Ge of convenience ration

Ewal of MoU before December 31 are in regular contact with him 2020 presidential candidate probes

lar event at Campbell Park on September 10 last year and it was attended by Sirisena as chief guest.

The President’s accusations could not have come at a worse time than now for the UNP. Its leader Wickremesinghe is gearing the party machinery and is to embark on a re-organisation programme. The idea is to carry out a robust campaign for the local government and provincial council elections. Thereafter, the programme is to be intensified to prepare for the presidential election campaign. With doubts mounting over the likelihood of abolishing the Executive Presidency, the party wants to field Wickremesinghe as its presidential candidate. Long term plans towards this are being made with even advice sought from foreign media firms to formulate strategy. If these were on the UNP’s drawing boards for many months, Sirisena’s verbal assault on the UNP two weeks ago has further widened the cleavage.

Part of the UNP plans played out on Thursday when its MPs took part in a seminar at the Colombo Hilton. Ministers and parliamentarians were briefed on the achievements made by the party, the current economic situation and creating public awareness.

Wickremesinghe told them that local council elections would be held later this year and there was a need to prepare. He said such preparations should be made bearing in mind the objective of forming a UNP government in 2020. He said Ministers and MPs should explain to the people the benefits delivered by the UNP-backed administration. Prices of medicinal drugs were reduced, public sector salaries were increased and fuel prices lowered. Road development projects were bringing about a transformation in the villages, increasing job opportunities. There have been achievements in the education sector too.

Local elections unlikely

However, contrary to Wickremesinghe’s claim, the ‘Joint Opposition’ believes that local elections cannot be held this year. The Government is now planning to amend laws governing local elections to bring down the number who will be elected from some 9,000 to 4,500. It also wants to incorporate the ratio of those who will be elected directly and through proportional representation. Provision is also to be made on the ratio of female members to be elected. Premier Wickremesinghe has called a meeting at Temple Trees today of leaders of political parties to discuss these issues. ‘Joint Opposition’ leader Dinesh Gunawardena told the Sunday Times, “We will not take part in this meeting. We have made our position very clear. We can see that the proposed amendments will take at least two more months pushing back local polls to next year.” He said the ‘JO’ had spoken to Election Commission officials who had made it clear that no local polls could be held in December this year. This was due to school examinations and other yearend activities.

Wickremesinghe told UNP Ministers and MPs that they should also tell the public about various loan schemes offered to increase income levels. Another scheme would be offered for school van services. It will be a loan of four million rupees to be paid back at a low interest of 3.5 percent to be paid back in five years. Treasury Secretary R.H.S. Samaratunga gave a presentation on the state of the economy, foreign loans obtained and the investments coming into the country. Wickremesinghe briefed the UNP Working Committee on Friday on matters discussed at the meeting of Ministers and MPs.

The campaign strategy of the UNP this time also has another key aspect – to project a strong image of Premier Wickremesinghe, who is completing 40 years in politics this year. At a meeting, Colombo District UNP parliamentarians decided to have a musical event at the Galle Face Green to mark the event. One of those at the meeting said that they should ensure a turnout which should be more than the opposition’s May Day rally. Cost is no matter, he said. Moves are afoot to invite artistes and film stars from India to take part in the event. A photo exhibition depicting the political life of Wickremesinghe is to be first held at the National Youth Centre in Maharagama and later taken to principal towns.

As pointed out last week, parting ways with its main partner, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) either in 2020 or before, is manifest with serious issues for the UNP. One is the Central Bank bond issue which UNP leaders fiercely defended both in and outside Parliament insisting that nothing was wrong. Now, the Commission of Inquiry probing the issues has unraveled voluminous evidence which runs counter to the UNP’s claims. In short, evidence unfolding so far and reported in the media indicates public funds have been plundered.

This week, the three Commissioners -- Justice K.T. Chitrasiri (Chairman), Justice Prasanna Jayawardena and Velupillai Kandaswamay, a former Deputy Auditor General -- met President Sirisena. It was to ask for an extension of the Commission’s tenure by another month to complete the inquiries. Sirisena has directed that the term of extension be published in the government Gazette immediately. The bond issue which has so far implicated the UNP of complicity comes amidst accusations by Sirisena that the UNP scuttled probes against Rajapaksa, his allies and officials over bribery, fraud and corruption. There is little doubt the UNP’s opponents would use that charge on an election platform.

SLFP members want to go it alone

It is not only in the ranks of the UNP that there is growing bitterness over their coalition partner. There is a similar, if not more intense, an equal degree of bitterness among those in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) too. This played out on Thursday when the SLFP parliamentary group met. Just hours ahead of his departure to Bangladesh, Sirisena chaired the meeting. SLFP Ministers and MPs declared they were unable to work with the UNP and were highly critical of the UNP leadership. They said they should go it alone.

Gampaha District MP Nimal Lanza, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, complained that he was unable to work with the UNP. He said there was no benefit for the SLFP and something had to be done about it. Labour Minister John Seneviratne disclosed that he had met Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and others on several occasions to discuss this situation. It was not their intention to leave the Government and support Mahinda Rajapaksa.

