President Ranil Wickremesinghe who visited Nuwara Eliya and Kandy, arrived in Colombo last Sunday. The President met a group of lawyers including the Attorney General at his Paget Road official residence on Sunday evening and discussed the Commission headed by former Chief Justice Priyasath Dep appointed to amend the electoral system.
“Many people talked about making the best electoral system but it has not been implemented. People say that those who are appointed by them for five years do not look after them after they win. This ‘Dep Commission’ has been appointed as a solution to that,” the President said.
Those present also expressed various ideas and suggestions and the President told them to submit all of them to the Commission. The President pointed out that suggestions could also be submitted to the Commission via online.
Director General of Government Information, Dinith Chinthaka Karunaratne said, “Even if the political parties contest separately in the election, everyone should come together and take advantage of the new opportunity that the President has brought.” and everyone nodded in agreement.
The distinguished student-athlete Tharushi Karunaratne, who clinched a gold medal in the Women’s 800m event at the Asian Games recently, was granted an audience with President Wickremesinghe at President’s House, Kandy last Sunday morning. Seventy-six students currently enrolled in athletics at A. Rathnayake Central College, Walala, where Tharushi is pursuing her studies, were also present.
“I don’t know”
President Wickremesinghe came to the office on Monday morning and answered “I don’t know” to the continuous phone calls. It was in response to the questions asked by the Ministers about the appointment of an Interim Committee by the Sports Minister in place of the officers of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
“Due to a deal with the international community, the President should have been informed and advised on this.” That was the opinion of many who spoke to the President.
This issue also came up at the Cabinet meeting in the evening. All the Ministers said that if the Minister had discussed with the President or the Cabinet, this problem could have been solved better.
As an excuse, the Sports Minister said that he did it secretly because there is a mafia operating in cricket. The Minister had also reminded them about going to court. The President finally decided to appoint a committee of four Ministers to resolve the crisis related to cricket.
The President went to the Security Council on Tuesday. President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake had also summoned a group of officers of the Divisional Secretaries’ Union to the Presidential Secretariat, who had said that they would not be involved despite announcing a week for the payment of ‘Aswesuma’ benefits.
On the President’s directive, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe and Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka had discussions with the group. The main problem they highlighted in the discussion was the lack of technical facilities to carry out the program. Sagala immediately called Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva and asked to support this program through the technical division which is under his purview.
The Divisional Secretaries said that Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Officers and Economic Development Officers do not support this program. President’s Secretary Ekanayake replied that if they do not support, a Cabinet paper can be submitted to recruit 14,000 new officers.
The President’s Secretary said that first the Samurdhi Officers and Economic Development Officers will be informed to join this group and new appointments will be given for those who do not follow these instructions. The Divisional Secretaries who were satisfied with that left, agreeing to support the ‘Aswesuma’ program.
As the Interim Committee appointed by the Sports Minister received a stay order, an uproar was created in Parliament due to the issues raised by the Opposition members. President’s Senior Advisor Prof. Ashu Marasinghe informed the President regarding this. He asked if the President would deliver the prepared statement in Parliament on Wednesday as scheduled.
UNP Management Committee meets
President Wickremesinghe replied that he has no connection with Sri Lanka Cricket so he will give his opinion about changing the electoral system. The President met the UNP Management Committee that evening and there was a long discussion about the future activities of the party. At the end of the discussion, General Secretary Range Bandara met Sagala Ratnayaka and asked him about the allegations levelled by the Sports Minister.
“I really can’t imagine why the Minister is targeting me and talking like this. Because the President did not ask me to check whether there are any deficiencies in the new Sports Act. The Cabinet appointed me and another person along with the Secretary of the Sports Ministry,” Ratnayaka said.
Sagala also showed the Cabinet memorandum to Range Bandara. “On the other hand, I went to watch the LPL on the invitation of a foreign friend of mine who is not involved in cricket in Sri Lanka. I did not go with the President. The President and the person who took him know it very well,” Sagala said again as Range prepared to leave.
The President went to Parliament on Wednesday morning to make a statement about the ‘Dep Commission’. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe met the President and informed about his statement and the President agreed to it.
