President Ranil Wickremesinghe is very busy with the Presidential Election campaign.
While staying in Colombo and doing his duties on behalf of the country, he is travelling to different parts of Sri Lanka for election campaign rallies. Throughout the past week, President Wickremesinghe was in Akurana, Mawanella, Eheliyagoda, Moneragala and Tissamaharama.
Public rallies were organised in those cities and the President received a warm welcome from the people. The people came despite the rain to support President Wickremesinghe. The President went to many campaign meetings by air. The President did not fail to personally pay money to the Air Force for that.
President Wickremesinghe, who visited the election office at Flower Road as usual on Monday, discussed political affairs. He also spoke about media work, the number of election rallies and the list of speakers. The President strongly advised the people to increase house-to-house campaigning, as he said publicly at Sirikotha, party headquarters on Sunday.
In the evening, the Cabinet meeting was held and a discussion was held among the President and officials about the Policy Statement. President Wickremesinghe entrusted Secretary Saman Ekanayake with the responsibility of finding information gathering teams related to the formulation of his Policy Statement.
He assigned the matter to a number of groups and he only coordinated with the President and those groups. President’s Economic Advisor Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga and Saman Athaudahetti, were assigned the responsibility of preparing the speech and they did the work till Wednesday evening.
The President participated in the Security Council meeting on Tuesday morning and in the afternoon met the officials of the Ministry of Finance and discussed the country’s economic situation.
Crossovers
As crossovers are also common at this time, a group of members of the Provincial Council and Pradeshiya Sabha members including former Kotte Mayor Janaka Ranawaka, met the President and pledged their support to him.
In the meantime, the President met the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Bishop of Kurunegala, Most Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera and Bishop of Chilaw and invoked blessings.
President Wickremesinghe presented his Policy Statement on Thursday (August 29) and there was a five-year economic plan for “Puluwan Sri Lanka”.
After presenting the Policy Statement, the President went to his political office. A group of Ministers and MPs who were present discussed the political situation as well as the election campaign.
“Our manifesto was presented. Sajith Premadasa said that he would present his manifesto in Kandy today, but he could not present it until the evening,” said Minister Prasanna Ranatunga starting the conversation.
“In the evening, the manifesto was presented to the Chief Prelates of Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters and the SJB conducting a media conference said that it will be presented to the people on September 4. It is heard that the crisis within the party has increased,” MP Wajira Abeywardena said.
“Even though MP Jagath Kumara joined the SJB, The Samurdhi Union is with us. Because of his work, it was also divided now,” Shehan Semasinghe said.
“News is being circulated that the UNP General Secretary is going to join the SJB. It is also said that there are allegations against him,” an MP of the ruling party said. “He told me about a problem. Compensation was passed for him under political victimisation. But there has been an obstacle to give this due to his own legal issues,” the President said.
“Yes, a Cabinet paper related to that will come to the Cabinet next week,” said an official.
“It is published in the media that MP Thalatha Athukorala is to be appointed the General Secretary of the UNP,” MP Premnath Dolawatte said.
“They are also asking us to give it to other people in the SJB like her. If Thalatha Athukorala comes, we will be able to know many more things,” Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said with a smile.
President Wickremesinghe nodded his head and said nothing.
Media
Director General of Government Information, Dinith Chinthaka, has been assigned to investigate whether election violence is taking place and whether the media is working fairly.
He is implementing a program with the Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake. At a time when the influence of the media on the election has increased, the Election Commission and the Information Department continue to receive complaints about social media and private media.
The Election Commission and the Director General of Government Information discussed this matter and called the media heads and gave their final announcement to them. That is the notification to implement the media parameters and conditions properly. They also informed the media that the Election Commission is paying close attention to it.
Sajith’s manifesto
Sajith Premadasa’s 2024 Presidential Election manifesto was unveiled at Queens Hotel, Kandy. The Presidential Election manifesto of the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya (SJS), which was launched under the title ‘Semata – Jayak’ (A Win for All), was presented to the Chief Prelates of Malwatu and Asgiri Chapters by Sajith SJS Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa and the leaders of SJS at Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy.
