• No dates fixed to finalise debt restructuring deals with creditors; IMF Exec. Board meets on 12th
• Backstory of Rangebandara’s controversial comments revealed; RW tested waters with it
• RW reiterates Wajira’s new office not his elections ops office; some UNP seniors to stay out of it
• Anticipated crossovers from SJB a no-show last week due to confusion with too many negotiators
• Rajitha’s requests yet to receive greenlight; Harsha leads charge against Econ. Transformation Bill
• SLPP, MR in dilemma over RW Govt. policies; SLPPers ignore MR’s call on SOEs, pass Electricity Bill
• Key meetings at MR’s residence; refrains from discussing Prez Polls; Rohitha given new party post
• TNA asks Sajith and SJB to stop dreaming of support; Hirunika issues ultimatum to Sajith to decide
• UNP gives new posts to Harin, Ravi, Firdouse, Misbah, Krishan; new zonal organisers also appointed
• Yapa-Lanza alliance broadened with SLFP joining it; maiden rally held yesterday in Ambalantota
• SLFP crisis extends to UPFA; Mahinda slams Thilanga, Dayasiri; says UPFA will not join with SJB
• SLPP to act against Wijeyadasa; pro-Sirisena faction also gears to fight pro-de Silva group in court
• Sajith-AKD debate ends with a no-show by Sajith at ITN Thulawa; AKD accuses Sajith of plagiarism

The Ranil Wickremesinghe Government will enter a decisive period from this coming week, especially on the economic front, which in turn will play a key role in President Wickremesinghe’s decision on contesting the upcoming Presidential Election.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board is set to review Sri Lanka’s progress under the Article IV Consultation and the second review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) on Wednesday (12). The meeting on Wednesday will play a crucial role in assessing the country’s economic policies and reform advancements.

The Wickremesinghe Government, while working on addressing the concerns and recommendations presented by the IMF in Sri Lanka’s Governance Diagnostic, is also focused on finalising the debt restructuring programme with bilateral and private creditors. Government ministers however continue to note that the discussions have been positive, especially with the private creditors, and that the deal will be finalised soon.

Be that as it may, dates are yet to be announced on when the debt treatments agreements will be signed, sealed, and delivered, with informed sources telling ‘The Black Box’ that the Government is hopeful of finalising the deals soon.

However, on the new pieces of legislation being proposed in line with the IMF recommendations, the plan to introduce the proposed Economic Transformation Bill has been delayed by several politicians, trade unions, and civil society organisations, which are challenging the bill before the Supreme Court. The proposed Public Financial Management Bill is also being challenged before court. The Government is nevertheless hopeful of getting the proposed pieces of legislation passed in Parliament soon.

The Government meanwhile disclosed last week in Parliament that the country’s domestic debt figure stood at Rs. 17,051 billion as of 31 December 2023, and increased to Rs. 17,252 billion by 31 March this year.

State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe further noted that the foreign debt portfolio stood at $ 37 billion, which includes outstanding external debt instalments amounting to $ 5.5 billion from April 2022.

Range’s test

Amidst the work on the economic front, President Wickremesinghe is continuing to master the art of creating confusion over the upcoming Presidential Election and his decision on whether or not to contest the polls.

After decades in politics, Wickremesinghe is now looking at building a lasting legacy – that of being ‘the leader who salvaged the country from crisis’. However, this legacy will see a dead-end if he is defeated at the Presidential Election. He therefore has a lot of weighing of pros and cons before finally announcing his decision on the Presidential Election.

Those who know Wickremesinghe are well aware of the antics the seasoned politician will resort to before finally revealing his hand. He has so far subjected the public to several tests with regard to the holding of elections, with the latest being the controversial statement made by United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Palitha Rangebandara, where he proposed that the term of the President and Parliament be extended by another two years through a referendum.

