Dayasiri's exit gives rebel MPs a new lease of life:

Fresh conspiracy against Ranil

The internal power struggle in the United National Party (UNP) has gone from bad to worse, though the loyalists of the party leader project a different picture.

Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has a habit of making overseas tours to evade problems. He has done this especially during election time to avoid various internal issues and threats to his leadership by the Reformist group of the UNP.

There was no exception this time around and Ranil initially planned an overseas tour so that he could evade problems in the UNP’s lead up to next month’s Provincial Council elections. The UNP has still not got out of the shock exit of Dayasiri Jayasekera who resigned from his Kurunegala District UNP parliamentary post and joined the ruling UPFA to contest the North-Western Provincial Council elections.

The exit of Dayasiri has developed a fresh conspiracy against Ranil’s leadership. The UNP’s position in Wayamba has deteriorated further after Dayasiri’s exit. The UNP rebel MPs have got a new lease of life after Dayasiri joined the UPFA and claimed that the UNP is losing its popular figures due to the inefficiency of the party leadership.

Sensing a fresh plot against him, Ranil hurriedly arranged a trip to India to consult two leading fortune tellers. But he projected the tour as an official one and media release was issued stating that the Opposition leader will be making an official tour of India on a special invitation of Indian officials.

But a local Sinhala newspaper found that there is no truth in that claim and exposed it. Later, Indian television channel NDTV too confirmed what the local newspaper had said. Knowing that their gimmick had been exposed, Ranil and his loyalists decided to keep mum, without making further statements regarding the tour.

Reports from India said that Ranil has pledged support to protect the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. In an unofficial meeting in India, Ranil has extended his fullest support to protect the 13th Amendment. Reports further said that Ranil has conducted himself as an Indian, expressing what is expected of an Indian.

While Ranil was away touring India, his loyalists made sure that former deputy leader and Hambantota District parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa was sidelined from the UNP’s election campaign.

Senior UNP parliamentarian Joseph Michael Perera, known to be a die-heard Ranil loyalist, had a bitter experience at the UNP’s election progress review meeting for the Puttalam District.

All candidates contesting North-Western Provincial for Puttalam District under the UNP ticket unanimously demanded Sajith Premadasa for their campaign rallies.

However, Joseph Michael, who has been appointed by the party to be in-charge of UNP’s election campaign in the Puttalam District, stated that he can’t give such a guarantee and undertake responsibility.

There had been a heated verbal exchange as UNP candidates said that they themselves could take the responsibility of getting down Sajith for their rallies if Joseph Michael can’t do that.

UNP Chairman’s brother supports Dayasiri

Joseph Michael then silenced UNP candidates with a different strategy. He said the UNP candidates who entertain Sajith Premadasa for their campain rallies will not be authorised to enter counting centres as UNP representatives.

Reports said though the UNP candidates were then silenced, Joseph Michael had to face severe opposition after the progress review meeting.

UNP encountered another setback when the party chairman’s brother extended support to Dayasiri Jayasekera. Ashoka Perera, brother of UNP Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, last week met Dayasiri during his campaign at Bopitiya in Katugampola electorate and extended his support to the former UNP MP.

As Dayasiri got down from his Hummer vehicle at Bopitiya, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera’s brother came up to him. “Malli, I heard that you are coming here.

That is why I waited for you. I am with you. I won’t leave you,” Ashoka said after embracing Dayasiri.

Dayasiri is going great guns with his PC election campaign with unprecedented support from the masses, especially the disgruntled UNP supporters who have been in wilderness. There was a special rally at Hettipola Community Centre recently to greet Dayasiri and seven Panduwasnuwara Pradeshiya Saba members who crossed over to the Government.

It was held under the patronage of SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena.

“Dayasiri is an old friend of ours. He has the same youthful look even today. His return to the party is important. He will strengthen the SLFP with a new team around him. We warmly welcome him,” Maithripala said.

Johan receives wedding invitation with cash

Besides Dayasiri, the other front runner in the UPFA’s campaign in the Kurunegala District is Johan Fernando, the eldest son of Trade Minister Johnston Fernando. Young Johan has become immensely popular among people in Wayamba, following the footsteps of his father.

