As a preliminary preparation for the implementation of the series of Budget proposals that President Ranil Wickremesinghe presented to the Parliament, he went to Nochiyagama last Sunday to join the presentation of Urumaya land deeds.
There he cited the example of giving the land of the Army headquarters to build the Shangri-La Hotel. He questioned what was wrong with giving free lands to the people of Sri Lanka, if it could be given to foreigners.
Nearly two million people will get freehold deeds, according to the Budget proposals.
President Wickremesinghe, who arrived in Colombo, came to the President’s Office on Monday morning for some duties.
The Cabinet meeting was held at the Parliament complex that evening. That was following instructions given to the Ministers to stay in Parliament during the Budget debate.
The President came to the Cabinet meeting at Committee Room 3 of the Parliamentary complex with a special file.
Prof. Ashu Marasinghe briefed the President about the events that occurred that morning. Answering everything with a smile, President Wickremesinghe went to Committee Room 3 to chair the Cabinet meeting. Sports and Irrigation Minister Roshan Ranasinghe who strongly criticised the President that morning also attended the Cabinet meeting. Although the President came prepared, no one in the Cabinet knew about it.
Turning to the Sports Minister, President Wickremesinghe made two accusations against him. “Did you go to the Opposition Leader’s office with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Lakshman Kiriella and discuss with the Indian High Commissioner?” The President asked whether they asked the ICC to lift the cricket ban through India. Minister Roshan Ranasinghe looked stunned and did not say anything.
After that, the President showed the Cabinet paper that had been submitted for distribution of Mahaweli land to relatives and friends of the Minister and asked about it. When there was no answer to both of them, the President looked at the Cabinet Secretary. Waiting for the President’s signal, he immediately placed the envelope on the Minister’s hand.
After opening it, Minister Roshan said, “I am against corruption and fraud.” Looking at the Minister, the President said, “Just like you, I am also against corruption and fraud.”
At that time, Minister Douglas Devananda approached the President and said something and Roshan, who had lost his ministerial portfolio, came out of the Committee Room. Roshan, who came out, opened the envelope and said to a Parliament officer, “Both portfolios have been removed”. The officer asked, “Sir, did you think only one portfolio would be removed?” The Minister left without saying anything.
In the history of the Cabinet meetings, no Minister has been removed during the meeting of the Cabinet Ministers. The removals were made outside the Cabinet. Ministers and officers of the Parliament were talking about this matter at the same time. No Minister looked at Roshan Ranasinghe, who lost his ministerial portfolio, when he left the Cabinet meeting. Then they submitted ministerial memorandums of their ministries for approval. After the Cabinet meeting, President Wickremesinghe came directly to the Presidential Secretariat.
President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake had already informed Minister Harin Fernando and Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi to come to the Presidential Secretariat. Both of them were sworn in as Ministers to portfolios vacated by Roshan Ranasinghe.
“Anyone can criticise me”
On Tuesday, the President attended the Security Council and then went to Parliament. Many Ministers met the President to talk about the Cabinet meeting. “He scolded you a lot when he was the Minister. But why was no action taken about it?” MPs asked the President.
“Anyone can criticise me. But the collective responsibility of the Cabinet cannot be violated. What he did was not right when there was a ministerial committee to talk to the ICC,” the President replied.
“Yes, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa also said that Minister Roshan Ranasinghe met him and called India,” said Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. “Now the new Sports Minister has more responsibility. The ICC ban will have to be lifted and the Chitrasiri report should also be implemented,” the President said looking at Manusha.
“Minister Roshan Ranasinghe is not doing this alone. There are several other strongmen behind this. Perhaps there may be some powerful countries as well,” everyone nodded when Prof. Ashu Marasinghe said this.
MP Nimal Piyatissa said, “The Police told me that the manager of the company that owned the assembled vehicle which was seized by police, was a son of the Minister’s close relative.”
MP Rajika Wickramasinghe said, “Now everyone is talking about cricket. The Opposition has no idea about the Budget. Usually the Budget is the debate of the Opposition. But the Opposition Leader does not say a word about it. This is a very unfortunate situation.”
MP Wajira Abeywardena said, “Yes, what the MP says is correct. It was Sajith who deprived the MPs to speak during the Budget. He does not allow the Opposition members to speak. They wail that only the Opposition Leader is speaking.”
“These guys are forming a group called the ‘Back Row 20 gang’,“ Prof. Ashu Marasinghe said, pointing his finger at MP Rajika Wickramasinghe.
“Ah, that’s very good. It is a good thing that the back-row MPs are getting stronger,” the President said looking at the MP.
“Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) people have started saying openly that Roshan Ranasinghe cannot be nominated for the presidential candidacy. It looks like he will not get the SJB Deputy leadership as well. Roshan tells MPs that a General Election will come first and join hands with him,” MP Nimal Lanza said.