‘The Black Box’ reliably learns that there is a backstory to Rangebandara’s statement. It is learnt that Rangebandara had made the statement with Wickremesinghe’s knowledge. Although the President had not asked Rangebandara to make a public statement, he had not asked him to refrain from making such a statement in public when the issue of a referendum had been discussed amongst a group of senior UNPers that included Wickremesinghe. 

It was this reason that made Rangebandara explain why he had made such a statement during an event at Sirikotha last week, presided over by President Wickremesinghe. However, soon after Rangebandara made the statement, the UNP maintained that it was Rangebandara’s personal opinion and not that of the party or Wickremesinghe. Nevertheless, the response attracted by Rangebandara’s comment was loud and clear and if Wickremesinghe is to act in a tone-deaf manner, he might as well forget about his legacy-building programme.

Political office

Although Wickremesinghe has so far not indicated that he will be contesting the Presidential Election, he decided to send out a message on Thursday (6) when he declared open his new political office in Colombo 7. It was indeed interesting that careful steps were taken to avoid calling the new office the ‘election operations’ office – it was instead called the ‘political’ office. It is learnt that Wickremesinghe had personally informed the senior officials at the President’s Media Division (PMD) to make sure that the new office was not called an election office.

The office was set up by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and as soon as news of the office was heard, some witty UNPers called it a ‘collection centre’. When asked why such a name, a wag was quick to quip that it would be where the UNP – or some of its members, to be precise – would start collecting funds for upcoming elections. It is also learnt that several senior UNPers have decided to distance themselves from the new political office and carry out their work from the outside.

Attending the opening were a host of political figures from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), apart from UNPers and other smaller parties. 

The news of the opening of the office caught the attention of the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), with several members reaching out to senior UNPers questioning whether this was an electoral office. Several SJB members had also spoken to the President over the phone congratulating him and inquired as to whether they were to come across. It is learnt that messages had been sent back to the SJBers that they needed to move fast. 

Crossover blues

However, President Wickremesinghe’s plan of securing several crossovers from the SJB last week was a damp squib, with the SJBers maintaining a ‘business as usual’ attitude inside and outside Parliament.

The SJB’s Economic Committee members, who have been at the centre of much discussion with regard to crossovers, continued with their criticism of the Government, especially on the Economic Transformation Bill. SJB Economic Committee Head MP Dr. Harsha de Silva was assigned the task of initiating legal action against the proposed piece of legislation. 

Meanwhile, SJB MP Ajith Mannapperuma, who is also in the list of crossovers, last week claimed that President Wickremesinghe may have stabilised the country to an extent but that it was far from satisfactory. He claimed that the President lacked a capable team and that the Government worked to its advantage and not for the betterment of the people.

Confusion

It is learnt that there is more confusion on the issue of crossovers, with some Opposition members claiming that they are unsure of making any move, given the confusion in Wickremesinghe’s camp.

SJB MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne is a key contender to cross over to the Government. However, the Wickremesinghe camp has not responded positively to his requests yet. It is learnt that the SJBer has requested a National List slot and a portfolio and slot for his son to contest at the General Election. However, Senaratne was last week seen seated next to Wickremesinghe at a factory opening in Ekala.

It is also learnt that, in usual UNP fashion, several individuals have been engaged in negotiating with the SJBers while Wickremesinghe has so far remained tight-lipped on whether he is agreeable to their [the crossovers’] demands.

Hirunika’s demand

Meanwhile, SJBer Hirunika Premachandra also took advantage of the latest political development to place her demand before Premadasa.

Premachandra was out in the media issuing an ultimatum to Premadasa, saying that the SJB leadership could decide between her and the Hiru network. The reason for taking on the Hiru network is due to the ownership of the network being a member of the family of former MP Duminda Silva, who had been found guilty of murdering Premachandra’s father, Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra. 

According to Premachandra, the SJB leadership has been asked to agree to grant a presidential pardon to Silva under an SJB government in order to receive the support of Silva’s brother’s media network for the party during election periods. It is this reason that Premachandra says has compelled her to issue the ultimatum of ‘Will it be me or Hiru?’

