Before travelling to Bali, Indonesia to participate in the World Water Forum, President Ranil Wickremesinghe left for Kegalle to visit a farm set up using Artificial Intelligence. This farm is run by the Vega Company, which manufactured Sri Lanka’s first electric car.
That morning, the President with Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Kanaka Herath and officials who went to Nelumdeniya, Kegalle were taken to the farm in an electric three-wheeler designed by Vega Company.
It is also significant that it was driven by the founder of Vega Company, Dr. Harsha Subasinghe.
After discussions, President Wickremesinghe returned to Colombo. The next morning, when the President was going to the airport to leave for Indonesia he received the news that the Iranian President and his group had gone missing.
The President had the opportunity to meet Elon Musk of the Starlink Company who is doing business in Indonesia. The meeting was coordinated by UNP Deputy Leader and Presidential Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardene.
They discussed the invitation they had made to start the business activities of Starlink in Sri Lanka. President Wickremesinghe said that the preparation of the rules and regulations for this will be completed soon.
They spoke about world history as well as the political situation. They also touched on global energy, aprising Sri Lanka about its opportunities.
At the end, Elon Musk gladly accepted the President’s invitation to visit Sri Lanka and he regretfully said that in view of the current busy situation, he would be able to come to Sri Lanka only at the end of this year.
Photographs of their conversation were taken by Ruwan Wijewardene, who has wide knowledge of media. Eventually the photographs taken by him were used by local media as well as the team of Musk. Elon Musk posted a photograph on his X page. Incidentally, he owns X.
President meets Indonesian counterpart
President Wickremesinghe met Indonesian President Jako Widodo thereafter. The group discussed how Sri Lanka and Indonesia could work together. They also talked about Climate Change expected in the future. Indonesia had also presented a mixed proposal to support the world water conservation and development works and President Wickremesinghe promised the Indonesian President that he would support it.
President Wickremesinghe, Minister Jeevan Thondaman and the group who met the people in charge of the water conservation section of the World Bank discussed the current water situation. The President and his team also met the Indonesian Energy Minister and discussed renewable energy in Sri Lanka.
It is also significant that President Wickremesinghe was reserved a seat next to the Indonesian President at the Water Conference.
Handsome
That evening, a dinner was organised for President Wickremesinghe and other leaders. They were given a shirt unique to the country. The Indonesian President and other leaders said that it suits President Wickremesinghe very well, calling him “handsome”.
Dancing tradition
During the dinner, a music concert was held with the participation of local and pop singers. As the show drew to its final half, Indonesian Ministers and leaders started dancing amid the enthusiastic applause of the Leaders present.
Indonesia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jayanath Colombage, who was near Ruwan Wijewardene, said that it was a tradition for leaders to dance like this during special events in that country.
President Wickremesinghe got to know the news about the death of the Iranian President while he was in Bali. He informed Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry to express condolences.
He was also asked to leave for Iran to participate in the last rites. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was asked to declare a day of national mourning. President Wickremesinghe, who issued a condolence message, went to the Iranian Embassy in Sri Lanka to express his condolences after his return to Colombo.
The President, who arrived in the country on Tuesday morning, went to the Presidential Secretariat that morning because there were more official duties that could not be put off due to the fatigue of travel.
UNP Management Committee meets
That evening, the UNP Management Committee met and President Wickremesinghe informed General Secretary Range Bandara that the party’s zonal offices should be opened and organisational activities should start before the end of June.
However, the President also outlined how the UNP’s Presidential campaign should begin. President Wickremesinghe, who set the date for the United National Party Working Committee meeting – June 2, replied to the question about the Presidential candidate by saying, “Keep it as a question for a few more days”.
The President went to Akuregoda, Battaramulla on Wednesday morning to open the headquarters complex of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association and left for Parliament. When the President came to Parliament, the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Japan, the Most Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera was present.
Minister Prasanna Ranatunga presented the deed of a land donated to the Thera in the presence of President Wickremesinghe. “You rebuilt the economically collapsed country. I can’t see any leader other than you to protect this country. Therefore, you should rule this country for some more time,” Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera said, invoking his blessings on the President.
Ven. Upatissa Thera also presented a Vesak gift to President Wickremesinghe. In the meantime, Lands and Tourism Minister Harin Fernando came to the President’s Office in Parliament to present a printed book on land deeds.
