RAVI HAS SET A GOOD PRECEDENT:PM

While claiming that Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake had set a good precedent by resigning from his portfolio, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told in Parliament yesterday that.mr. Karunanayake actually resigned from his post on Wednesday.

“Some were shouting and ‘calling for the resignation even this morning but he has already resigned by that time” the Prime Minister said. “The Minister informed me that he was willing to resign on Tuesday and I was of the opinion that it was proper for him to inform his decision to the President. However, President Maithripala Sirisena was out of Colombo on Tuesday. Accordingly Minister Karunanayake Minister Rajitha Senaratne and I met the President on Wednesday and handed the letter of resignation,” he added.

He said the government had created a new tradition by getting a minister to resign. Usually a Minister or anyone else resigns from a post if he is proven guilty. However a minister has resigned before a verdict is given.‘the resignation of Minister Karunanayake has confirmed that the government will not interfere with the presidential commission” he further said.

“We can now have a debate on how thieves worked then and how things are happening now” he further said. When did a Minister went before an investigation commission.we have created a new tradition.the UNP will expel anyone if found robbing public funds.

“You don’t have to shout if there are no sil cloth robbers and vehicle thieves among you. Priyasath Dep was not given the post of Attorney General when he talked of shortcomings,” the Prime Minister told the joint opposition members.

“I would like to tell the media that they can shout because we have given them the freedom.they wanted us to resign in the past. They are calling us thieves but I would like to say that those who write in the media are also thieves,” he also said.