News
AKD’s party has already snatched 2/3rd of 160 electorates -Zuhair
NPP’s winning candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) having secured 105 electoral wins from the 160 electorates in the country’s presidential election, has snatched a 2/3rd majority of the electorates, leaving SJB’s Sajith Premadasa (SP) 49 electorates equating to 30%, North’s Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanenthiran winning six seats (3.8%), while then President Ranil Wickremesinghe had not won a single seat, former MP M. Zuhair, PC, has said.
Zuhair told The Island that though the forthcoming general elections would not be held under the first-past-the-post system but under the Proportional Representation system with a National List, AKD’s presidential election victory will boost NPP’s chances of winning.
AKD with a lead of 12 lakhs of votes, at the Presidential Election over his nearest rival SP, who polled 45 lakhs or 1/3rd of the valid votes polled, will see the elimination of RW’s UNP and a return to the two-party contest from the three cornered fight at the Presidential Election. Significantly, out of the island-wide majority of 12 lakhs of votes AKD obtained over his next rival SP, nearly nine lakhs of the lead votes had been obtained by AKD from the three districts in the Western Province, with the Gampaha district alone giving AKD a majority of 460,000 votes!
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s victory at the Presidential Election is a clear peoples’ indictment against the drowning levels of corruption, abuses of power, racism, indifference to public opinion, disrespect to judicial authority and the enacting of obnoxious laws empowering the State at the cost of the liberty of the subject.
While there is a need for a strong Opposition for the effective functioning of any democracy, SJB’s opening the “Saloon Door” for the rejected from other parties or giving prominent roles for those from its own ranks who failed to garner votes, would spell disaster for the party.
As early as 4th May 2024, close upon five months before the Presidential Elections, I said that pre-election May Day rallies have shown the Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led NPP was drawing the largest crowds, maintaining its recent trends of peoples’ support, vide Island/ Daily Mirror 4th May 2024, “Former MP M. M Zuhair bats for NPP”
The National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC), which is being established under the Presidential Secretariat with the aim of removing administrative and regulatory barriers that exist among government institutions in relation to investment and industry and expediting these processes, will be opened tomorrow (22).
The centre is being established on the President’s initiative with the aim of bringing about a positive transformation in the industrial sector. The centre will provide solutions to issues that arise in dealing with the government machinery when starting and operating a business, while also coordinating with the relevant government institutions to provide the necessary facilities.
The “ViYASA” National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) has been established at Building C-80, Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Colombo 07, and is headed by Senior Additional( Secretary to the President, Seevali Arukgoda.
The centre will be opened under the patronage of Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando and Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, with the participation of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The website https://nbfc.presidentsoffice.gov.lk is also scheduled to be officially launched on the occasion.
President’s Media Division)
Latest News
Court of Appeal Judge M. Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea appointed as Acting President of the Court of Appeal
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Judge Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat this morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
(President’s Media Division)
Latest News
President instructs expediting further measures concerning Sivarasa Anojan, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
A discussion to review the further measures that could be taken regarding Sivarasa Anojan, a young Sri Lankan national who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, was held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (21), under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The discussion focused on the measures taken to date concerning Sivaraasa Anojan and the further diplomatic and legal steps that could be pursued. Attention was also given to expediting the necessary further measures that could be taken to secure his release.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed officials to continue the necessary diplomatic engagement with the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia and to maintain close and continuous involvement in all further measures concerning the case.
Reaffirming the Government’s continued attention to the safety and welfare of Sri Lankans living and working overseas, the President also stressed the need for the relevant ministries and institutions to work in close coordination and pursue all possible measures that could be taken in connection with the case.
Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusoof, Secretary – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Aruni Ranaraja, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism were also present at the discussion.
(President’s Media Division)
“ViYASA” National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) to be opened tomorrow (22)
Court of Appeal Judge M. Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea appointed as Acting President of the Court of Appeal
President instructs expediting further measures concerning Sivarasa Anojan, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
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