“Economic Transformation” Bill
After completing all these activities, the President came to the Cabinet meeting. It could not be held on Monday as he was abroad. As Parliament met for the presentation of the “Economic Transformation” Bill to Parliament on that day, the Cabinet meeting was also held that day in the Parliament complex.
Money allocated for Presidential election
“Money has been allocated from the Budget only for the Presidential Election. If there is a Parliamentary Election, money has to be found for it. The Chairman of the Election Commission has announced that the Presidential Election will be held in October. I will not dissolve Parliament. But after the Presidential Election, a decision has to be made whether there will be a Parliamentary Election or not. If the Parliamentary Election is not held, we can present the 2025 Budget as usual. After that money can be allocated for a Parliamentary Election,” the President said.
“But if you go for the Parliamentary Election after the Presidential Election, we have to hold the election by December or January. Because we have promised the IMF that the 2025 Budget will be presented to Parliament before February. If we hold a Parliamentary Election this year, we will have to think about how to find money,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara also raised issues about the failure of the plantation company owners to pay the increased wages to the plantation workers. The President instructed Manusha to get a report from the Treasury Secretary regarding tea cultivation and related income and expenses with the living expenses of the plantation workers.
President Wickremesinghe instructed Minister Manusha Nanayakkara to consider the impact of the economic collapse between 2020 and 2022 and the situation that emerged after that and to find out how it affected the cost of living of the workers and to question why the employers are not paying the wages proposed by the Government to the plantation workers.
Collapse of world tea prices
As the collapse of world tea prices is not a problem of the plantation workers, the President said that they should be paid the salary set by the Government and that the lease agreement of the non-paying state plantation companies should be cancelled and the plantations handed over to other companies.
The President met the State Ministers. He spoke to them about the Presidential Election being held first and asked them to prepare for it. He did not fail to tell the Ministers about the matters that the President had informed the Ministers on the lack of funds to hold a Parliamentary Election.
MP Harees came to the President’s office in Parliament to meet him and MP Karunakaram from Kalmunai also came at the same time. President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, teased that they both arrived at the same time.
“Let’s put these two men in one room and resolve the Kalmunai problem.” When the President’s Secretary said that Prof. Ashu Marasinghe said, “Even if the Russian-Ukraine problem is resolved, the Kalamunai problem will not be resolved”. When he said that, everyone burst out laughing.
It was MP Premanath C. Dolawatta who again raised the issue that the names of those who signed as guarantors for loans as well as those who did not repay loans, have gone to the CRIB. “I have assigned it to Prof. Ashu Marasinghe,” the President said, looking at Ashu.
“We have fixed a discussion with the Governor of the Central Bank and the heads of the banks next week. We can give an answer after talking about this in the committee,” he said.
Although President Wickremesinghe was ready to leave for Matale to participate in the State Vesak festival, the Air Force had informed him that he could not take off due to bad weather. When the President agreed it and cancelled the trip, he received a phone call from the Director General of Government Information Dinith Chinthaka Karunaratne. “Sir, the Air Force Commander told me the news that you had cancelled the trip due to bad weather. I was reminded of the recent incident in Iran.”
The President replied, “As leaders, we should accept what the experts in the field say.”
In the evening, President Wickremesinghe opened the Buddha Rashmi Vesak Zone, the Vesak Zone around the Presidential Secretariat as well as the Peliyagoda Vesak zone. Finally, the President opened the Vesak pandal and dansala in the Suduwella area, Maradana. The President spent Friday to Sunday with the people in the Northern Province.
New issue in SJB
A new issue has also been created in the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Such problems have been created because of some MPs who joined the SJB from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).
The issue came out through MP Lakshman Kiriella as he has an issue with SLPP Kandy district Parliamentarian Wasantha Yapa Bandara. He has joined the SJB from the SLPP. Both Kiriella and Yapa Bandara represent the Kandy district.
“Among the MPs who joined the SJB from the SLPP, there are also unstoppable saboteurs who are disrupting the unity of the SJB,” Kiriella said.
