News

Udays reiterates New Fortress Energy deal harmful, dismisses SLPP warning over dissenting views

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/15

PHU leader Gammanpila vows to sustain their campaign within the government at an event at Muthurajawela (pic courtesy PHU)

…strategy in line with post-2020 general election

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has reiterated that the rebel group within the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentary group would continue its role regardless of consequences.

The leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Attorney-at-Law Gammanpila has stressed that their right to function as a dissident group was in line with an assurance given to the electorate in the run-up to the last parliamentary election in August 2020.

According to the Minister, the PHU and the National Freedom Front (NFF) led by Wimal Weerawansa reached consensus on several contentious matters.

The declaration was made at an event held at Muthurajawela where the former Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) stalwart launched a tree planting campaign to match the number of preferential votes he received at the last general election. The SLPP Colombo District candidate secured 136,331 preferential votes and was placed third in the list. Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera (329,092) and Wimal Weerawansa (267,084) topped the district list.

Minister Gammanpila was responding to SLPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, who warned that dissent within the government parliamentary group wouldn’t be tolerated.

Addressing the weekly media briefing at the party headquarters, Prof. Peiris said whatever the differences within the parliamentary group once the government took a stand all constituents should abide by that decision. The Foreign Minister was referring to a spate of contentious matters, including the most recent dispute over an agreement with US-based New Fortress Energy group to supply LNG to Sri Lanka under controversial terms.

Minister Gammanpila emphasized that they had the right to pressure the government in case it pursued policies contrary to that of the mandates received at 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary polls.

Having discussed the political campaign the PHU carried out over the past several years, lawmaker Gammanpila said that they opposed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution when the cabinet approved the proposal without an internal discussion. “We didn’t keep quiet just because the controversial decision was taken at the very first cabinet meeting following the general election,” MP Gammanpila said.

Minister Gammanpila emphasized that the New Fortress deal was inimical to the country.

Several parties, including some of those who backed the SLPP at the presidential and parliamentary polls have moved the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal against the New Fortress deal.

Referring to the SLPP’s 2019 presidential election manifesto, Minister Gammanpila compared the way the cabinet of ministers, contrary to the party manifesto, had approved Indian and Japanese investment in the ECT (East Container Terminal) of the Colombo port. Lawmaker Gammanpila pointed out that they had no option but to oppose the ECT project as it was contrary to their manifesto.

The NFF and the PHU have received the backing of the SLFP (Sri Lanka Freedom Party), the second largest party in the ruling coalition, in addition to the CP (Communist Party) and Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara led DLF (Democratic Left Front). The dissident group consists of over two dozen lawmakers and the crisis undermined near two-thirds majority enjoyed by the SLPP in parliament. The government group comprises 145 members.

Minister Weerawansa recently told The Island that they had to go public over the New Fortress deal as their efforts to halt it failed to achieve the desired results.

The NFF leader declared that the government brazenly manipulated the cabinet process to facilitate the US investment, a charge strongly denied by the SLPP.

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

51 mins ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

55 mins ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

Latest News

Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]