President clinches deal with UNP to continue

coalition

By Our Political Editor-Sunday, April 15, 2018

New lease of life for Yahapalana Govt., but minefields ahead,
including an imminent rise in fuel prices - Sirisena deftly avoids second
meeting of SLFP Central Committee - PM in stronger position now;
SLFP ministers who did not vote against him temporarily get the
subjects of those who quit
President Maithripala Sirisena, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(SLFP) took the unprecedented step of urging ministers of his own party
to boycott last Tuesday’s weekly Cabinet meeting – perhaps a first such
move in a practising democracy.

In doing so, he was cushioning a feared fallout from a widespread call

by members of the Central Committee, the party’s policy making body,
to quit the coalition or “the national unity Government.” They were to
take a final decision at a second CC meeting on Wednesday but
Sirisena, though he promised, did not summon one. He may not have
wanted to be thrust with a decision to quit the coalition. He told the
UNP ministers that most wanted to quit the Government. Thus began a
tense political drama that continued throughout Wednesday and
Thursday.
Sirisena believed that the boycott would be enough of a tit-for-tat for a
letter Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe had written to him last week. It had conveyed a
decision by the UNP parliamentary group and the Working Committee
not to sit together with the anti-Wickremesinghe SLFP ministers at
cabinet meetings in particular.

The UNP sought their removal. The six SLFP ministers together with the
Deputy Speaker, four State Ministers and five Deputy Ministers voted
for the motion of no-confidence against the Premier in Parliament and
thus he was unable to repose his confidence on them, it was pointed
out.
If official cabinet spokesperson Minister Rajitha Senaratne was to be
believed, the 16 ministers, state and deputy ministers will have their
positions restored only if they apologise for what they did. His claim
that Sirisena was awaiting the outcome of the CC meeting on
Wednesday to decide on a reshuffle turned out to be incorrect. Sirisena
chose not to summon one and matters had taken a different turn
though the spokesperson was in the dark.

Those who voted in favour of the motion were Ministers Dayasiri

Jayasekera, S.B. Dissanayake, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana
Yapa, Chandima Weerakkody, W.D.J. Seneviratne, State Ministers
Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, T.B. Ekanayake, Dilan Perera, Sudarshini
Fernandopulle and Deputy Ministers Anuradha Jayaratne, Sumedha G.
Jayasena, Susantha Punchinilame, Lakshman Wasantha Perera.
Taranath Basnayake and Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala.

President cancels engagements

They resigned en masse on Wednesday night after a rather stormy

meeting with Sirisena. He does not want to fill the vacancies caused in
the hope that the six ministers in question would change their mind.
Hence, he wants to assign their portfolios to those serving SLFP
ministers.
Sirisena chaired the “UNP only” Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning.
He made clear it was his views that the coalition should continue and
declared he proposed to effect a ministerial reshuffle on Thursday. On
Wednesday, he cancelled two engagements. He was busy with a
meeting with Premier Wickremesinghe about the imbroglio over the
ministers and the reshuffle. A planned helicopter trip to Polonnaruwa
to take part in an aluth sahal or rice harvest festival was cancelled.

Another which was delayed by hours was in Colombo to receive

credentials from five new diplomats representing Morocco, Austria, the
United Arab Emirates, Poland and Tanzania. The change in schedule
made clear Sirisena wanted to clinch a deal to continue the coalition
with the UNP with a ministerial reshuffle before the next meeting of
the CC could be summoned. Otherwise, a decision by the CC to pull out
would have left Sirisena stranded with a small number in the SLFP. He
would then have to narrow his option to just one choice — ask the UNP
to form a Government.

