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| Sunday, 29 August 2004 |
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Ranil takes the whip inside UNP while Cabinet battles CoL From the Political Desk As the UNP gears itself to celebrate its 59th anniversary, party loyalists and seniors have stressed upon the leadership to uphold party discipline by taking prompt action against persons who have violated party discipline.The topic of discussion among the high ranking UNPers was the sex abuse case against newly elected Western Provincial Council member Duminda Silva. As an initial step, Silva was suspended from the party by the Working Committee. The Working Committee came down hard on the leadership to have Silva suspended on two charges. One was the sex abuse allegation and the other the declaration of false information to obtain nominations for PC elections. Silva is now charged by the party for concealing information and declaring false information. The case of Duminda Silva became an eye opener to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who was earlier carried away by the gentleman approach of Duminda. Now Wickremesinghe has decided to leave no stone unturned as party loyalists have urged him to enforce strict discipline. Wickremesinghe has ordered that all personal information forwarded to the party by members be perused and pursued to ascertain authenticity. It has been found that there were parliamentarians in the party who have changed their names for the sake of politics but have not followed the stipulated procedure to announce them through newspaper advertisements. According to well informed party sources, some of these parliamentarians who have changed their original names have faced criminal allegations before they took new names to enter politics. The UNP leader in a bid to enforce strict discipline will now peruse all Doctorates and other Degrees reportedly obtained by his members. In the previous parliament there was a UNP MP who claimed he had a Doctorate when he disclosed his personal information to parliament. Later it was found that he had never obtained such a Doctorate. Some MPs in the UNP who were former ministers have forwarded certificates of Diplomas, Degrees and Doctorates reportedly obtained at foreign universities which are less recognised even in those countries. With the UPFA government having thrown the net to catch former ministers allegedly involved in bribery and corruption to amass wealth, the UNP leader has now requested his MPs to declare their assets now and prior to their entry to UNP politics. This move comes in the wake of former Minister S.B. Dissanayake being called upon by the Bribery Commission to answer how he amassed Rs. 29 million as a minister of the former PA and UNF governments. Dissanayake has sought two months time to explain. Already two former UNP ministers are on the mat with former Food Minister Abdul Cader already remanded for allegedly using Samurdhi funds. It is now learnt that the Criminal Investigations Department is now conducting inquiries into an allegation that a huge sum from the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau had been siphoned off by a former UNP minister to buy a few computers for political clout in his electorate to set up computer centres. This scandal had been bared following investigations conducted into a fraud of Rs. 25 million that involved the former Chairman of the Foreign Employment Bureau, Susantha Fernando, now released on bail. Cabinet meeting Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday in the absence of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Many of his colleagues looked unhappy when he complained that his security had been reduced. His security officials were not allowed to enter Parliament. Thereafter, many Ministers criticised the Police and also complained against Police action against Trade Union activists in the recent past. Some members complained that the Police baton-charged the Bata trade union activists. Considering all these charges against the Police Department, they decided to call for a report from IGP Indra de Silva. Thereafter, Power and Energy Minister Susil Premjayanth proposed to increase electricity fares by five per cent and Deputy Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna too proposed to increase the minimum bus fare from Rs. 3 to Rs. 4, but three Ministers Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, A. H. M. Fowzie and Dinesh Gunawardane, who always consider the plight of the people, vehemently objected. Minister Premjayanth said he too disliked an increase but the CEB officials have recommended it. Responding, the three Ministers urged that officials should not be allowed to govern the country. Officials can send many Governments home, making them unpopular, they said. Minister Fowzie, proposing an alternative, requested the Cabinet to relax taxes on import of solar power panels to reduce the cost of electricity as a solution to the power shortage. But his colleagues said it was too expensive for people to have a solar system at their homes. Minister Fowzie said the initial cost being high was why he wanted to relax taxes on solar panels. Though the initial cost is high, it is economical for people in the long run, he said. "Even I have a solar system at my house", he told colleagues. Thereafter, on Thursday Fowzie again locked horns at a meeting with Bus owners. He told the bus owners that they could not threaten the Government and increase bus fares. Heated arguments erupted between bus owners and the Minister. However, Prime Minister Rajapakse intervened to restore order. The meeting concluded without any decision and another discussion was fixed for Friday afternoon. But Fowzie said that he cannot come at 12.00 noon as it was his prayer time. Thereafter, the meeting was postponed to 12.30 pm. |
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