However, the time had already passed due to the objection raised by the Opposition regarding a statement by State Minister Ashoka Priyantha in Parliament. As the lunch break had passed, the President decided to make his statement on another day.
Minister Manusha Nanayakkara who came to meet the President said that when the President comes to the Chamber, a group of Opposition MPs will be waiting to embarrass the President by talking about cricket. When the President replied with a smile, MP Wajira Abeywardena asked what these issues were because the President faced issues fearlessly as the then Prime Minister even when he was hit with chilli powder and books in Parliament.
Wasting time in Parliament
The President told the Prime Minister and the Chief Government Whip that they should protest about the Opposition wasting time in Parliament. At that moment, when the President saw on television that the Minister of Sports was criticising the Court of Appeal presiding judge and had a serious look at it.
As everyone looked at the President, MP Madhura Vithanage said that if the people’s trust in the judiciary is lost, it will be irreparable.
Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, joining the conversation, said, “The Bar Association as well as the judges may be disturbed by this incident.”
The President said that the cricket crisis can be resolved by implementing the Chitrasiri Committee and Jagath Fernando Committee report. The President told his Secretary to give a copy of the Chitrasiri report to the Cabinet Sub Committee, as soon as possible.
Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga said, “The Opposition has brought a proposal to remove the officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket.”
Then the President said that we should support this. “If the Sports Minister says it and the Opposition demands it, we will support it. Otherwise, they will attempt to put the blame on me,” the President said with a smile.
“But President, nothing can be done to the cricket officials through passing this proposal in Parliament,” Prasanna Ranatunga said.
“Yes, that’s right, but we can’t oppose it. Then it makes it easier for the Opposition to send a wrong message to the people. It seems some of our people are also behind this,” MP Wajira Abeywardena said.
In the midst of this conversation, the President left saying that he had to attend to another matter.
A ruling party MP who came there revealed a secret in front of the MPs. That is, that a powerful Minister is working to create a rift between the President and the Sports Minister. He also revealed that a particular Minister is secretly dealing with the Opposition even now. He said that the President should also be informed about this.
Best solution
The President attended the annual conference of the Spice Manufacturers Association on Wednesday evening. On Thursday morning, the President attended the wedding of the son of one of his former secretaries Sudath Chandrasekara. Following which the President went to Parliament in the evening to attend the Government Parliamentary Group meeting.
The President explained the Chitrasiri Committee report to the MPs and said that it will completely change the current structure of Sri Lanka Cricket. “President, what is the decision we will take in this debate?” State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna asked.
“We support this. The best solution is in the Chitrasiri Committee report because a new constitution has been proposed in it. Interim Committees are mere patchwork. A permanent solution should be given. Cricket is a game in the hearts of our people. I don’t take anyone’s side. I only take the side of cricket,” the President said, giving a long explanation.
When the President was getting ready to leave after saying that, a Member of Parliament said, “The Leader of the Opposition attempted to divide the Government but finally he embarrassed himself.”
In Parliament, many Ministers raised questions about the members of the Interim Committee. The President set aside Friday for a lengthy discussion with Finance Ministry officials about the Budget to be presented in Parliament on Monday, November 13.
A pre-budget consultation was organised for the Opposition MPs in a hotel at Negombo on Sunday and Monday. On Sunday evening, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa had a friendly meeting with the MPs. At this meeting, the MPs exchanged their ideas with the Opposition Leader and he spent the night with the MPs with song and music.
The time spent by the Opposition Leader singing many songs with the MPs drew everyone’s attention. Members including former MP Mujibur Rahman and MP Rohini Kaviratne sang songs and the Opposition Leader’s Private Secretary also sang songs and everyone’s attention was drawn to his singing.
Dr. Roshan Perera of the Advocata Institute, its Executive Officer Dhananath Fernando and Executive Director of Verite Research, Nishan de Mel attended a workshop which started on Monday and expressed their views. There was an exchange of ideas between these resource persons and MPs on the challenges faced by the country economically.
In particular, the Opposition Leader asked Dr. Roshan Perera about the balance of payments problem faced by macroeconomic growth in fiscal management. She said that the Government’s focus on financial control is to collect taxes and try to manage public expenditure. But the private sector manages finances through savings and investments. A fiscal policy should be prepared to overcome the challenges.
