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SJB accuses President of plotting to postpone polls
The SJB says that President Ranil Wickremesinghe is planning to postpone elections.
Addressing the SJB’s Ududumbara Asana Balamandalaya meeting, yesterday, Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that his party had decided to go before the courts against the President’s plans to postpone elections.
Kiriella said that elections to the local government bodies were due to be held in March next year. “So the President is trying to find an excuse for postponing them. He knows well that if an election is held, the UNP will definitely lose and it will not be able to save at least its deposits. The SLPP, too, would not be able to win. Only the SJB has a clear chance to win. That is why the President is trying to invent an excuse,” Kiriella said.
Kiriella added that the President had stated that the electoral system should be changed. “It is the incumbent President himself who brought the prevailing electoral system. It was on his watch the system was changed. It was while he was the Prime Minister the number of members in the councils was doubled and the quota for female members increased. Now, all of a sudden he says the system has to be changed. He says that the number of local council members needs to be reduced by 50 percent. He is getting ready to postpone the local government polls on the pretext of reforming the electoral system,” Kiriella said.
News
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
The book “Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” ,authored by Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mahinda Siriwardana, was officially launched this morning (08) at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The first copy of the publication was formally presented to President Disanayake by Mr. Siriwardana during the event.
It has been reported that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pilleyan’ has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and senior officials of SriLankan Airlines was held this afternoon (April 8) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The discussions mainly focused on proposals to transform SriLankan Airlines into a more profitable state-owned enterprise. Special attention was also given to possible short-term and long-term solutions for the airline’s debt management.
The talks further explored new investment opportunities for the airline. The President instructed the officials to take all necessary steps to transform SriLankan Airlines into a profit-making entity.
Although the airline has recorded operational profits, due to past mismanagement and poor decision-making, it remains one of the leading loss-making state enterprises. The current government has decided to reverse the previous administration’s decision to privatize the airline. Instead, it plans to continue operating it as the national carrier while introducing a new management structure to ensure its profitability moving forward.
Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, President’s Senior Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Sarath Ganegoda along with several senior officials of SriLankan Airlines, were present at the meeting.
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
Former state minister arrested by CID
President meets with senior officials of SriLankan Airlines
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