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SLFP won’t give in to SLPP dictates – Sirisena

Dayasiri asks Namal aspiring to higher office to learn from his father
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Having declared in Hambantota over the weekend that SLFP wouldn’t give up its ongoing political campaign under any circumstances, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera told The Island yesterday (16) the revamping of the party was on track amidst ongoing disputes with the SLPP. Lawmaker Jayasekera emphasized their drive wouldn’t be reversed regardless of the consequences.
State Minister Jayasekera pointed out that former President and the SLPP leader Maithripala Sirisena, in his address to the Hambantota District convention at the Anugakolapalessa town hall stated that the SLFP wouldn’t keep quiet in spite of SLPP’s pressure. The former President, senior SLFPer cabinet minister Mahinda Amaraweera and State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera declared in unison their determination to face the SLPP challenge.
Minister Amaraweera told the Hambantota convention that they had a right to take up issues both at cabinet level and directly with the people. The Minister said that no one could interfere with that right.
MP Jayasekera said that they were in serious conflict with the SLPP, the main constituent of the ruling coalition over the latter’s handling of political issues as well as a range of other developments such as fertilizer and debt servicing crises.
The SLFP parliamentary group comprises 14 members, including one National List MP Dr. Suren Raghavan. Altogether, the SLPP led government parliamentary group consists of 145 members. Of them, 117 have been elected on the SLPP ticket and appointed on its National List.
Kurunegala District lawmaker said as he pointed out at the Hambantota convention that Minister Namal Rajapaksa should realize the SLPP couldn’t achieve future political targets without the SLFP’s backing. Pointing out that recently Minister Namal Rajapaksa aspiring to be the next leader asked the SLFP to leave the government, State Minister Jayasekera emphasized that Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa never said so. The former President and incumbent Premier addressed internal issues tactfully.
Former Minister Jayasekesa said that the SLPP leadership quite conveniently had forgotten their candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa couldn’t have obtained 6.9 mn votes at the last presidential election without the SLFP’s backing. “They had about five mn votes. The remaining 1.9 were SLFPers,” MP Jayasekera said, adding that the ruling coalition couldn’t have secured as many as 145 seats if the SLFP didn’t contest on the SLPP ticket.
The SLFP General Secretary said that the party held conventions in most of the district. We’ll be having conventions in Moneragala, Colombo, Gampaha, Batticaloa, Ampara, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Jaffna and Polonnaruwa in the coming months.”
Lawmaker Jayasekera said that the SLPP couldn’t expect the SLFP to simply toe the line. Minister Namal Rajapaksa aspiring to be future PM and President shouldn’t repeat fellow members’ ludicrous response to constituents taking a stand contrary to that of the SLPP on a particular issue. State Minister said that the SLFP unhesitatingly backed Ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weeawansa and Udaya Gammanpila on the Yugadanavi issue as there was general consensus regarding the manipulation of cabinet procedures in authorizing the agreement. “We’ll not back down,” MP Jayasekera said.
Responding to another query, lawmaker Jayasekera said that the government would have done a lot better if the top leadership ensured proper dialogue among constituents. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been a proper mechanism to discuss contentious matters though the SLPP repeatedly claimed issues could have been dealt at cabinet level or at the parliamentary group.
The SLPP’s strategies resulted in the rapid deterioration of the government. The State Minister pointed out how the government (SLPP) put off Local Government polls scheduled for March 2022 to the following year without consulting other political parties. Had the SLPP followed basic principles in a coalition government, the government wouldn’t have been in crisis today, the MP said.
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President scheduled to attend a meeting with representatives of Germany’s Tourism and Travel Industry Associations and Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce today

President Anura Kumara Disanayake who is on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, is scheduled to attend a meeting with representatives of Germany’s Tourism and Travel Industry Associations at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin today (13).
Following this engagement, the President will participate in a Business Forum organised by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), to be held at its headquarters in Berlin.
President Disanayake is also expected to hold bilateral discussions this afternoon with Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms Reem Alabali-Radovan, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
In the afternoon, the President is further scheduled to meet with members of the Sri Lankan community residing in Germany.
Accompanying the President on this official visit are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and a delegation of senior government officials, all of whom will participate in these engagements.
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Former Army Commander General Hamilton Wanasinghe passes away at the age of 91

It has been reported that, former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, General Hamilton Wanasinghe has passed away at the age of 91.
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Government to facilitate Bora Conference

Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake has instructed relevant officials to provide the maximum support necessary to successfully hold the Global Bora Community’s Spiritual Assembly and Convention scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka.
The Secretary to the President issued these instructions during discussions held on Thursday (12) at the Presidential Secretariat regarding the Global Bora Conference and Convention.
The Bora Conference and Convention will be held from 27 June to 05 July, coinciding with the Bora Community’s Spiritual Assembly, centred on the Bambalapitiya Bora Mosque and the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, with the participation of the community’s Spiritual Leader His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Sahib.
Approximately fifteen thousand members of the Bora Community from India and numerous other countries are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka for this Convention and Conference. Extensive discussions were held regarding the provision of all infrastructure facilities, including airport arrangements, for them.
A group of the Bora Community’s religious leaders, along with officials including the Secretary to the Foreign Ministry, Aruni Ranaraja and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, participated in this occasion.
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