President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Government last week hit the one-month mark since ascending to office. A look at the first month of AKD’s work as President is indicative of the multiple challenges faced by the occupant of the country’s highest office as Sri Lanka continues to tread on the economic recovery path.
While heading an Interim Government until the formation of a proper government after the upcoming Parliamentary Elections, AKD has not made great deviations from the path the country was on in the past few months. Although this has earned him criticism that he was following former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s path, it seems AKD has understood the fragile nature of the country’s economy and the adverse impact in the event of a sudden deviation.
Meanwhile, former President Wickremesinghe, who seems to have come out of his brief retirement from politics, has started to deliver weekly statements to the public and the Government, resulting in many wondering whether he is still waiting for another intriguing political drama series like ‘House of Cards’ to be released on Netflix.
Wickremesinghe, who faced a humiliating defeat at the 2020 Parliamentary Elections, said he spent his free time watching Netflix until he became President in 2022. However, this time around, he seems to have decided to be a thorn in the AKD Government’s side by making various statements on the Government’s actions.
It is reliably learnt that Wickremesinghe and a group of his confidants have predicted that the country will be faced with challenging economic conditions by around April next year given the AKD Government’s inexperience in handling an economy in crisis. Given this sentiment, Wickremesinghe undoubtedly is now counting days to make his return as ‘saviour’ once again.
President AKD has responded to Wickremesinghe’s latest move by asking him to “stay home if retired”. The AKD Government has thus far expressed commitment to continue with Sri Lanka’s ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while proposing several key amendments, and to continue with the debt restructuring agreements with bilateral and private creditors.
The Government delegation in Washington, DC has commenced discussions with the IMF on the changes being proposed to the programme while also discussing the nitty-gritties that would be involved in the pending third review to be conducted by the IMF staff after the 14 November Parliamentary Elections.
“In terms of the debt restructuring. They (Sri Lanka) have reached agreements with the official creditors and they’ve reached an agreement in principle with the private creditors. The next step would be to reach a formal agreement with all creditors. And that’s a big step forward. And of course, that’s not the end.
“There’s a lot more work to be done in terms of continuing with the reforms because there is a long way to go before you’re on the path of strong and sustainable recovery,” IMF Asia and Pacific Department Director Krishna Srinivasan said last week.
Apart from the economic challenges, the AKD Government last week faced two more challenges – the release of two commission reports called for by former President Wickremesinghe in relation to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and the travel advisory issued by the US and several other countries over the possible threats faced by Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka.
However, the Government responded swiftly to the advisories by tightening security and ensuring the safety of tourists in the country.
Raising doubts
Be that as it may, the issuing of a travel advisory by the US last Wednesday (23), just days after Sri Lanka became a signatory to a letter signed by 105 countries condemning Israel for banning United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering Israel, raised doubts among many analysts as to whether there was a correlation between the two actions.
Sri Lanka has already expressed support for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza as well as the setting up of an independent, sovereign, and viable State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders in line with UN resolutions. Sri Lanka had also condemned the attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, where there are Sri Lankan peacekeepers as well.
‘The Black Box’ learns that the possible threat to Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka was known by the former Government led by Wickremesinghe and that measures had been taken to increase security in the Weligama area in the south at the time due to the presence of Israeli nationals. There had been close monitoring of Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka by intelligence units as well.
The AKD Government had also received communications from the US about the increasing threat level on Israeli nationals following Israel’s increased aerial attacks in early October. The new Government had also taken necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka.
It is also learnt that the US had issued the travel advisory after an unofficial communication to the Sri Lankan Government about the move.
However, when the US issued the travel advisory on a credible threat in Arugam Bay, a host of countries including the UK, Australia, and several others followed suit. This was despite action taken by the Sri Lankan authorities to further increase security in tourism zones in the country and arresting three individuals.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance meanwhile issued a strongly-worded statement to foreign missions in the country. “The uncalibrated response from foreign embassies displays callousness towards Sri Lanka and its tourism sector, which plays a critical role in uplifting millions in rural communities still recovering from recent serious economic setbacks,” the alliance’s Chairman Malik J. Fernando said, issuing a statement.
