… invites Sajith and Anura to work together to rebuild nation

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday called on Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa and JVP/NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake to join hands with him to steer the country out of its current crisis.Speaking at the ‘Together we win’ rally held at Kadawatha, the President said that time had come for all to prioritise the national agenda over party agendas. “We should not let the country’s future be dictated to by political agendas. We must ensure that politics is guided by the country’s needs,” the President said.

More than 250 Gampaha local government representatives, along with 26 SLPP Ministers and MPs, have pledged their strong support for the President, according to the Presidential Media Division.

During his speech, President Wickremesinghe reflected on taking over a country teetering on the brink of anarchy with its economy in total disarray, on July 21, 2022. He emphasized that he had fulfilled his responsibilities and consistently worked for the nation’s betterment, rather than personal gain.

“Today, I am addressing this public rally in Kadawatha on the occasion of completing two years in office as President. I report to you that I have fulfilled the primary responsibility entrusted to me on that day. I took over a country that was facing an economic collapse and lacked a functioning government. At the time, it was also apprehensive and reluctant to provide me a government office to be sworn in as Acting President. Ultimately, I went early in the morning to the Walukarama Temple near my residence to take my oath. The country was in such a dire state back then.

“At that time, I was the sole Member of Parliament from my party. To address the situation, I assembled a team with various Ministers and MPs from different parties. I first sought support from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), assuming they were aligned with the United National Party. However, they did not support me and instead backed MP Dallas Alahapperuma. Then I approached the JVP, but they chose to endorse MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake separately and were reluctant to assume responsibility, making it challenging to gain their support.

“Subsequently, I sought the backing of the SLPP. I did not go to speak with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa because the party had a chairman, and I informed him of my wish to meet and speak. However, he mentioned that he could not discuss anything.

“After that, I met with former President Rajapaksa and proposed that we work together to advance the government. He acknowledged the importance of the step and agreed to discuss it with his party. Subsequently, he confirmed that they were ready to support me. However, during this time, the party chairman defected to the other side. This marked the beginning of our government’s journey.

“At that point, I had no official residence as the Presidential Palace was occupied by protesters, my house was set on fire, and the Presidential Secretariat was also occupied. In response, I proposed to the Prime Minister that we share the Prime Minister’s Office—he would use the ground floor, and I would use the upper floor, with shared access to the conference room. For the next two to three weeks, we continued government operations from this arrangement while negotiating with the International Monetary Fund.

“I believed that everyone should join us on this journey. Our country was devastated by political turmoil, but Sri Lanka has the potential to thrive with pride. We must progress. We were on the brink of bankruptcy, but by making tough decisions, we advanced the economy. Without implementing this program, we risk falling back into crisis.

“Despite seeking support from the opposition, we received none. Instead, they opposed our efforts. I worked not for personal gain but for the country’s benefit. However, neither the SJB nor the JVP provided necessary support.

“Despite these challenges, we persevered. Today, we have successfully completed the debt restructuring program, and it will be officially announced in the coming days.