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FUTA slams Ranil’s appointment

Published

3 years ago

2022/05/17

Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) yesterday condemned what it called the non consultative and self-serving appointment of Ranil Wickramasinghe as Prime Minister.

A statement signed by FUTA General Secretary Rohan Laksiri said: As the national trade union representing university academics, which has stood firmly behind the ongoing people’s struggle for democracy and economic stability, the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) strongly condemns the non-consultative and self-serving appointment of Ranil Wickremasinghe as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on 12 May 2022. On the Prime Minister’s position becoming vacant because of the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa on 09 May 2022, it was incumbent on the President, as stated in the Constitution, to appoint as Prime Minister the Member of Parliament “who in his opinion is most likely to command the confidence of Parliament.” This does not mean that he can appoint anyone whom he wishes to, for personal or political reasons. In fact, it is apparent that whether or not Wickremasinghe commands a majority in Parliament is being explored after his appointment as Prime Minister. This is totally unacceptable.

We wish to remind both Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremasinghe that all momentous changes in the political establishment in recent weeks have been prompted by the demands of the people’s protest movement. The former Prime Minister, among others, was forced to resign only because of the unrelenting demands of the people. The possibility of the appointment of an all-party interim government was created only because of the protest movement. What is clear to the citizenry now is that this democratic opening was hijacked by the President to appoint his own favoured candidate.

We are not satisfied that the President pursued talks with all the political parties to the maximum extent to explore the possibility of an all-party or multi-party interim government. Hence, the unprecedented move by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa can only be interpreted as an undemocratic and corrupt political deal between himself and Ranil Wickremesinghe, further evidenced by the ready support of the President’s party for Wickremasinghe. This manipulation of the political process in blatant disregard of the people’s struggle to address the political and economic crises further escalates the President’s confrontation with the citizenry.

Wickremesinghe has gone on record to state that he never requested that he be so appointed. He claims that he was invited by the President, with no other support from his own party and no written pledges of support from any other. Moreover, Wickremasinghe has an extraordinarily poor electoral track record with the highest number of consecutive electoral defeats for his party, being unable even to secure his own election at the last General Election. In addition, there are widespread allegations that he has continued to protect and serve the Rajapksa interests, and has been implicated in the infamous Central Bank fraud, either directly or via its covering up, to name only a few of his disqualifications. He stands for precisely what the present protest movement seeks to eliminate from this country’s political framework.

FUTA reiterates the people’s demand for the immediate resignation of the President and the establishment of an interim government that is both democratically credible and constitutional. Any such interim government should take immediate steps to abolish the Executive Presidency and other demanded political reforms which would guarantee accountable governance. If President Rajapaksa continues to undermine the democratic demands of the people and persists with political deals to prolong the inevitable and overdue end of his reign, that will surely lead to disastrous consequences both on the economic and political fronts.

FUTA appeals to all international actors to ensure that engagement with Sri Lanka heeds the people’s demands which have been clearly articulated by the tremendous democratic struggle that is being led by the vibrant and dynamic youth movement termed the ‘Aragalaya’ [the struggle]. While international support to address the extreme economic hardships borne by the people is welcome, we urge that the people’s sovereign will not be undermined by legitimizing the present undemocratic political deal and the machinations that will inevitably follow.

The argument that at the moment Wickremesinghe alone holds the respect of international actors is false, and is based on perception stemming from class and ideological bias. Such oversimplifications add insult to injury to the democratic demands of the people of Sri Lanka who are more than ever convinced that only legitimate and accountable governance will guarantee economic and other forms of stability required to move forward with confidence and dignity.

FUTA remains committed to working alongside other trade unions and people’s movements to address the current crisis. Out of the historically significant protest movement and resistance of the people, especially the youth, a visionary and democratic political leadership must find solutions to the long festering problems of Sri Lanka.

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Committees with accountable district-level officials to be appointed to resolve Human-Elephant Conflict

Published

10 mins ago

2025/06/20

Priyan

President Anura Kumara Disanayake instructed relevant officials to swiftly implement a formal mechanism to resolve the human-elephant conflict, which significantly impacts both the rural economy and people’s lives.