The alliance further pointed out that Sri Lankan authorities had already implemented security measures, made arrests, and ensured that no incidents would occur.
“Without a shred of additional evidence, merely citing the earlier US alert about Arugam Bay, the UK implied all of Sri Lanka was dangerous,” Fernando further noted.
“We are hopeful that prospective guests will see beyond the smoke and mirrors and continue to book Sri Lanka,” he added.
Given the negative impact the travel advisories will have on the tourism industry as the tourist season approaches and its overall impact on the country’s economy, it is anyone’s guess whether Sri Lanka was being sent a message to toe the line of some Western nations with vested interests or prepare for disruptions in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery path.
The AKD Government will therefore have to look at and acquire a quick understanding of the geopolitical complexities related to Sri Lanka.
Disputing polls date
Meanwhile, the holding of Parliamentary Elections made it to the Supreme Court last week with a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by lawyer H.M. Priyantha Herath from ‘Api Sri Lanka’ challenging the date of the elections. The Supreme Court has fixed the petition for hearing on 4 November.
The petition has challenged that the Parliamentary Elections had been declared in violation of the clauses related to the holding of Parliamentary Polls in the Constitution.
The petitioner has noted that as per Section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the nomination period was set from 4 to 11 October and the polling date should have been fixed between 5-7 weeks after nominations concluded. Accordingly, it has been pointed out that the five-week period ends on 15 November and the seven-week period on 29 November.
The petitioner has therefore noted that scheduling the election for 14 November is outside the legally mandated time frame.
According to political analysts, the date declared for the holding of Parliamentary Elections is incorrect. They point out that the election should be held on 15 November or a date thereafter.
Opposition’s reverse theory
Despite maintaining silence over the debate that continued over the past few weeks about the Parliamentary Elections date, Opposition parties started to show interest in the matter after an FR petition was filed before the Supreme Court.
Several Opposition members were seen criticising the gazette issued by the President announcing the holding of Parliamentary Elections and the date of the polls. They noted that AKD would be following the path of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was ridiculed by the public as a President who issued and later withdrew gazette notifications.
However, it is important to look at the process behind issuing the gazette notification. The gazette passes through several hands before reaching the President for signature. It goes through the President’s legal officials to the President’s Secretary as well as the Election Commission. It seems the issue over the polls date had eluded all of them as well.
A simple majority
While the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)/National People’s Power (NPP) is on the campaign trail seeking a two-thirds majority in the House, claiming its importance to carry out the social transformations demanded by the public, Opposition parties have started to point out the dangers of one party being given a vast amount of power.
The alliances led by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and United National Party (UNP) have pointed to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as an example of the adverse impact faced by the country due to the heavy concentration of power in one party.
The joint call of the Opposition therefore is for a Government led by the JVP/NPP to be given a simple majority in the House, while the key focus would be on building a strong Opposition.
Operation clean-up
President AKD meanwhile said recently that the JVP-led NPP, which is known to have carried out clean-up operations islandwide, was now gearing for the biggest clean-up operation on 14 November.
He said during the JVP/NPP’s first rally for the Parliamentary Elections in Tangalle recently that the party would carry out a clean-up operation of Parliament next month.
It is interesting that AKD made this statement in the Hambantota District, which is considered the power hub of the Rajapaksas. While no Rajapaksa will be contesting this year’s Parliamentary Elections from the district after 88 years, the JVP, which saw its formation first in the Hambantota District, returned to the district in all its glory with the JVP Leader addressing crowds as the country’s President.
The rally also saw the JVP’s first President AKD and the party’s first Member of Parliament (MP) Nihal Galappaththi seated next to each other and engaged in a conversation. Galappaththi contested for Parliament in 1994 from the Sri Lanka Progressive Front under the ‘flower vase’ symbol.
