Category: News

A majority of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs are of the view that Ranil Wickremesinghe should be the next president, SLPP MP and Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said.

Speaking during a talk show, the Minister stated that the matter has been discussed among various party members.

Stating that it is unsure as to what election will be held next, Minister Wijesekera said that the SLPP will take a suitable decision at the time of an election.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Bandula Guanwardena told the media today that no proposal has been made by the SLPP so far about Ranil Wickremesinghe being nominated as the party’s next Presidential candidate.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe through his recent actions has won over the people as the most suitable person to carry out the revival of the country, he said.

He further stated that the priority of the public and the SLPP at present is to revive and develop the nation.

Minister Bandula Gunawardena added, “As we can see the country has currently moved to a stable position.”

The secret ballot papers used by Parliament to elect Ranil Wickremesinghe as President last year, have been destroyed, Parliament was informed today.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said that the ballot papers used in the secret ballot to elect a Member of Parliament to the office of President on the 20.07.2022, have been destroyed.

The Speaker announced that the ballots were destroyed by the Secretary-General of Parliament following the procedure in terms of the provisions of Section 18 of the said Act and with the approval of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held on 24.03.2023.

Wickremesinghe was elected President by Parliament last year securing 134 votes.

MP Dullas Alahapperuma secured 82 votes while MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake secured just 03 votes.

Of the 225 members of Parliament 223 had cast their votes of which four were declared invalid.

In a desperate attempt Sajith invites all SJB MPs to dinner last night

– SJB MPs complain of interference from Sajith’s wife, sister

– Harsha, Eran, Kabeer to join President

– Harsha likely to be sworn in as Minister of Policy Implementation

– Daily Mirror learns that insecurity and mayhem has broken out among the present cabinet ministers, fearing that they might lose their portfolios with the entry of opposition members into the government

In a desperate attempt to keep the main opposition – the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) alive, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa invited all SJB Parliamentarians to dinner at the Monarch Imperial in Battaramulla last evening in order to coax them into remaining in the party which is now on the verge of collapse.

Senior SJB members who attended the dinner told Daily Mirror that amidst the drinks and food which was hosted by Premadasa, there was also a plea made by him to the MPs to remain in the party and discussed its future.

Premadasa’s latest desperate attempt to keep the SJB alive comes at a time when three of its most senior MPs – Harsha De Silva, Kabeer Hashim and Eran Wickramaratne are in talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe to join the government as the three have supported the President’s present economic policies, a senior political source close to both camps said.

Infact, it is reliably learned that Harsha is likely to be appointed as the Minister of Policy Implementation if he agrees, in a cabinet reshuffle which is expected soon with some functions of the Finance Ministry being brought under this new portfolio.

Eran Wickramaratne will also agree to support the President but has not requested any portfolio while it is learned that discussions are ongoing to offer a portfolio to Kabeer Hashim.

Senior SJB members alleged that the reason senior party members are now contemplating leaving the SJB is because of undue interference from Sajith’s wife Jalani Premadasa and his sister Dulanjali Premadasa which is why the party could not remain consistent in its decisions. Sources said that when decisions are made at the committee meetings, these decisions are later changed by the trio much to the annoyance of the SJB MPs. “Decisions made by the members do not remain. It changes as the party is run mostly by these three,” a senior SJB Parliamentarian alleged. Presently only MPs such as Lakshman Kiriella, Tissa Attanayake, Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Imtiaz Bakeer Marker remain steadfast with Premadasa.

Even SJB alliance parties such as the Tamil Progressive Alliance is in discussions with the President but have ruled out crossing over into the government. Media reports alleging that some SJB MPs were likely to cross over into the government today when Parliament convenes are false as discussions with the President are still ongoing and final confirmations are yet to be received.

Sources said that SJM MP Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka has also fallen out with Premadasa and is now fighting for the SJB Leadership while Patali Champika Ranawaka has already announced that he is forming a new political party next month and is likely to take some MPs with him.

While the SJB is struggling to remain intact, the Daily Mirror learns that insecurity and mayhem has also broken out among the present cabinet ministers, fearing that they might lose their portfolios with the entry of opposition members into the government.

Senior political sources said that many ministers are attempting to coax President Wickremesinghe into keeping them in their portfolios with some even going to the extent of indirectly threatening to leave the government and sit independently if the portfolios are taken away.

The Cabinet of Ministers has given its approval to pay the basic salaries of government employees contesting the Local Government (LG) election, for the period from 09 March to 25 April.

At least 3,000 public servants, who have handed over nominations for the election, are currently on unpaid leave, the Government Information Department revealed.

However, as the LG election was repeatedly postponed, the government employees contesting the polls are struggling financially as their unpaid leave was extended.

Hence, it was decided that these government employees be paid their basic salaries for the aforementioned period.

The proposal had been made by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in his capacity as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils & Local Government.

Addressing the parliamentary session this morning, State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura said all government employees would be paid their salaries for this month before 10 April.

An officer from Sri Lanka’s Minister Security Division (MSD) threatened to shoot Tamil and Muslim protesters for opposing the installation of a Buddha statue in Ponmalaikuda, Pulmoaddai in Trincomalee.

Locals were outraged yesterday when a group of Sinhala Buddhist monks, officers from Sri Lanka’s Archeology Department and Sri Lanka’s security forces attempted to install a Buddha statue on land belonging to Tamils and Muslims. The protesters gathered in the area after one of the monk’s drivers broke a farmer’s fence to enter and seize the land.

The security officer pulled out his gun and threatened to shoot the protesters as they tried to stop the installation. Locals are expressed fears that the installation forms part of the ongoing Sinhalisation of Pulmoaddai, a Trincomalee town which borders Mullaitivu.

A 2019 report by People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) highlights how Sinhalisation and militarisation is used to deliberately shift the demographics of Tamil and Muslim areas.

The North-East has been subject to Sinhalisation for decades but efforts have intensified in recent years with the aid of Sri Lanka’s military and archeology department.