At this point, MP Kabir Hashim asked a question about public debt.
Dr. Perera said that every child in the country has become a borrower of Rs. 77,500. In response to a question raised about the high interest rate on the loans we get, Dr. Perera said that we lost the low interest rate loans by becoming a middle-income country. She also pointed out that our goods and services artificially increased due to the exchange rate.
Commenting on a follow-up to the 2023 Budget, Executive Director of Verité Research, Nishan de Mel said that there is a serious accountability problem considering the lack of implementation of Budget proposals. When MP Dr. Harsha de Silva made an inquiry about it, de Mel said that this is very clear when taken as a percentage of the implementation of the Budget proposals from 2017 to 2023. This is 12 percent (2017), 27 percent (2018), 27 percent (2019), 28 percent (2020), 23 percent (2021), 93 percent (2022) and 97 percent (2023).
Nishan de Mel responding to a question raised by MP Ashok Abeysinghe, said that Sri Lanka has become a failed country regarding the debt restructuring proposals presented by the IMF. He said that this has led to a delay in giving the second installment. The problem is the Government does not say what it does and does not do what it says.
Accountability
When former MP Mujibur Rahman asked about the progress of the 2023 Government revenue forecast, Nishan de Mel said that the revenue forecast in the 2023 Budget was Rs. 3,860 billion; Verite Research said it was Rs. 3,040 billion and the IMF said it was Rs. 3,347 billion. But it was Rs. 2,887 billion in October. Many MPs asked about what will happen to the EPF and the ETF due to domestic debt restructuring.
MP Sujith Sanjaya Perera said that the Central Bank Governor’s Fund will not be affected.
de Mel said, “Tell the Central Bank Governor to speak the truth. The Government is distorting and hiding the data by getting money from the EPF.”
When MP Ashok Abeysinghe asked whether the benefits of EPF will be affected after the reforms, Nishan de Mel said that everyone should get the benefits from the market, and otherwise there will be a problem.
MP Ashok Abeysinghe said that money cannot be printed. If that happens, the Government will have to take loans at higher interest.
de Mel said that the system to reduce the interest has been reduced.
Dr. Harsha de Silva said according to the IMF conditions, money cannot be printed and the Government cannot buy primary bonds as well. If we continue with the current system, a situation may arise in which the Government will not be able to raise debt again in two years. The country is going into a crisis due to lack of accountability and transparency.
When former MP Mujibur Rahman asked about the opinion of the Paris Club on debt restructuring of the Chinese Exim Bank, de Mel said that there is a problem of transparency in the orders, but it is a problem for the international community even if it is discussed transparently.
Following the conclusion of the workshop, SJB MPs gathered there to discuss the week’s parliamentary activities. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told the MPs that attention should be paid to the subjects of VAT amendment, increase in electricity and ‘Aswesuma’ benefits.
Commenting on the cricket crisis, Premadasa said that the game of cricket should be depoliticised and focus should be put on a program that prioritises talent.
When the Parliamentary group met, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that all MPs should participate in the rally to protect the rights of the Palestinian people and call for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which will be held in Hyde Park grounds on Monday afternoon.
MP Kabir Hashim said that the Opposition Leader appreciates the sensitivity and direct intervention of the Palestinian President. Remembering how the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, the father of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, worked to close the Israeli Interests section in Sri Lanka and demanded justice for the Palestinian people, MP Hashim said it is an extremely humanitarian act for Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to act according to that precedent.
SLPP’s seventh anniversary
A pirith chanting was held at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters at Nelum Mawatha last Friday to mark the seventh anniversary of the Party
The significant gesture there was after some time former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa participated in the same event together.
MP Namal Rajapaksa met Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena.
Namal said, “Some things don’t get done.”
“We have no choice. We need to implement this,” said Minister Gunawardena.
“If there are no alternatives, we need to look for alternatives without going to the IMF. What is the solution? People cannot be burdened because of the IMF. Besides, this Government does not make straight decisions. We need to find alternatives, if we take vacillating decisions, it will be like what happened to Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” said Namal Rajapaksa.