Sajith’s nightmare

However, it was the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that put a spanner in the SJB’s election work as well as turn out to be Premadasa’s worst nightmare by saying that the party [SJB] would be dreaming if it believed that the TNA would extend its support to it and SJB Leader Premadasa.

TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran simply stated that despite claims by SJBers that the TNA would join with the SJB during elections, the SJB would be dreaming if it thought the SJB would support Premadasa. He explained that the TNA would make its final decision on the party’s support during the upcoming Presidential Election after holding discussions with each of the candidates on their policies. Sumanthiran however commended the ongoing land distribution programme carried out by the Government. 

UNP’s new faces

President Wickremesinghe was also active on the political stage this past week. Last Sunday (2), the UNP Working Committee was convened to approve a host of new positions for the upcoming elections. 

Accordingly, Harin Fernando was appointed as National Election Organiser, while Ravi Karunanayake was appointed as National Secretary. Fernando’s new responsibilities will see him responsible for organising the party campaign for the elections, including drafting a national campaign agenda. Karunanayake’s role however is less clear, with a National Organiser and General Secretary of the party already in place. 

The UNP also appointed a new Treasurer – Firdouse Farook, who replaced Misbah Sattar. Sattar was appointed as the party’s Deputy Chairman while Krishan Theodore was appointed as Deputy General Secretary.

The Working Committee also decided that Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, General Secretary Palitha Rangebandara, Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, National Organiser Sagala Ratnayaka, and Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam would continue in their positions.

Zonal organisers

The UNP’s political activity did not end there. Following the Working Committee meeting, Wickremesinghe handed out appointment letters to the newly-appointed local organisers for the party. Gathering at Sirikotha, these organisers were given firm instructions by their leadership that the message to be taken to the grassroots was that President Wickremesinghe was the only person who stood up when the country needed leadership during the crisis.

However, the new appointments were called ‘zonal organisers’ (‘kalapa sanvidhayaka’), which has created some discomfort among the UNP organisers due to the lack of clarity in duties.

Spotlight on Ranjith

The UNP Working Committee also did something unusual by naming SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara to a committee of MPs of the UNP to discuss political cooperation.

The Working Committee approved the lifting of the suspension of SJB General Secretary Madduma Bandara’s membership and he was subsequently appointed to the new committee of the UNP. This committee comprises all current UNP parliamentarians including Abeywardena, Fernando, Manusha Nanayakkara, Vadivel Suresh, and now Madduma Bandara. 

Madduma Bandara meanwhile responded saying that the UNP led by Wickremesinghe had become a source of political jokes in the country and that the current UNP leaders were not even familiar with its Constitution. The UNP Constitution states that every member has to renew their membership annually and the SJBers claim that they have not renewed their UNP memberships since 2019.

Meanwhile, Madduma Bandara expressed his anger over the UNP antics during a news conference held by the SJB last Tuesday (4). The news briefing was attended by SJB MP Mujibur Rahman. During the event, Rahman had taken a telephone call to Madduma Bandara and the call had been put on speaker mode by Rahman to enable the participating journalists to hear Madduma Bandara’s comments on the matter of being reinstated as a UNP member.

“I’m no longer a member of the UNP. I’m a member of the SJB,” said the SJB General Secretary, adding that the UNP did not have the right to take any disciplinary action against him since he was no longer a member of the UNP.

MR’s dilemma

Meanwhile, the ruling SLPP also faced a litmus test on the allegiances of its membership, especially among the party’s legislators. 

It was just a few weeks back that SLPP Leader, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) issued a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and released it to the media, calling for a stop to plans to divest State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). MR expressed his and the party’s opposition to what is claimed to be the ‘selling off of State assets’.

However, the SLPP’s stance on the Government’s programme to restructure SOEs was put to the test on Thursday (6) when the Electricity Bill aimed at restructuring the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and opening up the electricity sector for private investments – also known by the ultra-nationalist groups as ‘selling off’ – was debated and passed in Parliament with a majority of 44 votes.