Galappaththi also contested the Presidential Election the same year under the same symbol but withdrew from the contest after receiving a written commitment from the presidential candidate of the People’s Alliance (PA), Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK), that she would abolish the executive presidency if she assumed office.
It has taken the JVP 30 years since it sent an MP to Parliament to have a President in office.
However, it would be wise for the JVP/NPP to also be aware of the fact that the JVP had won the Tissamaharama Local Government body in 2002 and was not re-elected at the 2011 Local Government Election.
However, President AKD seems to be making an attempt at present to lead by example in the matter of bringing about a ‘system change’. This was witnessed when the President recently visited Trincomalee to attend a JVP/NPP political rally.
AKD was on his way to Trincomalee when the Eastern Province Governor had telephoned him and invited the President for lunch at the Governor’s residence in Trincomalee. AKD had responded saying that he would visit the Governor’s residence for a meal when he visited the area next on an official visit since it would not be appropriate to make such a visit on that day, given that he was in Trincomalee to attend a political event.
Udaya’s bombshell
Meanwhile, former MP Udaya Gammanpila has become a newsmaker in the past few weeks with his challenge to the Government to release the reports of two commissions on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks appointed by former President Wickremesinghe, which he claimed was being ‘hidden’ by the AKD Government.
After giving the Government seven days to release the reports, Gammanpila last Monday (21) publicised the contents of the report prepared by the A.N.J. De Alwis committee.
Former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) and current Secretary of the Public Security Ministry Ravi Seneviratne was the key target of the report released by Gammanpila.
Gammanpila, after releasing the report, called for Seneviratne’s removal as Public Security Ministry Secretary.
However, the Catholic Church rejected the report. Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith issued a statement, where several factors had been cited as reasons for the Catholic Church’s stance.
On 18 September, the Catholic Church had received the report, which had been produced by a committee led by De Alwis.
Archdiocese of Colombo Director of Communications Father Cyril Gamini Fernando said that even though the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) had recorded statements from Seneviratne and former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) SSP Shani Abeysekara earlier, the commission had not issued any recommendations to take action against the duo for dereliction of duty.
“In this context, we believe that this shows that Wickremesinghe, who didn’t show any interest in implementing any of the recommendations presented by the PCoI, appointed a new committee (a reference to the De Alwis committee) with the sole intention of including the names of Seneviratne and Abeysekara in this list, and to take political revenge against them,” he said.
Father Fernando explained that during the proceedings conducted by the De Alwis committee, lawyers had not been allowed to cross-examine and appear for witnesses; lawyers had not been allowed to represent the Catholic Church unlike in the proceedings conducted by the PCoI; and neither the media nor the public had been allowed to observe the proceedings.
When looking at all these factors, he added that there seemed to be no transparency or fairness in the activities of the De Alwis committee.
“Therefore, we don’t accept this report and we categorically reject it,” Father Fernando said.
Govt. responds
However, it was AKD who first took a swipe at Gammanpila on behalf of the Government over the releasing of the ‘hidden’ reports.
The President claimed that Gammanpila had suddenly awoken from a deep slumber due to the fear of the probes being carried out by the Government. “He (Gammanpila) is carrying out a contract for the real criminals,” AKD claimed.
He further claimed that he had no intention of giving protection to anyone and accused Gammanpila of trying to discredit the ongoing investigations into the real criminals.
The President went on to explain that many like Gammanpila had got activated as soon as the new Government had announced a fresh, unbiased, and effective probe into the Easter Sunday attacks.
“These people never wanted justice for the victims. They wanted to keep the culprits protected. Now they are in fear since we have started a proper probe,” AKD claimed.
Government Spokesperson Minister Vijitha Herath meanwhile stated that the Government did not accept the report released by Gammanpila and that a fresh probe would be conducted into the incidents.
The verbal clash between Gammanpila and Herath has however helped boost hits for the media.
There were also those affiliated to the Government who raised questions over De Alwis’ credibility and therefore the validity of the report.
