News
Wimal sticks to his guns, continues to demand top position for GR in SLPP
Leadership change not anticipated, ready to face probe on alleged foreign intelligence links
By Shamindra Ferdinando
National Freedom Party (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, has reiterated the urgent need to create a suitable top level position for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).
The NFF parliamentary group in the SLPP consists of six lawmakers.
Minister Weerawansa emphasised that the NFF’s stand as regards the SLPP didn’t in any way mean Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s role as the leader of the party wasn’t required.
Lawmaker Weerawansa said so outside the Negombo court complex yesterday (9). The Minister was responding to media queries whether he would apologize for publicly calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to be given an opportunity to directly work with the SLPP.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa received the SLPP nomination at the 2019 Nov presidential election though he was never a member of that party.
Minister Weerawansa emphasized President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would be able to liaise with other political forces if he received a high position in the party, while Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa remained the leader. The former JVP heavyweight said that the NFF’s proposal would be equally good for the government as well as the country.
SLPP General Secretary and one-time State Counsel Sagara Kariyawasam, MP, strongly criticized Weerawansa for intervening in SLPP affairs. National List MP Kariyawasam questioned the NFF leader’s right to suggest leadership change.
Minister Weerawansa insisted that he never called for leadership change but a suitable arrangement for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to work closely with other political parties.
Minister Weerawansa said that he was not worried about criticism directed at him by newcomers to parliamentary politics. Weerawansa was referring to statements issued by lawmakers Sagara Kariyawasam and Kalutara District MP Sanjiva Edirimanna.
Responding to SLPP Administrative Secretary Renuka Perera’s accusations that NFF members namely two medical doctors were on the payroll of foreign intelligence services, Minister Weerawansa urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to direct the IGP to initiate an inquiry after having recorded statements of the accusers. Minister Weerawansa emphasized that there was absolutely no basis for such accusations.
Weerawansa explained how he campaigned for Mahinda Rajapaksa’s victory at the 2005 presidential election much to the discomfort of his then JVP colleagues, quit the JVP in 2008 to throw his weight behind President Mahinda Rajapaksa amidst efforts made by the JVP to sabotage the war effort, spearheading the high profile ‘Mahinda Sulanga’ campaign in the wake of presidential polls defeat in 2015 and promoting Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s candidature at the 2019 presidential poll. Minister Weerawansa said if the SLPP wanted him to apologize for those above decisions of his he would gladly do so.
Minister Weerawansa emphasized that the SLPP’s stand that constituents had no right to comment on the main party wasn’t acceptable. Weerawansa questioned if that was the case how could they have commented on the UNP, JVP and other political parties.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed rice traders to sell Nadu rice to consumers at a wholesale price of Rs. 225 per kilo and a retail price of Rs. 230 per kilo.
The President also instructed the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority to closely monitor the situation over the next ten days and strictly enforce the law against rice mill owners who fail to comply with the fixed prices.
President Dissanayake made these remarks during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, along with rice traders, at the Presidential Secretariat on Saturday (07).
The President highlighted that the largest investments in the country are allocated to the Ministry of Highways, followed by the Irrigation and Agriculture sectors, with substantial subsidies provided to farmers.
The President further pointed out that low-interest bank loans have been provided to traders for the purchase of paddy and urged rice traders not to undermine the public’s right to access affordable rice.
As a result, the following rice prices will be implemented
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Nadu rice: Rs. 225, Retail price: Rs. 230
• Wholesale price of a kilo of white rice: Rs. 215, Retail price: Rs. 220
• Retail price of a kilo of imported Nadu rice: Rs. 220
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Samba rice: Rs. 235, Retail price: Rs. 240
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Keeri Samba: Rs. 255, Retail price: Rs. 260
The President also strongly criticized rice mill owners for frequently changing rice prices on a daily basis and instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority to monitor the daily rice production and distribution by mills.
Furthermore, President Dissanayake urged the rice traders to collaborate with the government in resolving the rice-related issues in an amicable manner.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development A. Wimalenthirajah, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe, Director General of the Department of Development Finance Malarmathy Gangatharan, Acting Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. S.K. Wasala, Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority Hemantha Samarakoon, Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board A.M.U. Pinnalanda, Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research and Training Institute A.L. Chandika, among other officials.
ECONOMYNEXT –The Election Commission (EC) has warned all candidates who have failed to submit their election campaign income and expenditure after contested in the November 14 parliament polls.
The Election Commission has set a deadline to submit the income and expenditure reports for 12 midnight on Friday, December 06, 2024.
R M A L Ratnayake, the Chairman of the EC said only few have submitted their reports so far.
“It is not only for those who have elected to the parliament, but those all who contested the election. They all should file their expenditure reports, Ratnayake told in a video clip circulated by the EC.
“I specially urge all candidates to fulfil this obligation without facing any legal actions.”
“In the event of a legal action, those candidates who face legal action are sometimes likely to lose their opportunity of contesting in local government or provincial council polls.”
Out of the total 8,361 candidates, around 24 percent or 1,985 have submitted their reports to the Election Commission as at 3 pm on Tuesday (03), the Commission said in a statement.
Out of a total 690 political parties and independent groups, only 15.4 percent (106) and out of 527 named national list members, only 10.8 percent (57) have so far submitted their reports, the EC said.
The Regulation of Election Expenditure Act is effective for the first time in Sri Lanka for a Parliament poll.
By Aruna Bogahawatte
The SLFP is facing a serious internal crisis as multiple factions within the party vie for control over the symbol to contest the upcoming local government elections, sources reveal.
One faction, led by Nimal Siripala de Silva, supported the National Democratic Front during the presidential elections and contested under the gas cylinder symbol. Some members from this group also ran in the general elections under the same symbol, securing a single seat in Parliament. This faction, supported by key figures such as Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, and several former MPs, believes the party should contest the local government elections under the traditional SLFP symbol, the ‘Hand.’
On the other side, a faction led by SLFP Treasurer Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa is pushing to contest under the People’s Alliance symbol, the ‘Chair.’ They point to the success of this symbol in the recent Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha elections, where they secured two seats.
Amid this turmoil, SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has offered to take on the role of SLFP Chairman if all factions can unite and set aside their differences for the sake of a stronger showing in the elections. Jayasekera said that he had discussed the same with Alagiyawanna and Dissanayake.
“The SLFP is now almost flattened to the ground, but I still believe it could be a formidable force in the next election if its leaders come together without delay,” Jayasekera said.
Fairly heavy showers are likely at some places in Western, and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, and Matara districts during the evening or night
Nadu Rice Prices Set: wholesale Rs. 225, retail Rs. 230
EC warns of legal action against candidates not compiling expense report
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