“Now Roshan has lost both options,” MP Madhura Vithanage said with a smile. Meanwhile, Opposition MPs Thalatha Athukorala and Dr. Rajitha Senaratne came while this conversation was going on.
“We thought that these two MPs would be given the two vacant ministries,” when the members of the ruling party said, everyone laughed.
It is a common sight these days that members of the Government and the Opposition hang out more in the office of Prof. Ashu Marasinghe in the President’s Office in the Parliamentary complex. The MPs soon found out why. Those MPs come there to eat cashews from Nedagamuwa. MP Chamal Rajapaksa, who came there, said that he had told the President’s office employees to prepare the milk coffee of Medamulana.
“Yes, now we have Ashu’s Nedagamuwa cashew and milk coffee of Medamulana.” When the MPs said that, the President could not stop laughing.
In the meantime, State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Sisira Jayakody, who appeared from nowhere, distributed a brochure among the MPs that included the progress he had made in one year, without any concern about the conversation that was going on.
President meets UNP Committee
The President met the United National Party (UNP) Management Committee on Tuesday evening. General Secretary Range Bandara presented the program about the district meetings program and the plan to strengthen grassroots members. Apart from that, these plans were also presented to the district leaders and as the first step, the General Secretary presented the program plan of Gampaha and Kegalle districts to Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena.
The proposal to digitise all the coordination work of the party from the recruitment of members was also presented to President Wickremesinghe. This program will be implemented from February and party members, electoral organisers, authorised representatives will have the opportunity to contact the party and solve their problems from home without coming to the party headquarters.
It was during this time that the news of the appointment of the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) spread. On Wednesday morning, Minister Tiran Alles arrived at the Presidential Secretariat along with Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon. President Wickremesinghe told them that the Cabinet has submitted a proposal to limit the time of the post of IGP to three years.
He or she can stay for only three years regardless of age when appointed to the post of the IGP. However, he also pointed out that if the IGP completes sixty within two years after his appointment, he should retire regardless of this decision.
However, the letter of appointment to the position of Acting IGP was received when they both came to meet the President for the third time. The President decided to appoint Deshabandu Tennakoon as Acting IGP for three months and also took steps to refer it to the Constitutional Council.
Debt restructuring
President Wickremesinghe worked hard for the debt restructuring project even before assuming the Presidency. As soon as he became the Prime Minister, he started negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and foreign creditors, which has now come to an end.
At the end of the domestic debt restructuring, negotiations were also started with China, Japan, India, Paris Club and private creditors. All the creditors agreed to extend the time given to repay the loans and to give some relief on interest.
“We did not ask to curtail the debt. We only asked for an extension of the repayment period. It is not good for the reputation of the citizens of Sri Lanka to curtail the debt,” the President said at a discussion on Wednesday evening with State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siambalapitiya, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury officials.
The President left the island on Thursday morning to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. President Wickremesinghe is due to participate in several special lectures and several rounds of discussions at the COP 28 World Leaders Summit. The President will present three proposals regarding climate change at this conference.
Last Tuesday, November 28 was a special and busy day for Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. That is because the Budget of the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, under him, was to be debated and passed during the Committee Stage. Twenty-one financial heads, including the offices of the President and Prime Minister, were debated in Parliament on November 22 and Premier Gunawardena, during the debate, spoke about the reduction of expenses of the Prime Minister’s office by 46 percent that was tabled in the Hansard.
PM meets journalists
Tuesday was another special day as the Prime Minister was due to meet parliamentary journalists that day.
“How are you? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you,” Premier started talking to a senior journalist of an English newspaper that he met when he entered the Parliamentary complex in the morning. “I came today because of the Budget of your Ministry,” said the journalist.
Prime Minister Gunawardena, who spent a few minutes with him, then immediately went to the Chamber. During the lunch break, the Prime Minister along with the State Ministers of his Ministry, Janaka Vakkambura and Ashoka Priyantha, MP Yadamini Gunawardena and the ministry secretary went to the dining hall where the journalists were having lunch and spoke to them. There, the Prime Minister had lunch with the journalists.
Veteran journalists such as Daya Perera, J.T. Silva, Padma Weragodaarachchi, and nearly 40 journalists representing almost all public and private media organisations had come to Parliament that day.
“Nearly 15 journalists come every day”, an officer in the dining hall said. “This is the same every year on the day of the debate on the financial heads of the Prime Minister,” another very senior officer said.
When a TV journalist said, “Prime Minister, I tried to talk to you on the phone, but couldn’t get in touch,” Premier Gunawardena called the journalists who were nearby and told them about two special times of the day when they can talk on the phone, as if he is telling a secret.
“Sir, reducing the cost of the Prime Minister’s office by 46 percent is a great example?” A journalist from a foreign media outlet said while a journalist from a weekend English newspaper was nearby.