Political analyst Gamini Viyangoda last week likened the De Alwis report to the report of the commission headed by Upali Abeyratne that was appointed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to probe cases of political victimisation during the ‘Yahapalana’ Government. However, the Abeyratne commission report was challenged in court, resulting in the nullification of the recommendations made by it.
Viyangoda therefore noted that the contents of the De Alwis report were also likely to be challenged in court in the coming days.
RW responds
Meanwhile, the appointment of the De Alwis committee by former President Wickremesinghe and the reason behind it were also put in the spotlight.
It was revealed last week that Wickremesinghe had appointed the committee targeting Seneviratne, following the announcement that Seneviratne and Abeysekara had extended support to the NPP through the Retired Police Officers’ Association.
Both Seneviratne and Abeysekara have been recognised as two investigators of the highest order who have stood for justice for victims of many crimes.
It is no secret that these two investigators, who were heading the CID during the ‘Yahapalana’ Government, faced much pressure from the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government when carrying out investigations into key crimes that ranged from the murders of Lasantha Wickrematunge and Wasim Thajudeen, the disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda, and the abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youth. The two investigators were then sidelined and faced much harassment under the former Government of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Wickremesinghe meanwhile, issuing a special statement last week, requested that all parties refrain from politicising the reports related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
“The De Alwis report came into my hands during the last Presidential Election, but, due to my reluctance to connect the Easter Sunday attacks to politics, I didn’t make those reports public. All the statements made by the Archbishop of Colombo regarding me are baseless,” Wickremesinghe noted.
He claimed that he had handed over the Easter Sunday attacks Commission of Inquiry report to Catholic Bishops’ Conference President Bishop Harold Anthony Perera (the statement says Fernando) at the latter’s request. After that, the conference had a number of clarifications, and those that were presented to him, according to him, were forwarded to the Attorney General. They had also been instructed to discuss all related matters with the conference, the former President had claimed.
“My aim was to obtain the response of the conference and appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to look into the collapse of intelligence services during the Easter Sunday attacks. A collapse of the State Intelligence Service poses a great threat to the country’s national security.
“I had also intended to appoint a PSC and then submit its report to a three-member committee of senior officers and experts to propose a complete reorganisation of the intelligence agencies. The Easter Sunday Presidential Commission report made no mention of the severe collapse of the State Intelligence Service,” the statement had noted.
“The De Alwis report was not prepared to take revenge on the then SDIG affiliated to the CID and current Public Security Ministry Secretary Seneviratne, or the former Director of the CID, retired Senior Superintendent of Police, and current Director of the Criminal Intelligence Analysis and Prevention Division of the Police Abeysekara.
“The report further recommended that all officers, including former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, and SDIGs Nilantha Jayawardena (on compulsory leave), Nandana Munasinghe, Lalith Pathinayake, Abdul Latheef, and Seneviratne, should have legal action taken against them regarding the Easter Sunday incident.
“The report has recommended that the IGP whose appointment has been temporarily suspended, Deshabandu Tennakoon, also face disciplinary action.”
Doubts over RW
However, Gammanpila’s antics on the Easter Sunday attacks reports commissioned by former President Wickremesinghe and President AKD’s strong responses regarding Gammanpila’s alleged motives has also resulted in the spotlight turning towards Wickremesinghe.
Apart from the fact that the De Alwis committee was appointed by Wickremesinghe to look into the actions of the intelligence services in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks targeting Seneviratne and Abeysekara, the Catholic Church has also questioned the former President’s motives behind the appointment of the committee.
Cardinal Ranjith also told the media last week that Wickremesinghe’s move at the time was suspicious since it seemed to be a move to politically victimise Seneviratne and Abeysekara.
The Cardinal also questioned Gammanpila’s motives in his latest actions given the silence maintained by him on justice for Easter Sunday attack victims until now.
