UNP General Secretary Range Bandara dropped a bombshell last week. Range’s speech went viral, overshadowing the Anura-Sajith debate.
The talk in the political arena throughout the week was the story of extending the tenure of the President and Parliament for two years.
Many people began asking President Ranil Wickremesinghe about this to find out if his opinion too was the same.
“We have stated the Government’s opinion. But any other party can comment on the Presidential Election.” No one understood what the President said, but they did not question it beyond that.
President visits the North
President Wickremesinghe spent last weekend in the Northern Province.
TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran made a good statement about the President’s visit to the North. At the opening of the Jaffna University Faculty of Medicine building, Sumanthiran said that Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated at the 2005 Presidential Election because the people of the North did not vote for him.
But, Sumanthiran said with emotion that after Ranil Wickremesinghe became the Prime Minister and after he became the President, he improved the service he did for the people in the North, not reduced it. The speech was approved by many at the ceremony.
TNA MP Sithadthan and Minister Douglas Devananda were also present at the event.
After awarding the ‘Urumaya’ deeds, President Wickremesinghe met two groups of youth in the evening. One was organised by the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) and the other meeting was organised by Minister Douglas Devananda.
Speaking about bringing Elon Musk’s Starlink service to Sri Lanka, the President gave answers to the youth employment issue and other issues.
He asked the youth who their favourite singer was. The crowd shouted in unison that it was Balasubramaniyam. Then the President asked them to sing one of his songs and one youth rendered a Balasubramaniyam hit entertaining the youth as well as the President.
President Wickremesinghe said that he had instructed the authorities to conduct a ‘Yowun Puraya’ in Jaffna next year. But before that, the President also informed the authorities to bring Indian artistes and stage a musical concert.
The youth meeting started with the playing of the National Anthem in Sinhala. The President promptly called the NYSC Chairman and instructed him that the National Anthem should be played in Tamil.
Later, the President attended the youth meeting convened by Minister Douglas Devananda and after finishing it, he went to Kilinochchi early the next morning to open the new building of the hospital.
After presenting the ‘Urumaya’ deeds, President Wickremesinghe returned to Jaffna in the evening to participate in the presentation of teacher appointments. He said that Jaffna, which had the best education after the West, should be restored to its former status.
President Wickremesinghe went to parliamentarian C.V. Wigneswaran’s residence in Nallur, when it was reported that he was ill. The President had a friendly conversation with him for about 40 minutes.
An elderly woman began to bother the security forces personnel saying that she needs to see President Wickremesinghe in person. President Wickremesinghe also heard this message when the woman who came near the house of MP Wigneswaran said so. When his car approached the woman, he lowered the car window and greeted her by shaking her hand.
That night, the President had dinner at the Governor’s official residence and engaged in a friendly conversation with Government officials. They requested the President to introduce his agricultural modernisation program to develop Jaffna’s agriculture.
During the tea party after the opening of the Vavuniya hospital building, MP Selvam Adaikalanathan invited the President to bring gifts to Mannar as well. He also joked that the President who regularly visits the North doesn’t come to Mannar.
“I have several separate projects for Mannar. I will come with those investment projects. Anyway, I come to Madhu Church once a year.” MP Adaikalanathan also said in his speech what the President had told him.
During President Wickremesinghe’s visit to Jaffna, Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka discussed the progress of the anti-dengue campaign with officials on the instructions of the President. He advised them to take measures to check dengue as the dengue menace was likely to increase with the rains.
Bad weather
Due to the bad weather, about 40 huge trees had fallen on several days in many areas of Colombo. The President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka telephoned the relevant departments and advised them to find out if there were any other trees which were in imminent danger.
He informed the Municipal Council to identify such trees and to prune or get them cut by the Timber Corporation on the recommendation of the Municipal Council. On the President’s instructions, he also said that the police and the Army should be brought together to support that.
The President met the Cabinet as usual on Monday. He went to the Ministry of Defence the next morning and discussed the country’s security as usual.
UNP Management Committee meets
When the UNP Management Committee met in the evening, General Secretary Range Bandara’s political bombshell had already exploded.
