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Imthiaz likens SJB to disparate coalition that brought Dudley to power
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Although the political parties within the Samagi Jana Sandanaya (SJS) did not agree on some matters, they saw eye to eye on fundamental principles, SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar says.
Markar said so when he was asked what, he thought, had unified the diverse factions within the SJS. The alliance comprises various individuals with conflicting ideologies and personal vendettas.
“Yes, there are very different people in the SJS. This is similar to the coalition that brought Dudley Senanayake into power in 1965. The national front government Senanayake formed consisted of both left- and right-wing parties. It included figures as varied as K.M.P. Rajaratne from Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna, I.M.R.A. Iriyagolle from the Sinhala Bhasha Peramuna, Marxist pioneer Philip Gunawardene, S.J.V. Chelvanayakam from the Federal Party, and G.G. Ponnambalam from the Tamil Congress. These are also people with conflicting ideologies and personal vendettas, however, this coalition worked well together, and the government completed its full five-year term. Senanayake achieved this because he gained the trust of leaders of all communities,” he said.
Markar noted that presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has similarly succeeded in bringing together leaders from across the nation. The SJS includes respected figures from the Muslim, Sinhalese, and Tamil communities, indicating that Premadasa’s support base is not limited to any one ethnic or religious group.
He emphasised that the 21 September election differs significantly from previous polls in Sri Lanka, as the economy is now at the forefront, with most voters eager to understand the economic policies of political parties.
“We at the SJB are fully aware of the concerns people have. We witnessed the devastation caused by Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s amateurish economic policies. The SJB has released three policy documents outlining our plans to recover and revitalise the economy. But we also recognise that merely publishing documents is insufficient. Our economic team holds weekly briefings where they answer questions posed by journalists. We have 27 sectoral committees, covering areas such as the economy, education, agriculture, and health, and each committee consists of experts in their respective fields. We have approximately 1,500 experts working with us,” he said.
Markar also pushed back against the narrative that the 2.2 million votes in the North and East are the decisive factor in the upcoming election, insisting that every vote across the country matters. Nevertheless, the SJB is acutely aware of the unique challenges faced by each community.
“When it comes to young voters, we treat them with great respect. They are a highly informed demographic. They seek systemic change and demand the reduction of corruption, the establishment of the rule of law, and the creation of a more equal society. This reflects the aspirations of the Aragalaya movement,” he said.
Markar, who previously worked with late Ranasinghe Premadasa, remarked that Sajith Premadasa shares his father’s commitment to supporting the common people. Despite being in opposition, Sajith Premadasa has made considerable efforts to serve the public, according to the SJB MP.
The Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka Dr. Siri Walt paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on the 17th of February at the Temple Trees.
Welcoming the Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka the Prime Minister briefed the Ambassador on her recent visit to Davos to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting noting that the series of high-level bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the Forum, along with two important industry visits provided valuable insights for Sri Lanka’s economic engagement.
The discussion focused on Switzerland’s vocational education and training (VET) system, with particular interest in exploring possible cooperation and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
The Prime Minister also conveyed her appreciation for the assistance extended by the Government of Switzerland following Cyclone Ditwah. She emphasized Sri Lanka’s need for enhanced technical assistance during the ongoing rebuilding phase, especially in relation to the reconstruction of bridges and railway infrastructure.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Switzerland, and to expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
First Secretary (Political) of the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo Ms. Justine Boillat, First Secretary (Migration) of the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo Ms. Andrea Kienast and the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatt and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Foreign Employment, Tourism.attended the meeting.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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Advisory for low pressure area in the Southwest Bay of Bengal to the south-east of Sri Lanka
Advisory for low pressure area in the Southwest Bay of Bengal to the south-east of Sri Lanka.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 03.00 pm on 18 February 2026
Multiday boats fishermen and naval community are warned that the low-pressure area still persists over the Southwest Bay of Bengal to the south-east of Sri Lanka. Under the influence of this system, heavy showers or thundershowers, Strong winds about (50-60) kmph, and rough or very rough seas can be expected in these sea areas.
The Meteorological Department is constantly monitoring the behavior of the system.
The naval and fishing communities are requested to be attentive to the future forecasts and bulletins issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.
Canada, said to be the home to the largest Tamil Diaspora community, has expressed concern over the delay in holding Provincial Council (PC) elections. Canadian High Commissioner Isabelle Martin, on Monday (16), took up the issue with Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Professor Chandana Abayaratne.
Sources quoted Prof. Abayaratne as having told the Canadian HC that the delay was not deliberate on the part of the government. The Minister blamed, what the sources called, certain legal, technical and delimitation issues for the delay.
India compelled Sri Lanka to enact the 13th Amendment to the country’s Constitution to enable the setting up of the Provincial Council system, in line with the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, which Sri Lanka signed under duress in July 1987.
Prof. Abayaratne has assured the Canadian HC that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, too, recognised the importance of strengthening the Provincial Council system as a solution to ethnic issues and that urgent steps would be taken in that regard.
During the discussion, matters relating to strengthening political, economic and social relations between the two countries were discussed.
In May 2020, Canada declared that Sri Lanka had perpetrated genocide during the war against the LTTE. Canada also sanctioned former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa in January 2023 over alleged war crimes.
The Canadian HC also explained her country’s ‘Indo-Pacific’ strategy and how Sri Lanka could benefit from it.
In particular, Canada’s “Pathways to Peace” project will support reconciliation between nations, and to improve communication by encouraging the learning of mutual languages as a second language, and it was also agreed to provide more opportunities for Sri Lankan students to pursue higher studies in Canada.
The Canadian delegation also expressed its willingness to provide the necessary technical assistance to solve the drinking water problems in Puttalam, Mannar and the North-Eastern provinces under technical cooperation, and to implement the relevant projects after a preliminary study.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
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