Cases against Udaya
Nevertheless, Gammanpila’s latest actions over justice for the Easter Sunday attacks victims have also opened him to scrutiny.
While it is likely that issues related to Gammanpila will make it to the public domain in the coming days, the spotlight was turned towards a case where he was a respondent. The case related to the alleged defrauding of an Australian national of around $ 1.5 million by using forged documents during the 1996-’97 period, which is being heard before the Colombo High Court, was taken up last Thursday (24).
The counsel for the other accused in the case, one Sydney Jayasinghe, had informed court that Jayasinghe was unable to attend the proceedings last week since he was being treated in hospital.
Judge Pradeep Abeyratne, after taking into consideration the matters presented, had directed the respondents to submit their written objections by 25 November.
Collateral damage
However, it is also interesting to note that Gammanpila’s actions on the Easter Sunday attacks probe and his latest actions that have been dismissed by the Catholic Church could have an adverse impact on Saravajana Balaya Leader Dilith Jayaweera at the upcoming polls.
Although Gammanpila seems to have accounted for an increase in the Sarvajana Balaya vote base in the Colombo District, where he is contesting by taking on the Wickremesinghe-appointed commission reports, irking the Catholic Church might have a negative impact on the party’s votes in the Gampaha District.
The Gampaha District records a high number of Catholic voters, while one of the targets of the Easter Sunday attacks where a high number of deaths were reported – the Katuwapitiya Church – is in the district.
SJB’s failure
Meanwhile, the SJB, which focused on the Catholic community by even forming a Catholic Committee in the party, seems to have lost its grip. The SJB is the only political party to have formed a Catholic Committee.
During the Presidential Election campaign, the SJB and its leadership engaged through this Catholic Committee in a separate campaign targeting the Catholic community and the issue of providing justice to Easter Sunday attacks victims.
SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa even submitted a written set of proposals to ensure justice to the victims.
Nevertheless, the final outcome of last month’s Presidential Election proved that it was President AKD who had the majority support of the Catholic community.
RW’s new plan
However, former President Wickremesinghe, who announced soon after his defeat at the Presidential Election that he would neither contest nor play a role at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections, is now set with a new game plan.
After making a special statement recently, the first since his defeat at the election last month, Wickremesinghe claimed he would be leading the new ‘gas cylinder’ alliance at the upcoming polls. The former President and his loyalists, it is learnt, are now looking at a back-up plan.
This new plan is based on the belief that the country will once again be faced with a crisis situation by about April next year. Several Wickremesinghe loyalists have already said during private discussions that the AKD Government would once again run into economic issues by next year given the recent decisions announced on increasing welfare payments while not being clear on increasing State revenue to meet the additional expenses.
The delays in securing the next tranche from the IMF and the unlocking of budgetary support funds from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have added to the belief that Sri Lanka will return to a crisis situation by next April.
Wickremesinghe also made a second statement last week about the public sector salary hike promised by his Government, calling on the AKD Government to grant the proposed salary hike or explain what had become of the monies set aside by him (Wickremesinghe) for the purpose.
An irritated President AKD was seen responding to this claim by saying that the Wickremesinghe Government had not set aside any funds for the public sector salary hike promised by his Government since it was a Cabinet decision made on 3 October, a day prior to the postal voting that commenced on 4 October.
AKD however claimed that his Government was looking at a salary hike for the public sector and that monies for the purpose would be set aside in the Government’s new Budget for 2025.
RW in music video
Meanwhile, former President Wickremesinghe has also taken up a new role while indicating his return to the political arena. He had agreed last week to play a role in a music video that had been produced in support of a candidate contesting in the Colombo District under the ‘gas cylinder’ alliance.
Last week, Wickremesinghe confidant Sagala Ratnayaka released a music video as part of his election campaign where the former President was also featured.
Wickremesinghe is personally involved in Ratnayaka’s election campaign and has also urged candidates from the UNP in the Colombo District to also canvas for a preferential vote for Ratnayaka.