Range Bandara presented the list of UNP Zonal Organisers to be appointed countrywide to the Committee.
Following which Minister Harin Fernando presented a long description of the Presidential Election campaign. After finishing it, Harin asked the President about the statement made by General Secretary Range Bandara.
President Wickremesinghe intervened when several others expressed their views saying that Range Bandara’s statement had caused harm.
“Nothing to worry about”
“I have conveyed the Government’s opinion to the Cabinet of Ministers. But apart from that, there may be other opinions. We don’t need to worry about it.” When the President said that everyone was silent, unable to imagine what he was going to do this time.
Many Ministers also asked the President about this matter and the general answer given by the President was the same as the answer given to the UNP Management Committee.
Power sector
The President, who joined in the discussion at the Hilton Hotel about the country’s power sector, then went to the Ministry of Finance.
The President asked the Director General of Government Information Dinith Chinthaka about the responses to Range Bandara’s statement.
“Some people had come to ‘Sirikotha’ and staged a protest. The people interested in politics and elections have talked about this, but I don’t know whether that there is much talk among the people about this.” The President shook his head and said nothing when Dinith Chintaka said so.
After completing the work at the Finance Ministry, the President went to attend the commemoration ceremony of veteran trade union leader Leslie Devendra.
The President arrived at his office on Thursday after attending a wedding at the Air Force Base, Ratmalana. The Ministers and officials present also started asking about the statement made by Range Bandara. “Range’s statement had also been approved by C.V. Wigneswaran. The story is true; it is not good to let the economy collapse at this time. The best solution is to postpone the election,” Prof. Ashu Marasinghe said. Then, an official said that many people do not understand the President’s politics.
“I only told the Cabinet that the Presidential Election will come first.” President Wickremesinghe smiled while giving a hint to the group. Minister Manusha Nanayakkara raised the issue about the statement made by the plantation companies that they will not pay the increase in the wages of the plantation workers gazetted by the Government.
“Take steps to cancel the lease agreement,” – the President’s answer was brief.
MP Wajira Abeywardena asked about the extension of service of the Attorney General.
“The Attorney General is dealing with the Archdiocese about the Easter Sunday report. That’s why I made this service extension. There is no other reason. If anyone has a problem, they can ask the Archdiocese.” the President said.
On Thursday evening, a youth who manufactured a car locally similar to the popular Ford Shelby GT car had brought his car to the President. It was also discussed about improving and selling it in Sri Lanka.
SJB-NPP debate
When a discussion about the debate between the Economic Committees of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the National People’s Power (NPP) was brought up again in the media last week, several MPs who met at the Opposition Leader’s office joined in the discussion with the coordinator of the debate, MP Nalin Bandara.
MP Mujibur Rahuman asked MP Nalin Bandara, “Nalin, what is the current state of the debate? What is our response?”
MP Harshana Rajakaruna said, “Shouldn’t we give an answer about this?”
MP Nalin Bandara said, “We will send a written answer to the former MP Nalinda Jayatissa.’’
“What facts will the letter contain?” asked MP Mujibur Rahuman.
MP Nalin Bandara said, “We agree with the leadership debate proposed by the NPP, even though we spoke about it at the first instance when they announced it, the NPP first questioned the fact that we did not mention the agreement or disagreement about the Economic Committee debate that we proposed.
“I will inform them that we will continue to take the same stand regarding the Economic Committee debate first, and the leadership debate second,” he said.
MP Mujibur Rahuman said, “Include the details of our blueprint launched by our Economic Committee into the content of the letter. If there is a debate, we have already presented a technical program in the economic program.’’
MP Harshana Rajakaruna said, “It is true what MP Mujibur Rahuman says. At least the NPP can debate on our blueprint. If there are alternatives to that economic program, there is an opportunity to present them in that debate.’’
“Absurd statement”
MP Mujibur Rahuman said, ‘’No one from the NPP will have a face-to-face debate with MPs Kabir Hashim, Eran Wickramaratne and Dr. Harsha de Silva. The economic policy of the NPP is the economic program of the JVP. It is the economy of Cuba and Venezuela and not something that Anura Kumara Dissanayake imagined.’’
