News
Battle for SLFP leadership gets down and dirty
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was appointed as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) when a section of the politburo of the Party held a meeting yesterday (08) at its Headquarters at Darley Road.
Those who gathered yesterday also entrusted the duties of the SLFP Secretary to SLFP National Organiser Duminda Dissanayake.
“The party’s Senior Vice Chairman Nimal Siripala de Silva convened this meeting with 06 out of 11 politburo members, registered with the Elections Commission present. We have decided to appoint Minister Silva, who is one of the most senior leaders of the party, as Acting Chairman,” SLFP National Organiser Dissanayake said, adding that the SLFP’s political fortunes had ebbed in the last few years because party Chairman, Maithripala Sirisena had amended the SLFP Constitution for self-aggrandisement.
“We also decided to change the SLFP Constitution. We appointed a committee, led by a President’s Counsel, to change the Constitution.”
Dissanayake said former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who was also present, too, had been sidelined by Sirisena although she was a mentor of the party.
“So, we decided to invite her to the meeting. She came as an observer. We have also decided to create a new post for the SLFP, that is a position of party leader,” he said.
Earlier, Acting Secretary of the SLFP, Sarathi Dushmantha had refused to convene a politburo meeting following a request made by Minister Silva. Dushmantha was not present at yesterday’s meeting.
“Minister Silva asked Dushmantha to call for a meeting. He however refused to convene a meeting, violating the SLFP Constitution. The politburo, which met on Monday, decided to hand over his duties to me. I will coordinate things with the Election Commission from now on,” Dissanayake said.
Kumaratunga said that everyone had asked her to contest the 2015 presidential election.
“Instead, I brought in Sirisena with a lot of hope. However, he destroyed the country and the SLFP. I have rectified the mistake I made a decade ago,” she said.
Kumaratunga insisted that minister Silva was the best person to head the SLFP.
Meanwhile, former SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera said that the politburo meeting that took place on Monday was unconstitutional. The party Constitution stipulated that the politburo comprise 15 members, he said.
“This includes the Chairman, the General Secretary and 13 people chosen from the Central Committee. Someone who is not in the Central Committee can’t become a politburo member. The Politburo can’t convene without the Chairman. Any politburo meeting without the Chairman and the General Secretary is not constitutional. Therefore, Monday’s meeting was not legal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Colombo District Court extended the interim injunction order preventing the SLFP Executive Committee from removing Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Mahinda Amaraweera from their positions in the party until 24 April.
The Department of Education has announced that the results of the 2024 General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Examination have been released online, and can be viewed on : www.doenets.lk
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the training of teachers required for the new education reforms will commence in May, and that contracts granted to political cronies in local government institutions will be brought to an end following the upcoming local government elections.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing public gatherings held in the areas of Mirigama, Minuwangoda, and Katana in the Gampaha District.
Addressing the gatherings, Prime Minister stated:
“From birth to death, all the aspects of life of a person are handled by local government institutions. However, to this day, these institutions lack proper systems even to provide the people with basic facilities.
We are committed to working with a proper system, free of fraud and corruption, and managing every rupee carefully and attentively. We are identifying the needs of people and implementing projects under a systematic plan to develop rural sectors.
You elect fellow members who stand firmly against fraud and corruption through two decisive elections. First, you elect Anura Kumara as President, a leader committed to fighting corruption. Then, in the parliamentary election, you choose a group of qualified individuals who are equally dedicated to this cause to represent you in Parliament.
To ensure that the funds allocated for rural development reach the people, the local government institutions which are the closest to the villagers must also be clean and transparent. That is why this election is so important to us.
The people and the villages come to experience our corruption-free political culture through local government institutions. These institutions must properly implement, monitor, and evaluate the development projects allocated to the rural sector. The era of awarding contracts for such projects to political cronies must end.
Although early childhood development is a crucial part of education, there has never been a proper system for it. We are now establishing such a system. Starting in May, teacher training for the modern education which is being introduced will begin. We have a comprehensive plan for development across all sectors.
The Ministry of Education has received billions worth of projects, but there is no proper implementation process. For example, 1,500 smart boards were brought for smart classrooms, but the Secretary to the Ministry has not implemented a system to distribute them to schools. Teachers have not been trained to use them. Teacher training institutes still follow outdated curriculum. This will be corrected through the new education reforms,
In order to deliver all these benefits to the rural sector efficiently, it is essential to elect the right people for the right purposes. Therefore, in the upcoming local government elections, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya urged the public to vote for the candidates who are free from fraud and corruption presented by the National People’s Power (NPP).”
The event was attended by Parliament Chief Organizer of the ruling party Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Members of Parliament Ruwanthilaka Jayakody and Chaminda Lalith Kumara, along with several local government candidates and the residents of the area.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will represent Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City, the Ministry said.
The funeral is scheduled for today.
About 50,000 people came to pay their respects to the late Pope on Thursday, the Vatican news service said.
“Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, an ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of the late Pope’s soul,” according to the Vatican news service.
“The Novemdiales Masses will be held each day at 5:00 PM (GMT +2) in St. Peter’s Basilica, except for the Mass on Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 27, which will take place at 10:30 AM in St. Peter’s Square.”
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