They had spoken of remaining as an independent entity in the Opposition since they could not keep watching what was going on. He said their biggest dilemma during the discussions was how to face President Sirisena if they left. They wanted to maintain the cordial relationship they have with him.

A string of other speakers who acknowledged that there was a crisis made clear “just because you cannot work with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, we cannot leave. It should be based on a principle or an important issue.” Those who endorsed this view and sought a cautious approach included ministers Mahinda Samarasinghe, Mahinda Amaraweera and Duminda Dissanayake.

There were discordant voices too. State Minister for Highways Dilan Perera said the government should not harass former President Rajapaksa or his family members every now and then. He claimed it was not fair. The remarks were to see a strong verbal exchange between him and Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama.

There was pin drop silence for a while after Sirisena declared that a “lot of things were happening” and added that he could not disclose all of them now. He said that the SLFP ministers and parliamentarians should stay together and take a decision by December 31 this year. This is in marked contrast to his previous oft repeated remarks that this Government would continue till 2020.

Significant enough, December 31 this year, is the date before which the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SLFP and the UNP requires renewal. According to SLFP ministers, provision for such a renewal on that date has been made in the MoU. That clearly means that Sirisena has through the remarks he made to his party MPs retained the option to decide on the future of the coalition on or before December 31. The remark assumes greater importance in the light of his other remarks.

He declared that quite a few ‘Joint Opposition’ members were in constant touch with him. Even that day (the day he was speaking), some had spoken to him. He appealed to his SLFP parliamentarians to remain patient until December 31. Until then, Sirisena declared, every effort should be made to win over members in the Opposition. He said he was confident that no one would leave the party. One must understand, he pointed out, that all political parties were in turmoil. The ‘Joint Opposition’ was in a huge crisis. It was his SLFP group that had the least amount of problems. Yet, they should not have any cause for worry, he added.

There were some concerns for Sirisena, who was in Bangladesh yesterday, over reports that a group of SLFPers planned to leave the government. This was particularly after remarks by a Minister that if the SLFPers wanted to leave the government, they could. He has declared that the UNP would then form a government.

Sirisena tried to reach the Minister in question but his calls went unanswered. Thereafter, he spoke to another Minister and asked him to urge UNPers not to make any remarks on such matters and he would address the situation upon his return.

The result was a volley of SMS messages last evening to mobile phones of all UNP parliamentarians to resist from making any remarks relating to the SLFP.

Since he faulted the UNP for not proceeding with high profile cases, President Sirisena has taken the initiative to direct investigative arms to step up their probes. He has advised those directing the investigations to report to him directly if any undue influence is brought to bear on them. At a meeting with select ministers (one from UNP was absent though invited), Sirisena also discussed the situation. Another UNP minister more closely linked to the issue was not invited.

Files sent to AG’s Dept.

At least in the case of investigations carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), a delay on the part of the Attorney General’s Department has been listed as the reason why no action has been taken. According to a note prepared by the CID, those cases include the following: Date of complaint; January 14, 2015 – Investigations into alleged conspiracy at Temple Trees in the early hours of January 10, 2015. File referred to AG on January 27, 2015. File No: CR /108/2015, Date of complaint: February 4, 2015: Investigations into assets of former Chairman of the Port Authority Priyath Bandu Wickremamunige. File referred to AG: May 5 2015. File No: CR/1/271/15 Date of complaint: January 14, 2015: Investigations into missing vehicles of Presidential Secretariat. Date file referred to AG: January 6, 2016. File referred to AG: June 1, 2016: File No: CR/1/1/16 Date of complaint: March 11, 2015: Investigations into Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Company. File referred to AG: March 11, 2015. File No: CR/1/91/2015 Date of complaint: October 13, 2015: Investigation into ‘MV Avant Garde’ ship detected by Sri Lanka Navy with arms and ammunition on board off Galle Harbour: File referred to AG on February 2, 2016. File No: 1/08/2016. Acquiring illegal assets using criminal proceeds by former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. File referred to AG on July 21, 2016. File No: CR1/AMC/CFT/5/2016 Date of complaint: February 4, 2015. Investigations against Sajin de Vass Gunawardena under the Money Laundering Act. File sent to AG on September 13, 2016. File No: CR01/ AML/CFT/12/16 An FCID officer said some 80 files of investigations completed were now with the Attorney General’s Department. This is besides a large number of files that were returned to Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera at his request.

AG’s Department Officials have repeatedly insisted that some of the investigations though completed lacked sufficient details. Others lacked substantial evidence that would warrant an indictment, they pointed out. The AG”s Department works on the principle that an indictment must have a reasonably good chance of a conviction in a court of law. Otherwise, it should not proceed with a prosecution. Many files sent to the AG’s Deparment do not have that amount of evidence to launch a successful prosecution, they say.

The events in the past two weeks make clear President Sirisena is taking a hard line against Government members who allegedly scuttled or tried to scuttle investigations into high profile cases. He has admonished the UNP in the strongest terms. UNP leader and Premier Wickremesinghe has declared he wants his party to form a Government in 2020.

Thus, both leaders in the Government have made clear the directions they will tread. It has come as a disappointment to a few in the Establishment who were busy working out a possible Vision 2020 joint programme by the two leaders. Now that the missions of the two sides are changing, only the coming weeks and months will make clearer their two different visions.