourists. Last Sunday, President Wickremesinghe and his group arrived in Zurich, Switzerland. They stayed there one day and discussed with several business groups and diaspora groups living in Zurich.
Then the President went to the city of Davos at the foot of the Alps and while staying there, he first met the former Vice President of the United States of America, Al Gore, the founder and Chairman of The Climate Reality Project. He is a close friend of US President Joe Biden and is an advocate for climate mitigation. Ruwan Wijewardena also joined this event because he is an activist on climate change in the country.
Menzies Airlines Chairman Hassan El-Houry met President Wickremesinghe and President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake briefed him about SriLankan Airlines and Mattala International Airport.
President Wickremesinghe joined a business meeting jointly organised by the Sri Lanka Board of Investment and the Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce, where he gave a lecture on the process of debt restructuring and the program being carried out with the International Monetary Fund.
That evening, the President joined the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. On Tuesday morning, President Wickremesinghe joined a meeting organised by the Forum of Climate Vulnerable People.
The President met Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom William Hague during the World Economic Forum. He was also present to participate in the Economic Forum and there President Wickremesinghe explained the current economic situation in Sri Lanka. The President and the delegation also had the opportunity to meet the Special Representative of the President of the United States of America on Climate Change, John Kerry.
The President also met the IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva and made a detailed explanation about the country’s economic progress. President Wickremesinghe and others had the opportunity to join a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum’s stakeholder dialogue.
The President explained the facts to the group about Sri Lanka’s outlook and economic progress. The Sri Lankan delegation also joined a round table discussion organised by the Indian Industry Group. There, the President positioned Sri Lanka as an ideal place for various investments.
On Tuesday night, a Sri Lankan dinner was hosted at a hotel on top of a mountain in Davos. As the place was impassable for vehicles, it had to be accessed by cable car. The banquet was organised by a group of businessmen who had gone from Sri Lanka and many businessmen attending the World Economic Forum also attended.
The President assigned the responsibility of conducting this meeting to Sagala Ratnayaka. Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka’s speech to the businessmen present there was praised by everyone.
President Wickremesinghe told the businessmen, “As the Head of State, I can only create the environment for investments to come to the country. It is your job to bring them to Sri Lanka.” When he said that, everyone nodded.
On Wednesday, President Wickremesinghe who met Prof. Ricardo Hausman of Harvard University also joined a scholarly discussion on debt management of countries in the evening. He also met the President of Switzerland and the Prime Minister of Singapore. That night, President Wickremesinghe left Switzerland to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, Uganda.
Independence Day
Before going abroad, the President held several special discussions. Among them was the discussion of organising the upcoming Independence Day. The President instructed the Director General of Government Information Dinith Chinthaka Karunaratne to prepare a commemorative plaque to be presented to the invited guests on Independence Day.
He accompanied Prof. Praneeth Abeysundara, design artist W. Wijebandara and other officials of the Information Department to meet the President. President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake also joined the event and it was here that the President revealed for the first time that the Thai Prime Minister will be the chief guest at the Independence Day celebrations.
The President asked Prof. Praneeth Abeysundara to include the relationship between Buddhist countries in the commemorative volume. President Wickremesinghe said that this should be prepared in such a way as to show how to take Sri Lanka to a new dimension economically, politically and culturally. He also asked that the Sri Lanka-Thailand Trade Agreement be published in all four languages, including Thai.
The President also advised the group to prepare a commemorative volume that can be taken home and used again and again, not as one that will be left on the chair when the Independence Day is over.
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Director General Madhushanka Dissanayake asked what the theme of Independence Day will be.
“Let’s Build a New Country” President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake translated what the President said in English into Sinhala.”
That afternoon, President Wickremesinghe went to Parliament and met members of the Government and the Opposition. A group of MPs accompanied by Prof. Ashu Marasinghe demanded to find out how the businessmen who are to contest as Presidential Candidates have developed their business and whether they have paid taxes properly.
