News

Sajith asked to explain how he lost 2.5 mn votes within 8 months

Published

3 years ago

2020/08/10

Deshapremi Eksath Jathika Pakshaya has urged UNPers to rally around President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa in the wake of debilitating defeat suffered by the UNP and its breakaway faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB).

General Secretary of the party Sugath Hewapathirana yesterday told The Island that the result of the Aug 5 general election proved beyond doubt both parties had been rejected.

Hewapathirana pointed out that under Wickremesinghe’s leadership the UNP polled about 250,000 (2 per cent of the total vote) in the country. Although an attempt was being made to blame it solely on Wickremesinghe, both parties should take the responsibility for the unprecedented humiliation caused at the Aug 5 poll close on the heels of heavy defeat at the presidential election.

Pointing out that Premadasa polled a respectable 5.5 mn votes, Hewapathirana said that under his leadership the SJB managed to obtain a paltry 2.7 mn votes in the follow up poll last week.

Premadasa owed an explanation how he lost 2.5 mn votes within a short period of eight months, since the last presidential poll.

Hewapathirana pledged to work with the new administration for the betterment of the country. (SF)

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Stay on course and don’t go back to the past – Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy

Published

3 hours ago

2023/03/24

Priyan

Former Governor of the Central Bank delivering the keynote address at a high profile Webinar hosted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (24) said that Sri Lanka must implement the structural reforms proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without relaxing like in the past or else we will be in a deeper economic mess.

The webinar was titled ‘What is next for Sri Lanka in the wake of the IMF programme’

News

Sustainable economic development goals cannot be achieved unless attention is paid to mitigating climate change – Sagala Ratnayake

Published

3 hours ago

2023/03/24

Priyan

President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake said sustainable economic development goals cannot be accomplished without taking steps to mitigate climate change.

He said this while participating in the 10,000 sapling planting program organized by the LEO Youth Vision 2048 Club and the LEO Club at the Royal College, Colombo on Thursday (23rd).

This program was organized in view of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s birthday, which is today (24), and the required plants were distributed to the main schools of the Colombo District.

News

SF claims thousands of police and military personnel leaving

Published

15 hours ago

2023/03/24

Thilina Walpola

By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of police and military personnel had left the services recently as they did not want to carry out illegal orders, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament yesterday. According to the war-winning army commander 200 policemen have resigned during the past two months and 25,000 soldiers have left the army during the last two years.

“We urged the law enforcement and military officials not to follow illegal orders. We will reinstate them with back pay,” he said.

Fonseka also urged the President and the government MPs not to take people for fools.

“Sri Lanka owes 55 billion dollars to the world. Ranil’s plan is to borrow another seven billion during the next four years. So, in four years we will owe 62 billion to the world.

Ranil and his ministers ask us what the alternative to borrowing is. These are the people who destroyed the economy and society. They must leave. Then, we will find an alternative and develop the country,” he said, adding that the IMF loans had made crises in other nations worse.

“Ranil says that by 2025, we will have a budget surplus as in Japan, Germany and South Korea. These countries are economic power houses, and this comparison is ludicrous.”