News
Harsha won’t join govt. but ready to spearhead all-party economic revival plan
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) is ready to support newly elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s efforts to build an all-party consensus on an ambitious economic revival plan, but it will not accept any minsterial positions.
The SJB secured 54 seats, including one National List slot, at the last parliamentary election in August 2020. Its National List member Diana Gamage later switched her allegiance to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), but for some reason they were not able to kick her out of that seat.
SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday (17) said that he was ready to provide leadership to the parliamentary watchdog, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF). The Colombo District lawmaker said he intended to give the leadership for the preparation of an economic revival plan to address the current issues at hand.
Dr. de Silva said so when The Island asked whether he would accept the repeated requests made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe for the Opposition MPs to join the government.
Asked whether he was confident of receiving the SLPP’s blessings for the plan, Dr. de Silva said that the SJB informed PM Wickremesinghe of their offer. He assured that if he was given the opportunity, measures would be taken to prepare a blue print for the economic revival.
Dr. de Silva said that an all-party government could have been formulated with the participation of the SJB, too, if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had resigned, as demanded by the people.
Dr. de Silva emphasised that he wouldn’t under any circumstance, betray the party and the ongoing public protest campaign by declaring allegiance to the government.
‘Gota Go Gama’ campaign has launched a poster campaign in Colombo and its suburbs declaring opposition to what it called ‘Gota-Ranil’ unholy alliance.
Dr. de Silva said that the SJB would propose him as the new Chairman of the COPF. Pointing out that Parliament couldn’t pass any Financial Bill without the approval of the COPF, Dr. de Silva said that the outfit could provide the much needed leadership as the country struggled to cope with the forex crisis.
Currently, SLPP’s Anura Priyadrashana Yapa heads the COPF. Kurunegala District lawmaker Yapa yesterday told The Island that the COPF was scheduled to meet later this week. MP Yapa said that he was aware of the offer made by Dr. de Silva in the wake of him being increasingly coming under pressure to accept the finance portfolio. In addition to the COPF, SLPP lawmakers, Prof. Charitha Ratwatte and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, head the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and COPA (Committee on Public Accounts), respectively.
Commenting on how the SLPP had thwarted SJB’s nominee, lawmaker Rohini Kaviratna’s bid for the post of Deputy Speaker on Tuesday (17), Dr. de Silva said that a divided SLPP seemed to be pulling in different directions.
The former UNP lawmaker de Silva said that he was ready to take up the challenge. The MP expressed the view that as COPF Chairman he could play a role as important as that of a minister.
Dr. de Silva said that the plan worked out by the COPF could be cleared by Parliament through an all-party consensus for implementation.
The top SJB spokesman said as pointed out by Premier Wickremesinghe, in his address to the nation on Monday (16) the economy was in bad shape urgent action was required to revive it.
The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.
The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:
Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage
The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.
The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.
Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).
‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’
Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.
Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.
‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.
Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.
Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.
Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
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