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Talks on 13A: Dullas criticises Ranil’s strategy

Published

3 years ago

2023/07/29

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Rajapaksa-Wickremesinghe administration pretends to be pushing for devolving more power, having postponed the Provincial Council and local governmenet elections, says Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) leader Dullas Alahapperuma.

The former minister said so on Thursday (27) commenting on the All-Party Conference (APC) convened by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the previous said.The APC was a complete failure, the Matara District lawmaker alleged.

“We were told that the APC was mainly convened to discuss reconciliation. A lot of our MPs were of the view that we should not attend the APC. We took part because, at the end we felt we must express our opinion at this meeting to discuss reconciliation. However, we were not expecting much because we felt that the President really had no intention of genuine reconciliation,” he said.

Alahapperuma said that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution is already implemented and that the president doesn’t need to keep discussing the 13A periodically.

“Even most of the Tamil MPs were skeptical,” he said.

The devolution of power was the main topic of Wednesday’s discussion; however, MPs were only given the agenda when they arrived at the presidential secretariat.

“I told the President some political parties didn’t attend the meeting because they are suspicious of his intents. That the government will portray their participation for political advantage,” he said.

Alahapperuma said the lowest unit of devolution is the local councils and that the Wickremesinghe administration has postponed the elections in an unconstitutional manner.

“The government has violated the rights of over 15 million eligible voters. Meanwhile, provincial councils have been made defunct for years. And without holding elections and allowing people to vote in people they like, Wickremesinghe is holding APCs on power-sharing,” he said.

Provincial Councils were established to allow Tamil-speaking minorities to have a say in how their areas are administered, Alahapperuma said.

“But the councils have been defunct for years. Who made these institutions defunct? The 2015-2019 administration in which Ranil Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister. This was done through Provincial Councils. Elections (Amendment) Act No 17 of 2017. This was a two page amendment to allegedly increase women’s quota at provincial councils. 38 amendments were added to this act in the committee stage. To the two page act and to get two thirds support to pass the bill, the government dragged the vote for four hours,” he said.

By allowing this to happen, former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya added a blot to his political career, Alahapperuma said.

“The vote was dragged to do various deals with MPs who were on the fence. Then the government had to appoint a delimitation committee because the elections law changed. They dragged their feet in appointing the delimitation committee. Provincial Councils have now been defunct for five years,” he said.

Alahapperuma said that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the biggest constituent of the government, has openly opposed the full implementation of the 13th amendment. “Wickremesinghe says one thing. The Prime Minister says something else, and head of the SLPP Mahinda Rajapaksa says something else. How do we trust what their real intentions are,” he said.

Alahapperuma said that there was a belief that devolution of police powers would be discussed. However, everything ended in a very open-ended and vague manner.

“Our demand was to hold provincial council elections first and make these institutions functional. Most representatives had the same idea. Why are we even discussing giving police and land powers to a council now run by a direct representative of the President?” he said.

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Related Topics:13th Amendment Dullas representatives The Rajapaksa-Wickremesinghe

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Flood warning issued to the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Due to heavy rainfall received in the upper catchment areas of the Mahaweli River over the past few hours, there is a risk of minor flooding in the low-lying areas surrounding the Mahaweli River within the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara.Residents living in the above mentioned areas and motorists using roads passing through these areas are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain highly vigilant regarding the prevailing situation.

Furthermore, residents living in close proximity to the Mahaweli River in these areas are advised to remain highly alert to the situation and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from any potential flooding.The relevant disaster management authorities are requested to take all necessary measures in response to this situation.

Latest News

Landslide Red Alerts issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide Red Alerts to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya effective from 14:00 hrs on 20.09.2026 To 14:00 hrs on 21.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, Dehiowita, Aranayake, Deraniyagala, Mawanella and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Kothmale West, Kotmale East, Ambagamuwa and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II [AMBER] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Padukka in the Colombo district, Nagoda, Thawalama and Neluwa in the Galle district, Bulathsinhala, Palindanuwara, Walallawita and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district, Ganga Ihala Korale in the Kandy district, Bulathkohupitiya and Kegalle in the Kegalle district, Akuressa and Pitabeddara in the Matara district, Thalawakele in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka in the Colombo district, Niyagama and Baddegama in the Galle district, Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya in the Kalutara district, Udapalatha and Yatinuwara in the Kandy district, Galigamuwa, Warakapola and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Kotapola, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, and Eheliyagoda, Kalawana and Elapatha in the Ratnapura district.

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Development projects can deliver results to the people more quickly when the political authority and the public service work together towards a common goal – PM

Published

14 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that development projects can deliver results to the people more quickly when the political authority and the public service work together towards a common, people-oriented objective.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in a discussion held on Friday [September 18] at the Western Province Council Auditorium to review the progress of the development project to rehabilitate Rathmalana Kandawala Road and the drainage system on either side of the road, within the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council limits in the Colombo District.

The project, which commenced on September 10, 2026, is scheduled to be completed before June 30, 2027. Implemented by the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA), the project includes the construction of a bridge at a cost of Rs. 64 million, the rehabilitation of the drainage system at a cost of Rs. 930 million, and the rehabilitation of the road at a cost of Rs. 115 million.

The Prime Minister also paid special attention to the progress of the responsibilities assigned to the Western Province Council, the Irrigation Department and the Ratmalana Divisional Secretariat in accordance with decisions taken at the previous committee meeting. Attention was also given to the current status of the plans being carried out by the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLRDC), as well as the construction and maintenance activities being undertaken by the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA).

Commending the expedite and commendable progress of the project, the Prime Minister particularly appreciated the commitment demonstrated by officials of the relevant government institutions to work in close coordination with one another and in collaboration with the political authority.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of taking measures well in advance to control flooding and minimise its impact on Colombo and several other districts in view of the rainy weather that may affect the Western Province during the latter part of this year.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, Chairperson of the Ratmalana Divisional Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Samanmalee Gunasinghe, Chairman of the Roads Sub-Committee of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee Dewananda Suraweera, Mayor of the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Parakum Shantha, Chief Secretary of the Western Province K.G. Pradeep Pushpakumara, along with a number of government officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]