Premadasa, in his manifesto points out the elimination of corruption by following a social, market and economic model guided by social democratic political principles and transferring all government procurement to a digital platform.
The agreement with the IMF will strengthen the fiscal discipline of the Government and proposed amendments to provide relief to people below the poverty line.
It has also proposed to revise the unreasonable tax structures that force professionals to go for foreign jobs. The people who earn Rs. 100,000 per month are in the limit of tax exemption and the income tax is reduced from 1-24 percent and also a reduction of the 30 percent tax rate on export profits to 6 percent.
After the completion of tax collection, the value added tax will be reduced to 15 percent by using cigarette, alcohol and casino taxes to fund those tax cuts.
The manifesto also includes providing an interest rate of 15 percent for senior citizen’s savings accounts, controlling wasteful Government spending and corruption, reforming the state economy and using the funds earned to strengthen the social security network.
It has also proposed to control the large-scale rice mill mafia that exploits paddy farmers and sells rice to consumers at excessive prices and re-implementing the “Shakthi Rice” program with small and medium-scale rice mill owners.
There are proposals to take measures to ease the debt burden on farmers by waiving of their existing farmer loans (Govi Naya). They will also ensure farmers have access to essential credit facilities to support their farming.
There are also proposals to set up a parent company for the government-owned enterprises and rehabilitating them, electrification of eco-friendly buses and trains, introducing a light rail system and a low interest loan interest scheme for fishermen and deep sea yield forecasting using Artificial Intelligence.
Steps will also be taken to cancel the VFS visa agreement signed by the current Government and to introduce a modern system for foreign tourists to get visas at low cost.
It has also been proposed to prepare a system for the citizens of 100 countries to come to Sri Lanka without visas for one month. Twenty-five industrial zones are proposed for all the districts and the regional secretariats expanded to 341 and employment opportunities expanded.
Key proposals in the manifesto also includes, a million new entrepreneurs program for graduates and taking steps to convert petrol three-wheel engines into electric engines with the aim of saving the daily petrol costs of three-wheeler drivers, encouraging investment in the electricity, oil and gas sector and creating one million solar power plants on industrial and residential premises within five years. Steps will also be taken to start a free transport service for all teachers and provide solutions to teachers’ pay, pension and service issues.
The SJS manifesto has also proposed to raise the cost of living allowance to Rs. 25,000, raising public servants salary by 24 percent and the minimum monthly salary to Rs. 57,000, providing a sustainable solution to pension disparities, providing an allowance of Rs. 20,000 for up to 24 months to overcome poverty and also committed to the unity of the people through a new constitution. Arrangements will be made to hold the Provincial Council elections within six months and also appoint a formally empowered commission to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks.
MP Eran Wickramaratne said, “We have not created the manifesto with the aim of the election. There is a demand to form a government. For more than two years, professionals and academics have gathered and thoroughly studied every aspect, and the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya’s manifesto was created.
“Many people say that the Governments that ruled up to now have destroyed the country. I strongly respect that statement. The level of education and health in Sri Lanka is ahead of other countries in Asia. From 2005 until now, the country’s economic system has been closed from an open economy. Then in 2022, Sri Lanka was named as a bankrupt country. The country was in a situation where it could not repay the loans taken. However, the country is moving forward through the agreement with the IMF,” he said.
MP Champika Ranawaka said, “President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s manifesto states about the Theravada trade economy. We do not know about the Theravada trade economy of Buddhism. There are certain principles that have been stated by the scholars to maintain the economic field of Buddhism. President Wickremesinghe’s principle is to save the people who are responsible for bankruptcy and put the burden of bankruptcy on the shoulders of the common people. It is completely contrary to Buddhist principles.
“The JVP has said that we have copied their manifesto. Sorry to say. When we were building technology cities then, those who threw stones at them have built four technology cities today. So, it is clear who has copied what. If the revolutionary compass is moved forward, the country will definitely go bankrupt again.
“Instead of handing over the country to this kind of inexperienced blokes, Samagi Jana Sandhanaya has a talented and experienced team. According to the agreement made with the IMF, some numbers and percentages have been fulfilled,” he said.
