Govt defeat at LG polls certain, early general election inevitable

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Breakaway SLPP group Nidahasa Janatha Sabhawa says a general election is inevitable early this year. Top rebel group spokesperson Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, on Monday (16) asserted that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was trying to postpone Local Government polls scheduled for Feb-March, somehow, as it realized continuation of current arrangement wouldn’t be possible in the wake of certain defeat at the forthcoming polls.

Addressing the media at their Nawala Office, the former External Affairs Minister said that the parliamentary majority the ruling coalition still enjoyed didn’t reflect the actual situation on the ground.

In spite of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe being elected by parliament on July 20, 2022 to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five year term, contentious issues, such as the resolution of the national issue couldn’t be addressed by an administration that didn’t have a popular mandate.

The parliamentary approval for 2023 budget received on Dec 08, 2022 too hadn’t given Wickremesinghe’s government confidence to face the electorate at the LG polls, Prof. Peiris said. Therefore, the government ‘s reluctance to face LG polls meant that it was not in a position to contest general election, Prof. Peiris said, predicting mini poll would be followed by general election within 3-4 months.

Referring to Supreme Court taking up two fundamental rights petitions filed by Opposition political parties, tomorrow (Jan. 18), Prof. Peiris said that the government couldn’t reverse the electoral process now.

Prof. Peiris said that the declaration made by EC pertaining to the acceptance of nominations from Jan 18-21 meant ongoing government efforts to put off LG polls couldn’t succeed, under any circumstances.

Demanding that Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, take appropriate measures against Public Administration Secretary Neal Bandara Hapuhinna for trying to halt the electoral process, Prof Peiris said the Opposition wouldn’t hesitate to move court against the concerned official in case the AG failed to do what was expected of him.

President Wickremesinghe brought in Hapuhinna as Public Administration Secretary in place of Priyantha Mayadunne.

The National List MP said that Hapuhinna couldn’t absolve himself of the responsibility for interfering in the process by claiming he acted on the instructions of the Cabinet-of-Ministers. The rebel MP warned that Hapuhinna’s offense carried a three year jail sentence.

Hapuhinna on Jan. 10 directed District Secretaries not to accept deposits. He withdrew the orders within hours in the face of unwavering stand taken by the EC.

Prof. Peiris emphasized that the executive or the Cabinet of Ministers couldn’t interfere with the electoral process. Declaring that Hapuhinna was personally responsible for the illegal directive issued by him, Prof. Peiris pointed out how the recent Supreme Court judgment pertaining to 2019 Easter Sunday carnage held the accused personally responsible for the lapses that caused death and destruction.

Prof. Peiris warned Hapuhinna of dire consequences unless he tendered a proper apology to court.

The former minister scoffed at the ongoing attempt to justify the postponement of LG polls on the basis of insufficient funds as required financial allocation had been made in budget 2023. The projected government expenditure had been estimated at Rs.5, 819 bn whereas the allocation for LG poll was Rs. 10 bn, or just 0.17 percent of the total expenditure.

Commenting on recent statements that had been attributed to the EC, Prof. Peiris said that actually the poll could be conducted at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

The SLPP National List MP alleged that the recent claim the IMF asked the government to stop printing money therefore it was not in a position to meet even the basic requirements was a transparent bid to deceive the public.

The lawmaker challenged the government to table staff level agreement between the government and the IMF reached on Sept. 01, 2022. “In spite of repeated requests, the government didn’t submit the agreement,” Prof. Peiris said, questioning the validity of the often repeated claim the government couldn’t print money in terms of the said agreement.

If so, the government owed an explanation as to how as much as Rs 278 bn had been printed between Oct 1, 2022 and Dec 31, 2022, the former minister said.

Asserting that interest rates had been increased extraordinarily last year, during April 01-Dec 31, 2022 period, a staggering Rs 848 were paid as interests, the lawmaker said.

If the government is genuinely concerned about runaway expenditure, State Ministries could be abolished, Prof. Peiris said, asking whether the powers intended to fill the remaining 12 vacancies in the cabinet.

The postponement of LG polls for whatever reason could have a detrimental impact with the IMF loan facility, the ex-minister warned.