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Herath questions significance of SLPP second convention

Published

3 years ago

2023/12/15

Thilina Walpola

Charitha Herath

‘Pact with Ranil makes whole exercise meaningless’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Dissident SLPP MP Charitha Herath yesterday (14) said that the ruling party would hold its second convention today against the developing crisis that threatened its very existence just eight years after its formation.

The general consensus was that the SLPP was under the thumb of UNP leader and President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Herath said, adding that it was the truth the party did not want to admit, Prof. Peiris said.

Herath said so when The Island asked him how he, as a dissident member of the government, viewed the SLPP’s second convention to be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium today (15). He compared the SLFP-led 1956 coalition that collapsed in 1959 with the debilitating setback suffered by the SLPP last year. Perhaps, the SLPP should have undertaken a detailed examination of its rapid rise and unprecedented fall within eight years before calling for its second convention, the one-time Media Ministry Secretary said.

Herath is among 12 MPs elected and appointed on the SLPP ticket and National List respectively, who quit the government parliamentary group in July last year. The group included Prof. G.L. Peiris and Dallas Alahapperuma.

Responding to another query, MP Herath said that having secured nearly seven million votes at the last presidential election held in Nov 2019, the SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa failed to capitalise on an excellent opportunity to undertake comprehensive political reforms. Had President Rajapaksa tasked an appropriate team to undertake the project, he wouldn’t have had to face the 2022 public protest campaign that forced him out of office within four months, Prof. Herath said.

Unfortunately, the SLPP for some strange reason still touted 7 mn votes received at the presidential poll and near 2/3 majority secured at the parliamentary election in August 2020, Prof. Herath said. The ground reality is the parliament doesn’t reflect the actual political environment, the MP said, underscoring the irrelevance of the 2019 mandate against the backdrop of the UNP leader exercising the powers of the executive.

Commending Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s 2019 presidential election manifesto, Prof. Herath said that neither the President nor the party at least tried to implement the promises made. Instead, they resorted to strategies that ruined both the government and the country thereby paving the way for Wickremesinghe who couldn’t even retain his Colombo district seat at the last election to gain power, the MP said.

Prof. Herath said that today the SLPP had nothing to offer. Having elected Wickremesinghe as the President, the SLPP, on its own, abolished the right even to talk about the mandates received at 2019 and 2020 national elections. “There is no new narrative, therefore having a second convention is nothing but a meaningless exercise,” Prof. Herath said, asserting that the SLPP was experiencing leadership crisis.

Would the SLPP, too, end up like the UNP and the SLFP, Prof. Herath asked. At the last general election, the UNP was reduced to just one National List MP, whereas the SLFP secured 14 seats out of which only one was elected on the SLFP ticket. That, too, was in Jaffna, the MP said.

The remaining 13, including its leader Maithripala Sirisena entered parliament on the SLPP and today except for a few, others switched their allegiance to Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Herath said. In spite of boastful claims, the SLPP is in a very bad wicket. A large section of its parliamentary group was most likely to throw its weight behind the UNP leader at the next presidential election, MP Herath said. “The SLPP is aware of that possibility. It doesn’t know how to respond,” Prof. Herath said, drawing public attention to President Wickremesinghe’s refusal to accommodate several SLPP nominees in the cabinet.

The MP said that the SLPP was much weaker after several groups left the parliamentary group. In addition to Prof. Herath’s group, the National Freedom Front (NFF/6 MPs), Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU/1 MP), Yuthukama (1 MP), Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (1 MP), Democratic Left Front (DLF/1 MP) and four MPs led by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa distanced from the party.

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Fast Attack Craft P 4447 recovered in successful salvage operation

Published

21 hours ago

2026/09/14

Priyan

The Sri Lanka Navy successfully recovered its Fast Attack Craft P 4447 following a successful salvage operation, bringing a multi-stage emergency response to a close.

The craft, which ran into distress during a routine patrol on 15th August 2026 off Angulana, was brought to the surface on 11th September, from a depth of approximately 80 feet. It was
subsequently towed to the Colombo Dockyard premises.
The initial phase of the operation immediately following the incident focused on search and rescue. A joint effort involving the Navy, Air Force, Police, and local fishermen from Angulana
resulted in the rescue of 11 crew members. The search and rescue phase drew to a close with the recovery of the remains of the Second in Command of the craft, on 4th September.

Following the search and rescue phase, specialized Navy diving and salvage teams launched a dedicated recovery phase against rough sea conditions and underwater challenges, adhering to
strict safety protocols. The Navy’s marine, hull, electrical, and electronic engineering teams utilized specialized technical know-how and equipment to raise the vessel in stages.