Several members of the Opposition told the President that the Online Safety Act is a bill that should be brought. Before leaving the country, the President called MP Wajira Abeywardena and handed over some special duties. Among them, the first was the series of conventions approved by the party Management Committee.
A series of conventions conducted by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena in Galle, Tangalle, Kalutara and Ratnapura was attended by a large number of people and it was praised by everyone. “Continue to carry this work across the country,” Kotte Organiser Dinesh Vidanapathirana told Wajira.
“The General Secretary has prepared a program for this. Let’s take it forward,” Wajira told Dinesh.
The participation of all the leaders in the country at the time was also special in the convention held in Galle. MP Premanath C. Dolawatta who met Prof. Ashu Marasinghe in Parliament said a wonderful thing. “There was news that provincial health workers and drivers have not joined the health strike. They are saying that you took them to your side.”
When MP Dolawatta mentioned that, Prof.Marasinghe replied, “No, no, they believe in our opinion, that’s all.”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa started his activities for the week by participating in the Thai Pongal ceremony at the Opposition Leader’s office. Members of Parliament Nalin Bandara, Nalaka Godahewa and the staff of the Opposition Leader’s office were present.
Vegetable prices
The Opposition Leader said that the price of vegetables has gone up due to taxation on agricultural products when he participated in the event held at the Opposition Leader’s office last Monday on the occasion of Thai Pongal festival. “Even at this moment of the Thai Pongal festival, the prices of rice and vegetables have gone up due to taxation even on agricultural products,” the Opposition Leader said.
“In such a situation, the people should decide whether we as a country will continue to wait or stand up for democracy. I pray that you will have the courage to stand up for that good cause,’’ Opposition Leader Premadasa said during the Thai Pongal Day celebrations.
The Opposition Leader left for Anuradhapura immediately after the Thai Pongal celebration to participate in the 67th phase of ‘Sakwala’ smart classroom equipment presentation to Rathmalgahawewa Maha Vidyalaya. Equipment to the value of Rs. 1 million was presented.
At that time, the Opposition Leader quoted Nelson Mandela saying, “Education is the most powerful weapon that can be used for world transformation” and said that it should be made a reality and our country’s labour market should be prepared to match the world market.
“The country can be rebuilt through honest and clean education in the country. Don’t think about the people who make absurd decisions and don’t think about the people who say absurd things and work for a good cause,’’ he said.
Principal of Rathmalgahawewa Maha Vidyalaya, Horauppatana, Champa Priyadarshani Gunawardena said, ‘’Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa did something that no state leader has ever done.”
Last Tuesday, the Opposition Leader joined a program to provide smart classroom equipment and dictionaries to the value of Rs. 1 million to Sirimapura Maha Vidyalaya, Kalawewa.
The Opposition Leader said, “At a time when the country’s health service is paralysed, the leader of the country goes to foreign countries and makes merry. Even though the schools cannot provide a computer and a smart classroom for the children, money has been allocated for the president for these trips.”
The Principal of Sirimapura Maha Vidyalaya said, “It is commendable that the Opposition Leader is not abusing his position but using it to help schoolchildren. With the intervention of the Opposition Leader, the children of the country will be empowered. This effort to improve the future of children can never be forgotten.
Through the ‘Sakwala’ program, the light of wisdom is being distributed throughout the country,’’ she said.
‘Blue Print’
The launch of the ‘Blue Print’ Matara program of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) economic proposals was held in Matara under the patronage of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MPs Kabir Hashim, Eran Wickramaratne, Buddhika Pathirana, businessman Rohan Pallewatta and others were also present.
“Opponents say that there is no difference and that the philosophy of SJB and UNP is the same. The UNP follows crony capitalism. We follow humanitarian capitalism. The SJB and the Samagi Jana Sandanaya are building a huge broad alliance. This broad alliance has a middle ground origin that is not racist or religious and we open the doors to the people who work accordingly. Never expect sugar-coated political promises from us. We will not go for political deals,’’ the Opposition Leader said at the ‘Blue Print’ program.