“We have not yet promised to give nominations to those who came from Pohottuwa. There is no place in our party for anyone who disrupts our unity. A person who was elected to Parliament from the Pohottuwa in our district is now in touch with us. This guy made fake letterheads and sent letters for our party’s work. This is an offence punishable under the Penal Code. How can we work with such men?” It is reported from inside political sources that Lakshman Kiriella said that.
Rejoins UNP
SJB Organiser of the Mulkirigala Electorate Nimal Francisco rejoined the UNP and obtained UNP membership from UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena at the party headquarters ‘Sirikotha’ last Tuesday.
After arriving at the ‘Sirikotha’ party headquarters, Pitakotte, Francisco received his new membership card from the UNP Chairman. Later he joined a media briefing at ‘Sirikotha’.
He said that he rejoined the UNP to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe after being impressed by his efforts to rebuild the country economically. Francisco said that he decided to part ways with the SJB as he was not confident that the SJB leadership had the ability to take the country forward.
Secret meeting
A secret meeting was organised at the Water’s Edge Hotel, Battaramulla on Monday evening. This was organised by Chief Government Whip Minister Prasanna Ranatunga. This secret meeting took place between Cabinet Ministers and State Ministers in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). It was also significant that Minister Ranatunga had invited them for this meeting. On Monday morning, the Chief Government Whip’s office confirmed the presence of Ministers and State Ministers. Apart from Ministers, Mahindananda Aluthgamage was the only MP invited to this meeting.
Except for two State Ministers, other Cabinet Ministers and State Ministers had attended the meeting around 8.00 pm. Only State Ministers Tenuka Vidanagamage and Vijitha Berugoda were absent. They had also informed Minister Ranatunga personally that they would not participate due to a personal matter.
It was also significant that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s supporters in the Cabinet and MP Namal Rajapaksa’s supporters among the State Ministers also participated in this discussion. The discussion focused on the upcoming Presidential Election. Minister Ranatunga explained his position regarding the Presidential Election to the Ministers.
“President Ranil Wickremesinghe must be given another chance. There is no room for experiments forthis country to recover from where it has fallen. Besides, we do not have the moral right to oppose it. Because it was the Leaders of our party who brought Ranil Wickremesinghe and made him sit in this Presidential chair,” Prasanna Ranatunga said.
The discussion dragged on for almost two hours. Most of the Ministers including Ali Sabry, Ramesh Pathirana, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Dilum Amunugama expressed their views. At the end of the discussion, Prasanna Ranatunga, Kanchana Wijesekera and Mahindananda Aluthgamage were entrusted with the responsibility of presenting the matters they discussed to the President.
Several groups of Sri Lankans abroad met President Wickremesinghe in the past few days. Among them were a group of people living in Sydney, Australia. Veteran dramatist Sisil Gunasekara was the leader of that group. He is the father of veteran announcer Dilka Samanmali. While appreciating the program carried out by the President, Sisil Gunasekara said that he could stage a drama of a few minutes to break the monotony of the upcoming political meetings.
If former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and his representatives come to the Election Steering Committee appointed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, it was decided from last week that no representative of the new alliance would participate, and they boycotted both rounds of negotiations that followed.
There was also a discussion regarding that. There are anti-Rajapaksa people in the new alliance. They withdrew because of that objection and never to stand with them again. Due to that opposition, nearly 40 MPs in the new alliance will support President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming Presidential Election as a separate group and not together with the Rajapaksa camp.
On Vesak full moon Poya, the ‘Amadam Sisila’ Dhamma sermon organised by SLPP Leader, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was held at his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7.
It was the 246th ‘Amadam Sisilasa’ Dhamma sermon to be held. Maha Parivenadhipi, Sri Lanka Vidyalaya of Colombo 10, Ven. Suriyawewa Somananda Thera delivered the Dhamma sermon.
Before commencing the Dhamma sermon, he delivered a special ‘Anusasana’ and said that some people had forgotten the situation in the country 15 years ago. “Bombs would have still exploded in this country had the war not ended under the leadership of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He gave refuge to the people of the whole country.
After ending the war, a great deal of work was done for the Buddhasasana while developing the country. Today the city of Colombo was embellished with Vesak decorations. Those days, the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa took the lead to set up several Vesak zones in the city of Colombo and beautify the city of Colombo with the splendour of Vesak ,” Ven. Suriyawewa Somananda Thera said.
