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SJB asks whether govt. decided to do away with LG elections

Published

2 years ago

2024/01/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Mujibur Rahuman

Announcement by UNP of Presidential, General and PC polls:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Mujibur Rahuman yesterday (10) asked whether the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government had decided to do away with Local Government (LG) polls.

The SJB Mayoral candidate for the Colombo Municipal Council at the indefinitely postponed LG polls said that the so-called UNP Management Committee Tuesday (09) evening had declared that presidential election would be held in September this year, followed by parliamentary election and Provincial Councils in January and March, 2025, respectively.

Rahuman, who first entered Parliament in 2015, as a UNP member, contested the 2020 general election on the SJB ticket. He resigned his parliamentary seat on January 21, 2023 to join the fray as the SJB’s Mayoral candidate at the LG poll in Colombo.

The UNP Management Committee consists of Assistant Leader and ex-MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, MP Vajira Abeywardena (National List), Minister Harin Fernando (SJB), Minister Manusha Nanayakkara (SJB), ex-MP Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, ex-MP Ravi Karunanayaka, ex-MP Ruwan Wijewardene, Lasantha Gunawardena and Shamal Senarath.

Responding to The Island queries, Rahuman pointed out that having declared presidential, parliamentary and Provincial Council polls that could cost as much as Rs 30 bn, within a space of seven months, the government couldn’t claim it lacked funds to conduct the LG poll.

The ex-Colombo District MP said that the Election Commission should take up this matter with President Wickremesinghe.

President Wickremesinghe yesterday appointed Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake as the fifth member of the EC, headed by R.M.A.L. Ratnayake.

The other members are M.A.P.C. Perera, Ameer Mohammed Faiz and Anusuya Shanmuganathan. Saman Sri Ratnayake functions as the EC Director General.

SJB spokesman Rahuman said that the incumbent government deferred the LG poll, which was to be conducted before the end of March 2023, claiming it couldn’t allocate funds due to the economic crisis. In spite of that, the Supreme Court directed that the funds allocated through the budget for the conducting of election be made available, the ex-MP said, adding that he, too, subsequently moved the Supreme Court in that regard.

Alleging that the SLPP and UNP feared to face the electorate, against the backdrop of Aragalaya, hence the decision to put off LG polls, the former lawmaker said that Gotabaya Rajapakas’s government, in Dec 2021, announced its decision to put off the LG poll to March 2023, blaming it on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rahuman said that the EC should also be concerned about the inordinate delay in holding the Provincial Council polls. Political parties seemed to have quite conveniently forgotten that all nine Provincial Councils were dissolved, with effect from Oct 08, 2019. The last PC dissolved was the Uva council.

The terms of the Northern Provincial Council came to an end on Oct 25, 2018, the Central Province on Oct 8, 2018, North Western Province on Oct 10, 2018, Sabaragamuwa on Sept 26, 2018, Eastern Province on Sept 30, 2018, North Central Province on Oct 1, 2018, Southern Province on April 10, 2019 and Western Province on April 21, 2019.

Referring to President Wickremesinghe’s repeated assurances regarding devolution of powers in terms of the 13th Amendment and the declarations made in Jaffna during his recently concluded visit, the ex-parliamentarian said that the government should explain why PC polls couldn’t be held for well over four years.

The Parliament, as the supreme institution tasked with enactment of laws and ensuring financial discipline, should be held accountable, the ex-MP said, pointing out the failure on the part of political parties to vigorously pursue the issue.

Rahuman said that those among the international community concerned over the developments here couldn’t remain silent over the postponement of the PC and LG polls. The sudden announcement on presidential, general and PC polls could be in line with the UNP strategy, the former MP said.

EC Director General Saman Sri Ratnayaka said that though they initially estimated the LG poll, if conducted in March 2023, could have cost as much as Rs 10 bn, he was now confident of spending a much lower amount. “We spent about Rs 1 bn on that poll by the time the postponement was declared,” the forthright official said, adding that the EC could have managed with Rs 6 bn. However, against the backdrop of all round tax increase effected this year, expenditure was going to be high, the official said.

In late Nov 2023, State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, addressing the media at the Presidential Media Centre, declared that Rs 10 bn had been allocated through the 2024 Budget for the EC.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]