“Examples should be set from the top, for this I am thankful to the Secretaries and officials,” the Prime Minister said.
“Would it be possible to lift the bankruptcy of the country?” asked the AP journalist at the same time.
“With the second IMF tranche and debt restructuring, we believe it is possible,” the Prime Minister gave a direct answer.
Premier Gunawardena stayed in the dining hall with the journalists until the quorum bell rang to call Parliamentarians to the Chamber after lunch.
Sajith meets Dr. Montek Singh
A matter that drew attention last week was Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa meeting the architect of India’s economic prosperity Dr. Montek Singh at the Opposition Leader’s office.
When Opposition Leader Premadasa met world-renowned Indian economist and public intellectual Dr. Singh at his office, he showed the blueprint given by Dr. Singh to then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to transform India’s economy. Dr. Singh was surprised and asked the Opposition Leader how he got this. The Opposition Leader said that he came across it while searching for the value Dr. Singh added to India’s economy.
The Opposition Leader said that he has the book written by Dr. Montek Singh on economic transformation and gave that book to Dr. Singh. Dr. Singh signed his book and gave it to the Opposition Leader expressing his appreciation for the interest and effort shown by the Opposition Leader in seeking information. Dr. Singh said that only those who learn can change a country.
After that discussion, Opposition Leader Premadasa and Dr. Singh joined a press conference at the Opposition Leader’s office. Members of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chandima Weerakkody, Harshana Rajakaruna, Eran Wickramaratne, Niroshan Perera, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Mano Ganesan, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Neomal Perera and National Organiser of ‘Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya’ Chamith Wijesundara, university lecturers and professors of ‘Samagi Buddhi Mandapaya’ and a group of young professionals were also present.
Dr. Montek Singh, describing the Indian experience, said that to build a country, we need to identify world trends apart from traditional things. He said then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opened the developed economy to strengthen India economically and explained how the Government and the private sector contributed to it.
The Opposition Leader asked Dr. Singh how to reduce the income disparity in the open economy. Dr. Singh said that the conceptual program implemented by the Opposition Leader to eliminate the gap of haves and have-nots is practical in this economy.
Dr. Harsha de Silva quoted a part of Dr. Singh’s book and commented on the economic involvement of the public and private sector.
MP Eran Wickramaratne said that the theoretical Dr. Singh’s proposal will guide them in practice. During the discussion after the meeting, MP Chandima Weerakkody said that the line is good and it is important to implement it correctly. National Organiser of ‘Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya’ Chamith Wijesundara said that the problem in Sri Lanka is not a conceptual problem but it is important to implement it in practice.
MP Chandima Weerakkody said that in connecting Government institutions with private entrepreneurs, the nepotism that is practised in Sri Lanka distorts any concept.
The MPs and university lecturers and professors who attended the event told the Opposition Leader that it is extremely important to provide such an opportunity. The Opposition Leader said, “We will be given the opportunity to use the successful experiences of all and create our own unique system.”
SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara organised a meeting last Wednesday afternoon to discuss the future political strategies of the party. SJB Galagedara Organiser Major General (Rtd.) Nishanka Ranawana, SJB Kegalle District Organiser Rear Admiral (Rtd.) Udaya Bandara and officials of the SJB media unit were present along with a group of SJB MPs including Sujeewa Senasinghe, Mujibur Rahuman and Harshana Rajakaruna.
SJB General Secretary Madduma Bandara said that the aim is to carry the party’s program among the people in an organised manner and prepare a suitable program for the challenges faced by the party. The General Secretary informed the gathering to study the current political situation and trends in depth and submit proposals for the same.
Former Member of Parliament Sujeewa Senasinghe said that the youth activism of the party should be brought forward in a stronger program. Senasinghe stressed the importance of providing more space for youth ideas and ideologies at every level and emphasised the need to prepare the party’s future program according to the youth’s expectations and thoughts.
Major General (Rtd.) Ranawana, who said that the inaugural meeting of the SJB’s ‘Ranaviru Force’ in Kandy recently was a success adding that political movements calling war hero’s children to the platform shows the political opportunism of those parties. Rear Admiral Bandara said that a program will be implemented in Kegalle district to empower the families of war heroes.
Former MP Mujibur Rahuman said that immediate steps should be taken to present the program of the party to all sections of society. General Secretary Madduma Bandara appointed a committee headed by MP Nalin Bandara to prepare a program for that.
MP Nalin Bandara said that according to the decision of the Supreme Court on behalf of the people who bankrupted the economy, a program has been organised to sign a public petition for justice at constituency level. Nalin Bandara said that a series of conferences explaining the facts of the Supreme Court decision will be started in Colombo. The party’s Operations Chief Nalin Bandara said that the first of the series of conferences will be held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo next week.
