News
Basil favours earlier parliamentary election and RW as presidential candidate
People do not vote logically or after careful deliberation when the general election is held after the presidential election, founder of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Basil Rajapaksa last week told a televised interview.
“If someone wins the presidential election, even by one vote, the party he or she represents can get a significant majority in parliament. I don’t think this is a good thing. If we hold a general election before the presidential election, there is a better chance of a more balanced parliament,” he said.
Rajapaksa said the SLPP almost won a two thirds majority in the 2020 election and he now believes that this had negative consequences.
“We won the presidential election in 2019 and then the general election in 2020. Now people think power must not be concentrated like this. Even I think too much power is bad, we need checks and balances,” he said.
Rajapaksa said there are only two parties that have organizational structures around the country. They are the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the SLPP.
“There are two parties that have public support, i.e., Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and SLPP. So we are the only party with both an organizational structure and public support,” he said.
Rajapaksa said that the person who has the capacity to govern the country, in his opinion, is in the UNP that has no organizational structure or public support. The National People’s Power (NPP) does not have public support like the SJB or SLPP, he said.
“You need a countrywide organizational structure, public support and a good candidate to win a presidential election. UNP’s Ranil Wickremesinghe is a good candidate and he can govern. I want to unite all the above three factors. That’s what will benefit the country,” he said.
Rajapaksa said he would like the SLPP, SJB, UNP and the NPP to work together.
“Someone needs to bring these forces together. We are also not afraid to go it alone,” he said.
Rajapaksa said that he has not held any discussions with the president on elections.
“The dates for the presidential election is given in the constitution. However, the government can hold the general or any other election before that. There are some people who think a general election should be held first. However, the SLPP has not taken a decision on whether we must push for a general election before the presidential election,” he said.Rajapaksa said people believe an executive presidency is not needed.
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Kalpitiya, Talawa, Sinharagama, Galkadawala, Nachchaduwa, Padikaramaduwa, Gomarankalla and Verugal about 12.10 noon today (01)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (01) are Kalpitiya, Talawa, Sinharagama, Galkadawala,
Nachchaduwa, Padikaramaduwa, Gomarankalla and Verugal about 12.10 noon.
… stresses need for action if claims were proved false
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has sought a clarification from Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne regarding several allegations against Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, in Parliament, recently.
In a letter dated 31 August, Jayasekera has asked the Speaker whether he received any documentary evidence from MPs in support of the allegations at issue. The SJB MP has also inquired about the steps taken by the Speaker regarding the allegations and whether the issue had been taken up with the relevant agencies authorised to probe the assets of the CJ and members of his family.
MP Jayasekera confirmed that he had raised the issue with the Speaker, following the accusations relating to the high profile X-Press Pearl case, which received significant public attention in the recent past.
The Kurunegala District MP has also asked the Speaker whether the latter contemplated taking action in case the allegations were proved false to ensure that the dignity of the Chief Justice and the judiciary was safeguarded.
Among the issues raised by MP Jayasekera are the acquisition of valuable property in Colombo by the CJ’s son, the circumstances in which he was able to procure the property, as well as accusations regarding the CJ’s birth certificate, marriage certificate and birth certificates of his children.
Navy Chief Vice Admiral Damian Fernando held a series of strategic-level discussions with senior Indian defence and military officials during a three-day official visit to New Delhi. He returned on Sunday (30).
Navy Headquarters said that the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen maritime security cooperation between the two Navies in support of security in the Indian Ocean region. They also exchanged views on expanding training opportunities and capacity-building programmes, as well as other areas of bilateral importance.
During his visit to New Delhi, Vice Admiral Fernando also held official discussions with India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General N.S. Raja Subramani, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit and defence industry representatives. Discussions at these meetings focused on bilateral defence cooperation, joint training programmes, and opportunities to enhance air and maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
As part of efforts to further expand cooperation in naval training and professional development, Vice Admiral Fernando also met Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India’s Southern Naval Command, at its headquarters in Kochi, Kerala. The two sides discussed existing naval training exchange programmes and opportunities for introducing and expanding further training initiatives. The meeting followed the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy’s visit to INS Dronacharya, the Indian Navy’s training establishment where he previously completed the Long Gunnery and Missile Course.
Nahida, Marufa help Bangladesh brush aside Indonesia
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Uva provinces and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Sun directly overhead Kalpitiya, Talawa, Sinharagama, Galkadawala, Nachchaduwa, Padikaramaduwa, Gomarankalla and Verugal about 12.10 noon today (01)
SJB asks what Speaker intended to do about allegations against CJ
Navy Chief attends strategic-level discussions in Delhi
ICRS: Sustained and collective efforts critical to address issue of missing persons
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News4 days agoEight politicians in drug kingpin probe
-
Features2 days ago“Wrap Me Up in My Blazer”— A Gentlemanly Bradby Reminiscence
-
Business4 days agoSri Lanka opens up: A new season of direct connectivity
-
Features4 days agoRedefining ageing in Sri Lanka
-
Features6 days agoInsights from Chieftains of Uva: Genealogy of two Kandyan Families – Part II
-
Latest News5 days agoNepal-Tibet floods: What happened, what caused them and who is missing?
-
Editorial6 days agoWarning of power cuts: El Niño and corruption
-
Features6 days agoExport diversification: Missing the wood for the trees – Part I