Changing landscape
It is evident however that Sri Lanka’s political landscape is continuing to undergo changes. Key among them is the rise of new political alliances in place of traditional political parties.
Another key feature is the increase in new political parties and forces that are preparing to grab the vote base that will return to Centrist politics if and when they move away from the current Left-leaning political space. The emergence of the Sarvajana Balaya led by Jayaweera and the United Democratic Voice (UDV) led by Ranjan Ramanayake are a clear indication of this strategy.
The next feature is the increase in independents contesting elections. Even former President Wickremesinghe contested as an independent at the Presidential Election last month and managed to poll the highest number of votes polled by an independent candidate in the country’s electoral history.
Allirajah’s other parties
Diaspora businessman Allirajah Subaskaran meanwhile seems to be spreading his wings in Sri Lanka’s political landscape.
After taking control of several media institutions, Subaskaran, who attempted to take control of several State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) under Wickremesinghe’s SOE reforms programme, moved to spread his influence in local politics.
His first task was to form a new political party under Ramanayake’s leadership. The next was to support an independent group of Tamil politicians who were formerly members of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) party to contest independently under the ‘mango’ symbol.
It is now learnt that a Subaskaran ally has been appointed as an office bearer of the Nawa Sihala Urumaya led by Sarath Manamendra.
However, it is interesting to note that Manamendra is contesting the upcoming polls from the Gampaha District under the SJB-led alliance.
Pushing JVP-NPP clash
Meanwhile, Opposition parties which are still looking for the best possible hit at the new Government now seem to be focused on pushing out news items about clashes emerging within the JVP/NPP alliance.
One of the main parties that is pushing out stories of clashes within the JVP/NPP seems to be the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). It is clear that a majority of the SLPP vote base had sided with the JVP/NPP and AKD at the Presidential Election.
It is learnt that many SLPP supporters who had joined the JVP/NPP had also intended to contest the Parliamentary Elections under the JVP/NPP. However, most of these former SLPPers had not received nominations from the JVP/NPP, which had given nominations to individuals after a screening process.
Nevertheless, the disgruntled SLPP defectors are now being used by the SLPP to claim that all was not well within the JVP/NPP and that internal rifts were emerging between the JVP and the NPP.
Harini as PM
It is in such a backdrop that senior JVPer Minister Vijitha Herath has claimed that incumbent Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya will be re-appointed as premier under the new government to be constituted after Parliamentary Elections.
The increase in Dr. Amarasuriya’s popularity within the JVP/NPP base, especially after being appointed as Prime Minister, has given way to the belief that she could in fact top the preferential votes list in the Colombo District.
Dr. Amarasuriya therefore has put up a formidable challenge to SJB Leader Premadasa, who is the party’s prime ministerial candidate at the elections.
Anti-corruption drive
Reiterating the new Government’s commitment to act against corruption, President AKD stated that over 400 files related to incidents of corruption had been reopened.
AKD also took a swipe at the likes of SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam and National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa, who had challenged the new Government to honour its pledge to bring back to the country the monies allegedly stashed overseas by the Rajapaksas. The President said that those calling for action should not mourn when the probes yielded results.
Former President Wickremesinghe has meanwhile stated publicly that investigations during the ‘Yahapalana’ Government had revealed that there were no monies stashed overseas. Wickremesinghe specifically mentioned this despite an allegation that a son of a former VVIP politician had $ 1,000 million in an account in Dubai.
It was interesting that Wickremesinghe had made this statement in response to an allegation levelled by former President CBK.
CBK claimed that she had seen the documentation related to the said account but that action could not be taken since the original documents were not with the investigators. Wickremesinghe however countered this allegation, saying that such an account had not been found even after sending a team of investigators to Dubai.
Wickremesinghe added that investigators had also been sent to Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore, but they had not found any accounts.
AKD says no to RW
However, President AKD’s statement last week on the request for certain perks by former President Wickremesinghe and his (AKD’s) refusal to grant them saw the President scoring brownie points with the general public.