In a conversation about the UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara’s proposal to postpone the Presidential Election, MP Eran Wickramaratne said, “It’s an absurd statement. It is not in the Constitution that the Presidential Election can be postponed through a referendum.’’
Mujibur Rahuman MP said, “Range Bandara had to face a lot of criticism. In the end, he said that he will answer anything on Monday (June 3) and ended a press conference in a minute and left.
Pointing to MP Ajith Mannapperuma who came to the place, MP Mujibur Rahuman said, “Ajith, you have become a big topic in the social media these days, haven’t you? When will you go?”
MP Mannapperuma said loudly, “That story had been there for a very long time. Those days there was speculation that I will team up with Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena. Now there is speculation that I will join President Ranil Wickremesinghe. This may give self- entertainment for those who fabricated these rumours. Instead of being involved in politics based on policies, I am not a person who changes my political camps to get perks and privileges. The capable team and the leadership who can rescue the country from the current situation are in the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. Therefore, I do not consider the rumours spread by certain sections seriously.” He later joined the media briefing at the Opposition Leader’s office.
What is the former Army Commander Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka doing quietly at his house these days? “Do not disturb me. I am writing a book,” said Sarath Fonseka while answering phone calls. Sources report that Fonseka will add his experiences in the humanitarian mission to defeat terrorism in a book.
Fonseka publicly accused a Gampaha district electoral organiser of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) at a meeting in Kelaniya recently. Fonseka had accused that, “This guy is preparing for the election by distributing alcohol.”
Rude reply
Gampaha District electoral organisers had also submitted a complaint to the Opposition Leader and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa against Sarath Fonseka. Sajith assigned the responsibility of resolving this issue with his party’s National Organiser Tissa Attanayake. Tissa spoke to Sarath Fonseka, but Tissa received a thundering reply.
“I am coming for the Presidential Election. If you want, ask them to give me nomination. I will come anyway. Is there anyone as suitable as me in the Samagi Jana Balawegaya?” Fonseka had told Tissa.
A group of Gampaha district parliamentarians and a group of electoral organisers of the SJB had prepared a document protesting against Sarath Fonseka’s actions at MP Ajith Mannapperuma’s residence recently.
Last Saturday, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga called the former heads of Local Government bodies of Gampaha district for a special matter.
The Minister said, “As the Government has decided to implement a program at electoral level while the future development activities are being carried out, I like to inform you all about it.”
“The President said that constitutionally there is a Presidential Election anyway. Some people ask whether the President will run for the Presidential Election. The President will definitely contest the election and there is no doubt about it,” he said.
Minister Ranatunga visited the SLPP Nelum Mawatha office last Tuesday to meet SLPP founder, Basil Rajapaksa. As he was not present, Minister Ranatunga left the after chatting with the personnel in the office to return to his Ministry.
The Police stopped Minister Ranatunga near the Pohottuwa office. Seeing nearly 15 people holding placards nearby, Prasanna asked the police, “Who are these people?”
A police officer said, “Sir… a group of civil organisations are protesting.”
The protest was organised by some representatives of civil organisations. They were holding placards that read: “Let’s defeat the country’s wilderness bills.”
New alliance
The steering committee of the new alliance met last Wednesday morning at a hotel in Colombo to organise a rally in Hambantota on June 8.
“There were buses from all over Sri Lanka for the Hambantota SJB and NPP rallies,” said a member of the steering committee.
“Yes, yes, we want to show the strength of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s district as well as the strength of our alliance,” Sugeeswara said looking at the crowd.
MP Nimal Lanza looking at Siripala Amarasinghe said,”Look at what we need to do and do it quickly.” The group’s attention was then drawn to the recent statement made by UNP General Secretary Range Bandara about the Presidential Election.
“I don’t know why these kinds of stories are being fabricated and such statements will embarrass the President,” Amarasinghe said.
“No, no, that is his personal opinion, not the President’s or the Government’s opinion. The Presidential election must be held within the prescribed period. According to the Constitution, it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to conduct the Presidential Election within the stipulated timeframe,” MP Nimal Lanza gave a long explanation.