“The President only goes abroad, there is no result. Even Opposition MPs are being used as ‘political sugar balls’. A program that proposes one Dollar from it has not been implemented. The words ‘renewable energy’ are sold and sold,’’ the Opposition Leader said.
At the ‘Blue Print’ program MP Kabir Hashim said, “The country cannot be rebuilt by magical and childish answers given by the Leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna that if people in foreign countries send US$ 500 to each Sri Lankan it can be rebuilt.
They also helped appoint various Presidents as respondents who disrupted the country since 2004. They were given the opportunity to eliminate corruption, but they did not do it. By the year 2002, every citizen of this country owes Rs. 77,500. Today, it has increased to Rs 1.2 million.”
MP Eran Wickramaratne said at the program ‘Blue Print’ Matara, “In any business, the same family members do not work in high positions. The reason is that people from the same family often do not have the qualifications to work in those positions.
In the past, the President, Prime Minister and Finance Minister of this country were the three brothers of the Rajapaksa family. It is one of the reasons for the destruction of the country. The aim of Samagi Jana Balawegaya is to change it.
On January 18, the Opposition leader joined a discussion with civil society representatives and many organisations regarding the Online Safety Bill that the Government is trying to pass. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MPs Eran Wickrakamaratne, Rajitha Senaratne, Nalaka Godahewa, Ajith Mannapperuma, Kabir Hashim, Mujibur Rahman, Hesha Withanage and many stakeholders like media organisations, civil organisations, democracy work groups and trade unions attended this event.
“The Government is working to engage in an anti-people and anti-national campaign that violates human rights including freedom of speech and freedom of information. As the President says, if he is a great democrat, it is appropriate to withdraw these decrees and enter into a clear democrat program. As soon as the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the alternative Government that values democracy, comes to power by the people’s mandate, all the anti-democracy decrees that were arbitrarily adopted will be abolished and democracy will be established,”- Opposition Leader Premadasa said.
IMF delegation meets Opposition leader
A meeting between a group of representatives of the IMF and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was held on January 18 evening at the Opposition Leader’s office. Peter Breuer (Senior Mission Chief), Ms. Sarwat Jahan (Resident Representative) and Manavee Abeyawickrama (Local Economist) were present.
“The Government has excessively increased many types of taxes including VAT by giving a huge tax burden to the people by saying that it is the order of the IMF and due to this, the common people, pregnant mothers, children, middle class, Government employees and other people from many sectors have become helpless,” Opposition Leader Premadasa told the IMF delegation.
The Opposition Leader said that under a SJB Government, it is expected to revise the unilateral agreement the present Government made with the IMF and enter into an important, populist agreement for the common people and the SJB has a formal program for that.
The SJB has planned to hold a series of election meetings at the electoral level for the upcoming elections, and accordingly arrangements have been made to hold them in Devinuwara and Horowpathana in the coming week.
Independent candidate
A ceremony held to dedicate the newly built temple to the Maha Sangha by State Minister of Highways Siripala Gamalath, on behalf of his daughter who passed away prematurely, took an unexpected turn when former President Mahinda Rajapaksa hinted at the possibility of fielding an independent candidate at the upcoming Presidential Election.
The ceremony, held in Polonnaruwa last weekend, was attended by a number of dignitaries, including former President Maithripala Sirisena and Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena. However, it was former President Rajapaksa’s comments during a private meeting with local politicians that stole the show.
According to sources, former President Rajapaksa met with a group of former Local Government representatives from Polonnaruwa to discuss their concerns about the country’s current situation. During the two-hour conversation, the politicians raised a number of issues, including the need for infrastructure development, the challenges faced by farmers due to wildlife conservation efforts, and the difficulties they have encountered with certain new Government policies.
In response to their concerns, former President Rajapaksa reportedly said that the country is facing a “huge crisis” and that it needs a strong leader to solve it. He then went on to suggest that it might be best to field an independent candidate rather than someone from one of the established political parties.
“It is something that will be decided then,” he said. “It is better to bring a common independent candidate together. We should bring someone who can solve the huge crises that the country is facing.”