Johan has been extremely busy with his election campaign. After a strenuous day of campaigning, Johan returned to his residence to meet a group of farmers from Hettipola. Minister Johnston too joined the conversation.

A young man came up to Johan and handed him a wedding invitation. “This is the invitation to my wedding. It will be next Monday and I expect your valued presence,” he told Johan.

“It is for the first time that I got this type of wedding invitation. I have never got a wedding invitation with money. Hence, this is special and I will definitely attend your wedding,” Johan said much to the surprise of all those who were present.

But Johan was quick to explain what it was all about. “Nothing to be surprised, our young groom-to-be has accidently given some currency notes that had been there in his pocket along with the wedding invitation,” Johan said as everybody laughed.

President off to Belarus

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave for Belarus today on a three-day official visit.

During his stay in Belarus, President Rajapaksa will hold bilateral discussions with his Belarus counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko.

In addition, the visiting Sri Lanka President will hold talks with Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich, National Assembly Chairman Anatoly Rubinov and House of Representatives Chairman Vladimir Andreichenko.

The President will be accompanied by a delegation of businessmen from Sri Lanka. He will also attend a tourist forum and visit an automobile plant in Belarus capital of Minsk.

Meanwhile, President Rajapaksa, in keeping with the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), established a new ministry under which the Police Department would be gazetted.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Law and Order had been set up under the President with

Major General (Retired) Nanda Mallawarachchi as the Ministry Secretary. He was formerly an Ambassador to Indonesia and a former Army Chief of Staff.

Prince Charles opts for Bandaranaike mansion

Prince Charles, who is expected in Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November, has decided to reside at the old Bandaranaike mansion at Rosmead Place during his stay in Colombo. All the other visiting Heads of State will be accommodated at the Cinnamon Grandl.

A special security team of Prince Charles arrived at the mansion, Tintagel - now a boutique hotel, two weeks ago to inspect the place. They have given green light to the up market boutique hotel after the Royal security team had also inspected the official hotel, but had preferred the Tintagel for Prince Charles’ stay.

The Bandaranaike mansion at Rosmead Place was owned by Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranaike, who had bought the mansion for his son – the late President S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, from Dr. Lucian Arnold Emmanuel de Silva. Since then, the mansion had been known as the Bandaranaike Walauwa which was home for three Prime Ministers – S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Chandrika Bandaraike Kumaratunga.

Rajathurai joins NUW

Nuwara Eliya District parliamentarian S. P. Rajathurai, who resigned from the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) last week and joined the National Union of Workers (NUW) led by parliamentarian P. Thigambaram.

“I joined NUW as the party’s deputy leader. Later we held an election campaign in Hatton. It was attended by 6,000 supporters,” Rajathurai said.

The NUW is an ally of the UPFA Government. Rajathurai was elected to parliament at the 2010 general election as a member of the CWC.

Wimal, Champika battle against DCD

Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka and Wimal Weerawansa have been in the forefront in protecting the country’s children against DCD contaminated milk powder. President Rajapaksa has already declared that aims to make the country self sufficient in liquid milk.

During a high level discussion between the government and the representatives of the diplomatic corps of New Zealand, it was assured that no milk powder containing DCD had been shipped to Sri Lanka from June 1.

Minister Champika Ranawaka addressing a packed media briefing last week said that the assurance coincided with the recent findings of the Industrial Technology Institute.

Meanwhile, the Lakmawa Diyaniyo , an ally of National Freedom Front (NFF), has vowed to eliminate Fonterra and its products from Sri Lanka similar to its defeat of terrorism.

“We defeated the LTTE-terra from the country. We will defeat Fonterra too,” NFF spokesman Mohamed Muzammil said.

The Lakmawa Diyaniyo with around 200 people staged a protest near Fonterra Brands Lanka (Pvt) Limited in Biyagama demanding the withdrawal of Fonterra products from the country. “Fonterra is putting at risk our lives and those of our children. We will not tolerate its products,” the protesters said.