It was indeed interesting to see that a majority of the SLPPers did not subscribe to the sentiments of the party leadership and instead opted to vote in favour of President Wickremesinghe’s restructuring agenda.

It was dissident SLPPer Dullas Alahapperuma who summed up MR’s current plight. He told the media that while the ‘Aragalaya’ protesters had pulled down the D.A. Rajapaksa statue in Tangalle during the protest campaign two years ago, the SLPPers had now brought down MR by openly showing that they did not subscribe to his [MR’s] stance and had instead decided to side with President Wickremesinghe.

It is evident that the SLPP is facing somewhat of an identity crisis, given that the party is the key coalition partner of the Wickremesinghe Government. Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa have always represented two different economic policies and the SLPP as well as its legislators are now facing a political dilemma as a result.

SLPPers meet

It is in such a backdrop that the decision-making bodies of the SLPP – the Executive Committee and Politburo – were convened by Party Leader MR last week at his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo.

Although participants earlier thought that the meetings had been convened to make a final decision on the SLPP’s stance at the upcoming Presidential Election, soon after the meeting commenced, it was evident that no such decision-making was going to take place that day. The meetings also saw a new position in the party being included in its Constitution, with a new appointment being made. Accordingly, the SLPP’s Rohitha Abeygunawardena was appointed as the party’s National Convenor.

SLPP fracas

Amidst the ongoing split within the SLPP, the fisticuffs between two SLPP MPs at the party’s parliamentary group meeting on Monday (3) was a clear indication of the tensions that are running high among the SLPPers in the run-up to an election period.

The SLPP parliamentary group met at the Presidential Secretariat under President Wickremesinghe’s patronage. The clash had taken place between two SLPP MPs representing the SLPP – Gunathilaka Rajapaksha and Mahindananda Aluthgamage. It had first started as a heated argument between Rajapaksha and Aluthgamage over the allocation of funds for development projects in the Kandy District. 

According to Rajapaksha, the argument had erupted when he had questioned how projects proposed by him had been suspended and replaced with projects proposed by Aluthgamage. The brawl had resulted in Rajapaksha being admitted to the Army Hospital in Colombo with a leg injury that was later identified as a fracture. Rajapaksha noted that following the heated exchange of words, Aluthgamage had physically assaulted him when he was walking out of the meeting room, resulting in him being injured.

However, Aluthgamage later claimed that he had only grabbed Rajapaksha by the collar outside the meeting and asked him about his previous remarks. He explained that MP Jagath Samarawickrama had intervened to prevent any physical altercations and that it was at this point that Rajapaksha and Samarawickrama had both fallen down the nearby staircase. Aluthgamage further claimed that CCTV footage would support his account of the incident.

Be that as it may, SLPP theoretician Basil Rajapaksa was quick to realise the negative image the clash between two SLPP MPs would have on the party membership and immediately asked several of his loyalists to make arrangements to intervene and bring peace between the Rajapaksha and Aluthgamage.

Basil’s plan fails

However, attempts pushed by Basil to bring about peace between the two failed, with Rajapaksha’s son lodging a complaint with the Fort Police on Tuesday (4) that Aluthgamage had assaulted his father and fractured his leg. As Rajapaksha’s son lodged a complaint with the Police, Rajapaksha was moved to the ICU following a surgery on his lower limb between the hip bone and knee.

The Police on Wednesday (5) recorded statements from Rajapaksha and officials from the Presidential Secretariat before recording more statements from SLPP MPs who had witnessed the clash.

Alliance rally

Meanwhile, a group of dissident SLPPers led by MPs Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Nimal Lanza, along with several other political parties including the SLFP, held the maiden rally of the fully-fledged alliance yesterday (8) in Ambalantota, Hambantota.

SLFP Minister Mahinda Amaraweera played a key role in organising the rally, which was the first formal event of the broad political alliance in the making.