AKD claimed that the most recent former President had made a request for 16 cooks, over 160 security personnel, around 20-odd vehicles, and 30 umbrellas. He then asked at a public rally in Tangalle: “Should we give these?” The public responded saying: “No.”
AKD further stated that two former Presidents were holding on to two ambulances and 16 vehicles as well. “We have asked that these be returned immediately,” he said.
The President noted that former presidents were entitled to three vehicles and that those three vehicles would be given to them. He further claimed that a committee had already been appointed to study the circular on perks offered to former presidents in order to change it. “The Government will stop having to spend on former presidents,” AKD added.
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s (MR) media meanwhile stated that the former President had been assigned only six vehicles due to the high threat level faced by him and that three vehicles had now to be returned following a presidential directive.
Funding issues
Meanwhile, the holding of Parliamentary Elections soon after the Presidential Election has resulted in many candidates from key political parties having to face funding issues when carrying out their election campaigns for the upcoming polls.
While some parties have come up with new, less expensive ways of carrying out campaigns for the Parliamentary Elections, many candidates in the SJB, it is learnt, have expressed their inability to engage in campaign work due to the lack of funds.
Hearing the growing anxiety among SJB candidates over funding issues, the party’s General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara had spoken to the most disgruntled candidates and said he would try to raise some funds for them.
Sajith defends confidant
However, SJB Leader Premadasa, it is learnt, has stood by his confidant who is being accused by many SJBers as being the cause for many internal issues within the party.
It is learnt that several senior Premadasa loyalists in the SJB had told detractors in the party that this confidant had managed to get India’s support for the SJB during the Presidential Election campaign and that he had initiated many actions beneficial for the party during the Presidential Election period.
Damitha’s latest role
Following her disagreements and clashes with the SJB after her name was removed from the party’s nomination list for the Ratnapura District, actress-turned-politician Damitha Abeyratne has joined Mohan Perera and his Democratic National Alliance (DNA).
The DNA, which was earlier led by Praba Ganesan before Perera took over, is reportedly allied with the ‘flaming torch’ party once led by Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka’s wife, Anoma Fonseka.
Once news of Abeyratne joining a new political party made the rounds, political circles started to focus on the Leader of the party, Perera.
Perera had worked at several media institutions before becoming a full-time businessman. He is the Chairman of the United Farmers’ Trust.
It was Perera’s company that faced much controversy during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government over a contract to import nano-nitrogen liquid fertiliser. Nevertheless, Perera had held a news conference at the time to deny his involvement in the contract to import nano-nitrogen fertiliser.
Opposition Leader’s Office
The Opposition Leader’s Office in Parliament is reportedly under the spotlight over alleged irregularities following revelations made by the National Audit Office (NAO).
The NAO has stated that the Opposition Leader’s Office had made payments such as overtime allowances to its staff without following the records of the fingerprint machines.
SLPP changes strategy
Meanwhile, the SLPP, which is looking at rebuilding the party under the leadership of its National Organiser Rajapaksa, is looking at adopting several new strategies. These strategies are in relation to the ongoing Parliamentary Election campaign as well as the party’s stances at the upcoming Local Government and Provincial Council Elections.
During the current campaign, the SLPP, it is learnt, will not focus on holding large-scale rallies but will hold pocket meetings and house meetings as its campaign strategy. Campaigning will also extend to social media.
On facing the upcoming polls, the SLPP has formed a strategic committee to formulate plans for the next elections.
Ranjan’s legal hurdle
Meanwhile, UDV Leader Ramanayake is faced with a legal hurdle in contesting the upcoming Parliamentary Polls, with an FR petition being filed at the Supreme Court contesting his candidacy at the elections.
A member of an independent group contesting in the Gampaha District had filed the petition at the Supreme Court.
The petitioner has requested the court to issue an order rejecting Ramanayake’s nomination paper from the district.
The petitioner has also sought a ruling on the grounds that Ramanayake has no right to vote or sit in Parliament.