Fonterra temporarily suspended its consumer operations in Sri Lanka. But on the same day, the Gampaha District Court vacated the enjoining order issued against Fonterra Brands Lanka (Pvt) Limited which prevented the company from releasing, distributing or advertising its products. However, the court re-issued summons on the company’s Directors to be present in court to face charges of contempt of court returnable on September 24.

WHO award to Maithri

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has selected Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary and Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena for the World No Tobacco Day Award 2013.

The award will be presented to Minister Sirisena by WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan recognising his dedicated service towards tobacco control at national and International level, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke said.

The award will be presented to Minister Sirisena by President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a grand ceremony to be held on September 3 at 4 pm at the BMICH, Colombo with the participation of many distinguished local and foreign guests.

This is an award presented to a public leader of a country for his/her dedication towards controlling tobacco use in the areas of contribution towards cutting down the number of deaths caused by tobacco, setting an example to the other countries in the region and the message given to the world through action taken.

Dr. Jayatilleke pointed out that as Minister Sirisena hails from the village,he knows the heart beat of innocent poor villagers and is well aware of their problems.

Therefore, he does the best for them. He took a brave and historical decision to introduce pictorial warnings on cigarette packets covering 80 per cent of the packaging amidst various threats and pressures directed at him, by giant multinational companies.

Health Services Director General Dr. Palitha Mahipala said under the leadership of Minister Sirisena, Sri Lanka became the first country in Asia and the fourth country in the world to sign the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Thereafter, Sri Lanka established the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol under Act No. 27 of 2006. Minister Sirisena took a brave decision to introduce pictorial warning on cigarette packets covering 80 per cent of the packaging.

Thailand followed Sri Lanka's example by introducing a more stringent law - ordering cigarette companies to cover 85 per cent of the cigarette packet with pictorial warning.

TNA supporters join UPFA

Nearly 80 TNA supporters in five villages in Nedunkerni, Vavuniya North renounced their allegiance to the TNA and pledged their support to the UPFA at the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council Elections at a meeting at Nikawewa in Welioya presided by Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadda. They are residents of Nedunkerni, Senadhikulam, Puttukuduirippu, Olumadu and Keerisuttaun.

UPFA General Secretary and Environment Minister Susil Premajayantha, addressing the meeting, said the development program initiated by the government catered to the needs of all communities. It was most encouraging to see thousands of Opposition supporters crossing over to support the UPFA to accelerate the development drive, he said. Minister Karaliyadda said TNA leaders detested the friendship and amity between the Sinhala and Tamil Communities in the North. The government will continue the development drive in the North to bring benefits to the people who suffered from terrorism, he said.

Anunayake demands inquiry against Ranil

Anunayake Thera of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya, Most Ven. Girambe Ananda Thera, has urged the Working Committee of the UNP to summon Ranil Wickremesinghe, for an inquiry and punish him for his conduct, which has lead to the continuous defeat of the UNP. The Anunayake Thera, while calling the proposed constitutional reforms of the UNP a ridiculous move, said that reforms put forwarded by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera are merely short-term. Hence, he urged the UNP Working Committee to work towards uniting all the supporters, who were either ousted or compelled to leave the party.

“We got to know through the media that the UNP is creating a unified force to achieve several goals, which includes a discussion on the Executive Presidency. Although the news at first appeared to be a positive one, later we realised that their intentions are not genuine,” Ven. Ananda Thera said in a memorandum to the UNP.

“The need of the hour is to protect the UNP before it is completely destroyed. We are fully aware of the plight of the party at grassroots level. Numerous people, who could have taken the Party forward, have been chased away after baseless allegations were levelled against them.

Party stalwarts like Rukman Senanayake, Imtiaz Bakeer Markar, Sirisena Cooray, Shiral Lakthilaka and Maithri Gunaratne are no longer in the party. Today, what the Party has are people such as Mangala Samaraweera, who spearheaded a campaign to bash the UNP leadership in the past.

What we have today is not a strong party, but a much watered-down one and it is a pity,” the memorandum said.