Independent prosecutor’s office
MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said, “There are people involved in fraud and corruption in the country. They can be politicians and Government officials. It is the Attorney General who has to prosecute him or her t. But there is a problem of availability. To solve that problem, the creation of an independent prosecutor’s office has been included in the SJS manifesto.
“There is also a big difference between the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya and the National People’s Power regarding the relationship of the IMF. Our efforts to reach an agreement with international creditors are based on the analysis of debt sustainability.
“The SJS continued to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund. In those discussions, we told the representatives of the IMF to change some conditions of the agreement with the IMF. Distributing money to poor families does not help them get out of poverty.
“If some money is given to a family every month, those families should be involved in work in their village or city. They need to learn something to get a job, in a vocational training institute and start self-employment. The SJS is running a program that will give Rs. 20,000 each for two years for people to rise up through their own efforts. It’s not Nazism, it’s an investment,” he said.
Unique feature
MP Dullas Alahapperuma said, “The ideology emerging from the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe is leading this countryman on the wrong path. That ideology should be defeated and taken to the right path. It needs a very strong program. That program is the “A win for all” program of Sajith Premadasa’s Samagi Jana Sandhanaya.
“Developing human capital in Sri Lanka is not mentioned in any manifesto. Countries without any natural resources have become developed countries through the development of human progress. This is a unique feature of the manifesto. Children have become the deadliest victims of the current economic crisis. Three percent have stopped going to school altogether.
“The Government recently announced that some children don’t attend school. Sajith Premadasa sitting in the Opposition has given 386 smart classrooms so far. It is for the children of this country. He gave a message to the world about how to invest for the children of his country without power, without Government funds. So have faith in this matter. We cordially invite everyone to be a part of the future program of Samagi Jana Sandhanaya,” he said.
H’tota LG chairmen visit President
The chairmen of nine of the 12 local government bodies representing the Hambantota district visited the official residence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe at Paget Road. It is noteworthy that the nine of them came with another Rajapaksa. It was another special feature that Rajapaksa is also a Rajapaksa from the Hambantota district.
Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ajith Rajapaksa came to meet the President along with the nine chairmen of those nine local government bodies. The Chairmen of the Hambantota Municipal Council, Pradeshiya Sabhas and local government bodies of Hambantota, Ambalantota, Tissamaharama, Suriyawewa, Beliatta, Angunukolapelessa, Katuwana and Lunugamvehera came to meet the President Ranil Wickramasinghe.
“What is your decision,” the President asked.
“Mr. President, these are the chairmen who are with the public at the grassroots level. They have taken this decision thinking about the country. All these people worked very closely with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. But thinking about the country, they have decided to join you,” said Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa.
“We are all coming together for the sake of the country at this time, so don’t have doubts. I am available for anything,” the President said.
Namal’s manifesto
Namal Rajapaksa is now attending meetings all over the country and last week he was in Kurunegala Dodangaslanda, Mawathagama, Nikaweratiya, Galgamuwa.
These meetings were organised by MP Johnston Fernando, U.K. Sumith Samanpriya Herath and other Provincial Council and Local Government representatives. “This kind of crowd came with short notice, right?” Namal asked Johnny.
“Yes, we had to do everything in a short time. “Namal’s contest for the Presidential Election happened suddenly,” Johnny said.
“Yes it is true. But Namal Rajapaksa has a big awakening,” said U.K. Sumith.
“We have started the house-to-house campaigns,” Namal said, adding, “We asked former Minister Basil Rajapaksa about the opening of offices. We have decided to open offices in all 160 electorates.”
Namal Rajapakse’s manifesto is due to be launched on September 2 at Rathnadeepa Hotel, Colombo. A preliminary discussion on this was held at the Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo under the patronage of Namal Rajapaksa. MPs and guest speakers also participated in this.
“This time we are presenting an integrated development model,” said Namal.
“We are presenting a vision and a program that will be developed not only for the next five to ten years, but also for the next fifty to hundred years. The basis of all these things is the Mahinda Chinthana,” said Namal.
