Provincial ministers – Ranil
The United National Party (UNP) said yesterday a new criteria would be followed when appointing provincial council ministers and allocating the portfolios.
It has been also suggested that provincial ministers and central government ministers should work in tandem
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who addressed the members of the National Trade Union Services Federation at SriKotha said the party had received several suggestions from the people about the number of ministers who should be appointed to the provincial councils and on how the various portfolios should be allocated.
He said it was also suggested that provincial ministers and central government ministers should work in tandem.
With regard to the central government, Mr. Wickremesinghe said his party had already proposed the appointment of monitoring committees instead of the existing consultative committees in Parliament.
According to the UNP proposals he said no minister would be allowed to head the monitoring committees and would have the power to summon the minister concerned before the committee.
Mr. Wickremesinghe said the UNP had also focused on depoliticising the public service which was in a state of collapse today. He said the weather disaster was a perfect example of a deteriorating public service.
“The relevant state institution failed to pick up the weather message sent by the US Meteorology Department is ample proof that the Sri Lanka’s public service under this UPFA Government is falling to pieces,” he said.
UNP Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa said trade unions should play a pivotal role in bringing the UNP back to office. He recalled that President J. R. Jayewardene also used trade unions to win the 1977 general elections.
Some of the trade unions leaders who spoke stressed the need for unity among party members if the UNP hoped to return to office. They said it was essential to capture power as UNP could not afford to be in the opposition for ever and ever. Newly appointed National Trade Union Services Federation President Ranjith Madumma Bandara said he would make sure that the trade unions affiliated to the party would play a vital role in bringing the party to office.
He recalled that President J. R. Jayewardene also used trade unions to win the 1977 general elections