HIGH TIME TO DECIDE ON SLFP HATERS SAYS AMARAWEERA
Addressing the SLFP weekly news briefing yesterday, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister and UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera said vituperative remarks, unwarranted criticisms, abuses and insults by SLFP members of the joint opposition on President Maithripala Sirisena, the unity government and the SLFP have reached an intolerable level and therefore a decision would be taken by the party’s Central Committee on those who try to destroy it.
Minister Amaraweera said the SLFP had given ample time to come to terms with them and to unite for the common good of the party, but it seemed that they were determined to strike with vengeance by destroying the party. In the end, the only beneficiary of their shortsightedness would be the UNP, he added.
“The JO continues to fabricate tales against the government for their political ends, thinking that the JO would be the ultimate winner. What they fail to realize is that they are heading to total political disaster. One of the false stories is that the government has given double promotions to police and military officers unduly. Another is that the government harasses war heroes. The government will never stoop so low, but rather provide them welfare facilities and increments. We have no excuses for police or military personnel who violate the law under the title of war heroes. They will be dealt severely according to the law. The title ‘War Heroes’ of Ranawiruwa’ is not a licence given to take the law into their own hands and commit crimes,” the minister stressed.
He vowed that the unity government, under the leadership of President Sirisena, would never leave room to reorganize separatist terrorism or another conflict.
Minister Amaraweera said commenting on the rice price that
The JO continues to fabricate tales against the government for their political ends, thinking that the JO would be the ultimate winner
95% of the prices of rice issue had been solved, and then CWE has been instructed to release rice in bulk on the Minimum Fixed Price if and when consumers want to purchase rice wholesale and added the Cost of Living Committee on Tuesday decided to put an order to import 85,000 MTS of rice to stabilize the rice price in the domestic market and added rice import will be stopped fully when the reaping of Yala harvest starts.
Meanwhile, Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya said as the party leader, President Sirisena allowed a group of SLFP members to engage in politics as a separate group not to destroy the party but to give them more freedom to air their dissenting views for the good of the party, for the unity of the government and to also strengthen democracy.
“But what they are doing is conspiring against the SLFP and ensuring their own destruction. Those who are scheming against the SLFP will know their true position at the next local government polls,” the Chief Minister stressed.
Responding to a journalist, CM Devapriya revealed that the SLFP was for Constitutional reforms and pruning of the executive powers of the President, and not for a new Constitution or to abolish the executive presidency.
He said at the August 2015 general election that no party received a clear mandate from voters to form a government with an absolute majority and that was why a unity government was formed by the UNP and the SLFP. Therefore, it is detrimental to the UNP-SLFP agreement to criticize each other by either party but certain ministers talk as if the SLFP is in their pockets.
Meanwhile, Megapolis and Western Development Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said the reorganization of the SLFP was 95% completed and that an all-party organizers’ convention representing the 160 electorates will be held on March 6 chaired by President Sirisena.
“The reorganization of district, electorate and Pradeshiya Sabha levels has been completed. Party branches have been set up in all electorates. Women and youth leagues have also been established and we are ready for local government polls at any time,” the Deputy Minister added.
Housing and Construction Deputy Minister Indika Bandaranaike also participated in the news briefing.