Thus, the salvage operation marked an outstanding achievement attained through the professionalism, technical expertise of Navy divers, and coordinated contribution of all
engineering and technical branches of the Sri Lanka Navy. Technical support and specialized expertise were also extended by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Colombo Dockyard PLC.

News

CIABOC member’s appointment: Controversy over Speaker under probe heading selection process

Published

24 hours ago

2026/09/14

Thilina Walpola

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Opposition should intensity its focus on the forthcoming selection of a member of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and remain vigilant as Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne, MP, the head of the Constitutional Council (CC) tasked with making the relevant recommendation, is under investigation by the CIABOC, sources familiar with the ongoing inquiry told The Island.

Chethiya Goonasekara, PC, is expected to complete his three-year term on Dec 31, 2026. Sources pointed out that CIABOC Commissioners are appointed by the President on the recommendation made by the 10-member Constitutional Council.

The CIABOC initiated the investigation following a complaint lodged by suspended Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne in early February this year. Sources said that as Goonasekera is scheduled to complete his term toward the end of 2026, the CC would have to call applications soon to choose the successor.

Goonasekara received his appointment from President Ranil Wickremesinghe in January 2024. A Justice W. M. N. P. Iddawala was appointed Chairman of the CIABOC. The other commissioner is K. Bernard Rajapakse.

Asked whether Iddawala and Rajapakse, too, would complete their terms soon, sources said that in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act No 09 of 2023, the Chairman of CIABOC would hold office for a period of five years, second commissioner (K. Bernard Rajapakse) for four years and the third commissioner (Chethiya Goonasekara) for a period of three years.

Sources said that the Opposition as well as civil society representatives in the CC should take up the issue of Speaker facing an investigation by the CIABOC taking part in the forthcoming selection process. Responding to queries, sources emphasized that the issue was whether in terms of Section 107 of the Anti-Corruption Act the participation of the Speaker in the selection process amounted to a violation of the Act itself.

The current members of the CC are Dr Jagath Wickramaratne, Speaker and Chairman of the Constitutional Council, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister, Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition, Bimal Rathnayake, MP, Aboobucker Athambawa, MP, Ajith P. Perera, MP, Sivagnanam Shritharan, MP, Austin Fernando, Civil society representative, Prof. Wasantha Seneviratne, Civil society representative and Ranjith Ariyaratne, Civil society representative.

Sources pointed out that in spite of the sensitivity of the case, the CIABOC recorded Kularatne’s statement in the second week of August, six months after he lodged the complaint.

The CIABOC on 3, 8 and 10 Sept recorded the statements from the Transport Officer, Deputy Director, Administration and Assistant Director, Finance regarding the use of facilities by the Speaker, those assigned to his staff and other relevant matters.

The NPP named Dr. Wickramaratne as the Speaker after Asoka Ranwala resigned over controversy regarding his higher education qualifications.

SJB lawmaker Dayasiri Jayaskera has repeatedly raised the issues concerning the Speaker with the focus also on the Speaker using two government-managed residences, relevant staff in addition to expenditure on food, transport and fuel provided to the Speaker’s private secretary.

Political sources said that trouble erupted after the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Council in late January sacked Kularatne accusing him of providing false information to secure his appointment. Before being appointed as the Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament in 2023, Kularatne held several high-ranking positions, including Secretary to the Chief Government Whip, Additional Secretary to the President, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Additional Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition.

The SJB declared in Parliament that Ranwala should be brought back as the Speaker as they have no faith in Wickramaratne. MP Mujibur Rahuman jokingly told parliament that the Opposition wouldn’t raise Ranwala’s educational qualifications.

News

GMOA: Countrywide cadre revision not done since 2015

Published

24 hours ago

2026/09/14

Thilina Walpola

Dhammika

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has stressed the need to conduct a comprehensive countrywide cadre revision urgently.

GMOA spokesman Dr. Lasitha Dhammika told The Island that the failure on the part of successive governments to conduct cadre revision caused the deterioration of the public sector health services. Due to the absence of required statistics, they hadn’t been able to fully comprehend the situation on the ground and to ascertain the requirements of the public.

Dr. Dhammika pointed out the expansion of the services without supporting statistics and the need to initiate an immediate cadre revision. According to him, the GMOA had raised this issue with successive governments without success. The GMOA spokesman said that they also sought relevant information from the Health Ministry in terms of the Right to Information (RTI) Act two weeks ago but was yet to receive response.

(SF)