Supporting RW

That the new alliance will extend its support to President Wickremesinghe at the upcoming Presidential Election is evident, given the statement made by SLFP Acting General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake at a news briefing on Thursday (6) where he noted that there were no objections within the party to extend support to the President.

However, he quickly added that the SLFP was yet to make a final decision on the party’s stance. Dissanayake maintained that the SLFP was now engaged in strengthening its grassroots level organisation after resolving the party’s internal crisis and that the largest political alliance for the upcoming election would be formed with the leadership of the SLFP.

Back to courts

Meanwhile, the ongoing crisis within the SLFP is to once again appear before courts with the faction loyal to former SLFP Leader, former President Maithripala Sirisena preparing to initiate legal action against the appointments made by the rival SLFP faction supported by former SLFP Leader and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK) and led by Acting SLFP Leader, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

So far, enjoining orders issued by the Colombo District Court have prevented Sirisena and several other SLFPers, including the pro-Sirisena faction-appointed SLFP Leader, Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, from serving in their posts.

Former General Secretary of the SLFP Dayasiri Jayasekara had recently told the media that the appointments and decisions made by both factions (pro-Sirisena and pro-de Silva) lacked legality. He noted that while the pro-de Silva faction had challenged nearly all appointments and decisions made by the Sirisena faction, the latter was yet to reciprocate.

However, pro-Sirisena faction member, SLFP Senior Vice President Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa noted that the faction had initially hoped for natural justice and public understanding of the truth but had now decided to go to courts since that had not happened as expected.

UPFA in crisis

Meanwhile, the SLFP-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has also run into a crisis. The crisis commenced with the news of the alliance’s plans to join an Opposition alliance being formed by its former General Secretary Thilanga Sumathipala. 

Sumathipala and former General Secretary of the SLFP Jayasekara had announced plans to negotiate with the main Opposition SJB to extend its support to the SJB alliance at the impending Presidential Election. However, pro-de Silva member of the SLFP, Minister Amaraweera claimed that the faction led by Sumathipala did not have the legal authority to take such a decision as he had been restrained from serving as the UPFA’s General Secretary by the Election Commission (EC).

Amaraweera was the General Secretary of the UPFA until former Leader of the SLFP Sirisena moved to replace him with Sumathipala. However, Amaraweera sought legal redress and Sumathipala’s position in the UPFA is hence under dispute. The EC then announced that Sumathipala could not be recognised as the General Secretary of the UPFA due to the ongoing legal process.

Amaraweera meanwhile told the media on Monday (3) that no one had the right or authority to attach the UPFA to any election alliance, since no one, including himself and Sumathipala, had been accepted as the UPFA General Secretary by the EC at present. 

“Sumathipala has no legal right to make such statements. I was the legally-appointed General Secretary, but some people appointed Sumathipala, violating the regulations. Then, I went to court and accordingly the EC asked the UPFA to keep the said position vacant until the matter was resolved,” he explained. 

Stating that he and his faction would inform the court in this regard, Amaraweera further noted that all eight constituent political parties of the UPFA were in support of his faction. Therefore, Amaraweera noted that Sumathipala did not have a right to make such decisions when the majority of the members opposed his views. “Those who are now trying to connect this alliance to the SJB earlier blamed us saying we were trying to plug this [UPFA] into the UNP. They [Sumathipala and co.] are now trying to take the entire SLFP and the UPFA to the SJB. We, the SLFP, will be the decisive factor that makes the next government,” Amaraweera claimed.

Action against Wijeyadasa

The SLPP Politburo meanwhile has granted permission to initiate disciplinary action against Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who had taken membership of the SLFP and was appointed by the pro-Sirisena faction as the SLFP Leader. Rajapakshe’s leadership of the SLFP and party membership have nevertheless been suspended by enjoining orders issued by the Colombo District Court.