The President issued these directives during a discussion on resolving the human-elephant conflict, held this (20) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.

During the discussion, particular attention was paid to the districts most affected by the human-elephant conflict, including Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Hambantota, Monaragala, Kurunegala, Badulla and Trincomalee. The respective District Secretaries presented the specific issues in their districts to the President.

Discussions also covered existing vacancies within the Department of Wildlife, vehicle requirements and the challenges faced in carrying out their duties.

The President emphasised the need to streamline the mechanism for resolving the human-elephant conflict and highlighted the importance of implementing this programme in close collaboration with the public.

Accordingly, the President instructed that committees comprising accountable officials from the relevant districts be appointed within the next month to carry out these activities.

The President also directed that retired officers be recruited on a contract basis to fill current vacancies in the Department of Wildlife. As an immediate measure, he instructed officials to assign Civil Security Department officers to the Department of Wildlife with specific training and to enact relevant legislation for this purpose.

Furthermore, the President instructed that the ongoing joint operations by the Police, other security forces and the Department of Wildlife to resolve the human-elephant conflict be made more systematic and efficient.

The event was attended by Professor Chandana Abeyrathne, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government; Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs; T.B. Sarath, Deputy Minister of Housing; Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Defence; Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President; Ranjan Marasinghe, Director General of Wildlife; Major General Lasantha Rodrigo, Army Commander; Priyantha Weerasuriya, Acting Inspector General of Police; as well as District Secretaries and other government officials.

News

Students from Thambuttegama Central College visit President’s House

Published

15 mins ago

2025/06/20

Priyan

A group of students from Thambuttegama Central College, Anuradhapura, visited the Presidential Secretariat and President’s House this (20) afternoon during their annual educational tour.

The students had the opportunity to participate in the ‘Vision’ programme, an initiative for schoolchildren jointly organised by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

After touring the Old Parliament building within the Presidential Secretariat, the students were also briefed on parliamentary history.

The college’s teaching staff and students were also informed about the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme, which operates under a concept by President Anura Kumara Disanayake, as well as the role of the executive and the rule of law.

During the visit, the Legal Advisor to the President J.M. Wijebandara symbolically demonstrated the value of environmental protection by presenting a valuable sapling to the school.

The event was attended by Senior Additional Secretary to the President K.N.M. Kumarasinghe, Deputy Director of the Tri-Forces Security Affairs Coordinating Unit Colonel Dhananjaya Senarath, Deputy Principal of Thambuttegama Central College M.G. Asanka Wijesuriya, along with teaching staff and other officials.

Business

Foreign Direct Investment records 90% Increase in First Quarter of 2025

Published

19 mins ago

2025/06/20

Priyan

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has successfully increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by US$96 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.

This was disclosed today (20) during a progress review meeting of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, chaired by President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.

BOI officials also noted that, relative to the first quarter of 2024, domestic investment rose by US$21 million, while export income increased by US$176 million during the first quarter of 2025. In total, Sri Lanka has attracted US$4,669 million in investment proposals thus far in 2025.

The meeting also focused on the issues and challenges associated with attracting investment to the country and discussed potential strategies to address them.
Addressing the gathering, President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that the Board of Investment holds a pivotal role in enhancing the national economy and improving the living standards of the rural population.

He stressed that opportunities to attract investment in traditional sectors are becoming increasingly limited and therefore the nation must identify new areas for investment, an endeavour that falls under the BOI’s mandate.

The President further noted that Sri Lanka has attracted only around US$22 billion in investment since 1978. In comparison to other countries in the region, he stated, Sri Lanka must advance rapidly, referencing Vietnam’s achievement of securing US$23 billion in investment in 2022 alone.

He went on to state that the BOI should prioritise the expansion of investment in the services sector and proactively seek new investment opportunities, rather than focusing solely on recapturing missed ones.

The event was attended by senior officials of the Board of Investment, including Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs; Arjuna Herath, Chairman of the Board of Investment; and Ms Renuka Weerakone, Acting Director General of the Board of Investment.