News
Dullas chides silence of Election Commission when govt. floats doubts about polls
Sri Lanka is probably the only democratic country where people wonder if elections would be held in an election year, Nidahasa Janatha Sabawa (NJS), leader MP Dullas Alahapperuma said.
Sri Lanka is also the only country that postponed an election under the pretext of bankruptcy, he added.
“From my experience, an election boosts an economy.”
Alahapperuma said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was a minister in a government that postponed a general election through a referendum. This was the worst episode in Sri Lanka’s electoral history.
“If he thinks he can pull off this trick this time, it’s a grave mistake. The 1982 referendum was held at a time when the people and the media were weak. ITN and Rupavahini were the only TV stations. There was SLBC and four papers. The entire country depended on those sources for information. This is completely different with social media.”
Alahapperuma said the Constitution says that the tenure of the President is five years and article 31 (3) states that “the poll for the election of the President shall be taken not less than one month and not more than two months before the expiration of the term of office of the President in office.”
“This is clear. This is not the same with Provincial Council elections. There is a timeline here. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sworn in as President on 19 November 2019. Therefore, the election must be held between 18 October and 18 September 2024. The President has no right to make statements about when to hold elections. He just must hold them in a period stipulated by the Constitution.”
The NJS MP said that the Elections Commission must not remain silent when politicians make statements about when the presidential election will be held. The silence of the Commission encourages speculation and feeds into the uncertainty in the society.
“The President’s Media Division (PMD) is issuing a statement on the expenses for the election. The Parliament has the authority on public finance. How can the PMD, or the Cabinet spokesman, determine the amount of money earmarked for elections.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government has taken a number of initiatives that they thought would weaken the general public and instil fear among its critics, he said.
“Ranil Wickremesinghe presented a proposal called ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ in the early 2000s. This proposal was rejected by the people, as evidenced by the election results. He was then rejected by the people at the 2020 general election. Now he is President and is implementing the ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ programme. Ironically he is supported by MPs that belong to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s party, a man who played a major role in undermining Wickremesinghe’s agenda,” he said. (SI)
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a high-level dialogue titled “Tourism as Soft Power and Diplomatic Capital” held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin Davos, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20.
The session explored how tourism functions as a strategic instrument of diplomacy by strengthening international trust, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation through mobility and people-to-people engagement. The Prime Minister shared the panel with Mr. Kuban Omiraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States and Mr. Meshari Alnahar – CEO Aseer Investment Company, Saudi Arabia.
Addressing global trends, the Prime Minister emphasized that Sri Lanka is an example of hope, recovery and resilience in a world of conflict demonstrating how tourism can play a critical role in a changing global environment particularly amid climate shocks, geopolitical instability, and uneven economic recovery. She noted that tourism is not only an economic sector but also a vital diplomatic bridge that supports livelihoods, builds relationships and connects people.
Drawing on Sri Lanka’s recent experience, she highlighted the country’s strong tourism recovery despite multiple crises, including the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Transparent crisis management and strategic engagement with international partners helped sustain visitor confidence, resulting in record tourist arrivals even in challenging circumstances.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of green and climate friendly tourism infrastructure and underlined that Sri Lanka welcomes long term investment in tourism. She pointed out that tourism supports millions of jobs worldwide and that inclusive policies are essential to ensure fair opportunities, particularly for women and vulnerable communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 20 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized two (02) Indian fishing boats and apprehended seven (07) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan, Jaffna.
The seized boats and Indian fishermen was to be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on January 20 on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
The Prime Minister attended a productive bilateral meeting with Mr. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. During the discussion, both sides focused on strengthening Sri Lanka–EU cooperation and advancing mutual interests.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Mr. Masato Kanda, President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at the WEF Congress Centre. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing engagement and future collaboration between Sri Lanka and the ADB.
In addition, the Prime Minister held discussions with Mr. Hassan El Houry, Chairman of Menzies Aviation, where opportunities for collaboration in aviation services and connectivity were explored.
The Prime Minister also participated in a high-level dialogue at the Global Tourism Forum held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin, Davos, as part of the World Economic Forum engagements.
Dr. Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour, and the Deputy Minister of Finance were also present at these meetings.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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