Senior SLPPer S.B. Dissanayake told the media: “The Disciplinary Committee of the SLPP has made a request to initiate action against Minister Rajapakshe as he has taken up a position with a different party and is carrying on with his activities. Based on this and several other reasons, the Politburo granted permission to initiate disciplinary action against him.”

No debate

Meanwhile, the friction between the SJB and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) continues, with the failure to hold the much-touted debate between Opposition and SJB Leader Premadasa and JVP/NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD). 

The debate between Premadasa and AKD was to be held on Thursday (6). However, the failure of the Economic Committees of the two parties to reach an agreement on a date for a debate between the two committees resulted in the Premadasa-AKD debate also being a no-show, with Premadasa refraining from attending the debate.

AKD ready, Sajith no-show

The Independent Television Network (ITN) allocated its political debate programme ‘Thulawa’ for the Premadasa-AKD debate that was scheduled for 6 June and even informed the two leaders that the programme had been assigned to provide the platform for the debate. ITN first informed the SJB and JVP/NPP of preparedness to provide a platform for the debate on 21 March when plans for such a debate were first announced.

AKD however responded in writing to the letter sent by ITN about the allocation of the ‘Thulawa’ programme for the debate between him and Premadasa. On Wednesday (5) evening, the JVP/NPP officially informed ITN that AKD was prepared to attend the ‘Thulawa’ programme for the debate. The letter, sent by JVP/NPP Executive Committee member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, had also thanked ITN for facilitating the debate. 

However, Jayatissa had further noted that since the debate on 6 June was a pre-planned one, it was important to receive confirmation from the opponent of participation at the event. The SJB and its leadership however remained silent despite all these developments. Premadasa also refrained from making any comments about the debate facilitated by ITN.

The ITN management made several attempts to contact Premadasa throughout Thursday (6) to know if he would be attending the debate with AKD. Unable to get through to Premadasa, the ITN managers had then gotten in touch with SJB MP Nalin Bandara to inquire whether the Party Leader would be attending the debate scheduled for that night.

Finally, Bandara, who was appointed by the party to facilitate the debate work, had informed the ITN Chairman in writing on Thursday evening that Premadasa would not be attending the debate. Bandara had noted in his letter that one of the main conditions for the debate between Premadasa and AKD was the holding of the debate between the Economic Committees of the two parties prior to the leaders’ debate and that since the JVP/NPP had failed to address this condition, Premadasa would not be attending the debate.

Also, Bandara had added that the SJB believed the debate should not be limited to one television channel owned by the State and that it should be telecast live simultaneously over all television channels.

Plagiarism accusation

While Premadasa was absent from the debate with AKD, he did clash with the NPP Leader in Parliament. During a Q&A session, AKD raised concerns with the Speaker over what he perceived as blatant plagiarism. According to AKD, Premadasa had raised the exact same question he was slotted to ask that same day. 

The Speaker informed him that Premadasa’s question had been received 30 minutes before AKD’s from the Opposition Leader’s office. AKD then requested that his questions from henceforth be submitted directly to the Speaker without going through the Opposition Leader’s office. It is parliamentary tradition that all Opposition groups submit their questions for Q&A time through the Opposition Leader’s office. However, the Speaker’s agreement to divert from this tradition has certainly left the Opposition Leader red-faced. 

Sunil’s apology

Meanwhile, JVP/NPP member Sunil Handunnetti issued an apology to billionaire businessman Elon Musk for calling him an “economic hitman”. Handunnetti had clarified that his statement had been misinterpreted and acknowledged using unfavourable terms to describe Musk. 

“While speaking in Badulla, I referred to global investor and entrepreneur Elon Musk as ‘haadaya’ (a guy) and an economic hitman. That should be corrected. I accept this,” he had said.

Addressing a meeting in Badulla, Handunnetti likened Musk to other prominent billionaires, including Hungarian-American hedge fund manager and philanthropist George Soros and Australian businessman and investor James Packer, referring to them as economic hitmen.