Sirisena disclosed to the UNP ministers at the Cabinet meeting that

some MPs (including ministers, state and deputy ministers) had decided
to cross over to the ‘Joint Opposition’ benches. It seemed a strange
paradox that he was conveying to his coalition partner in so many
words that the no-confidence motion had further split his SLFP, leaving
some to part ways. Coming formally from none other than the
President and leader of the SLFP was good news for the UNP. That it
would enhance the UNP’s bargaining power and even its standing in the
coalition will be a direct outcome of this split. That it would
consequently strengthen Wickremesinghe and weaken Sirisena was
known even before the no-faith motion was debated. The ‘Joint
Opposition’de facto leader, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa,
confirmed these MPs were joining his ranks.
He told the Sunday Times this week, “The 16 MPs including ministers
will cross over to the Opposition benches on April 19. It can even be a
few more than the 16. Even if we were let down by the SLFP leadership,
including President Sirisena, despite an assurance that they will
produce the numbers besides those names we offered for the passage
of the no-confidence motion, the SLFP MPs joining us will strengthen us
even further. As a result, we will have more public support. This has
come as a death knell for the SLFP.”

The Sunday Times has learnt that the MPs who plan to cross over will
still call themselves MPs of the SLFP, perhaps a move that would
prevent them from getting entangled in legal issues. A corollary of that
position would mean that they would be under the ‘leadership’ of
Sirisena who is head of the party. Last week, Rajapaksa said he spoke to
Sirisena on the motion and he had thereafter sent emissaries to pursue
the matter. On Wednesday night, the 16 MPs met with Sirisena for a
discussion.
In the pouring rain on Thursday the luxury vehicles of several Ministers
are seen entering the Presidential Secretariat where they were given
new portfolios or additional subjects. Pix by Indika Handuwela
He was to tell them of the UNP position that the UNP would not wish to
work with them. Thereafter, the group offered their resignations.

If urging the SLFP ministers to boycott the cabinet meeting was

unprecedented in Sri Lankan politics, there was an equally significant
development at last Monday night’s SLFP Central Committee meeting.
A majority of the speakers were adamant that the SLFP should quit the
coalition. Each had a tale of woe. They insisted that they could not work
with the UNP leadership. There were exceptions, too. It included
former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Minister
Sarath Amunugama and Mahinda Amaraweera who were among those
who wanted to stay put in the National Unity coalition.

An angry Kumaratunga was to point out that the people gave a

mandate when they voted Sirisena on January 8, 2015 to carry out a
programme of work. She left the meeting thereafter. Presidential aides
nevertheless spoke through media reports about a retort by Sirisena
that the 2015 victory was due to his own charisma. He challenged
whether anyone in the UNP could have won and added that was the
reason why he was pitted.

It is in the light of heavy pressure from CC members to quit the

coalition that Sirisena bought time for at least 24 hours from them to
discuss issues with his coalition partner. That was why a Central
Committee meeting was also fixed for Tuesday. Primarily, it was the
imbroglio over the UNP demarche that it would not sit with the 16 MPs
and therefore they should be removed. A second CC meeting and a firm
decision to quit the coalition would have left him stranded. And such
pressure would have simply relegated Sirisena to rely on a small
number of his backers and left him with only one option. That is to ask
the UNP to form its own Government. Did he, therefore, consolidate his
position somewhat by telling the UNP cabinet ministers that he would
effect a reshuffle on Thursday — a strong message that he would like to
continue the coalition? It thus becomes a fait accompli when the
Central Committee meets next after his return from London where he
will take part in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The visit itself highlights the parlous state of Sri Lanka’s overseas
diplomatic missions. There is no High Commissioner in London; no is
there an Ambassador in Washington D.C. In Canada also, the High
Commissioner’s post is also due to fall vacant.

This was perhaps in his mind going by the two meetings he had on
Wednesday. One was in the afternoon with ministers and MPs who
absented themselves from voting on the motion. The next, in the night,
was with the 16 members who voted in favour of the no-faith motion
and told him they would quit.
Ministers who abstained met Sirisena on Wednesday afternoon for a
90-minute session where issues arising from the defeated no-
confidence motion were discussed.
Among those taking part were Ministers Sarath Amunugama, Mahinda
Samarasinghe, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahinda Amaraweera, Ranjith
Siyambalapitiya, Piyasena Gamage, A.H.M. Fowzie, Lakshman
Seneviratne, M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, Nishantha Muthuhettigama (a
signatory to the no-confidence motion though he abstained), Faiszer
Musthapha, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Indika Bandaranaike and Sarathie
Dushmantha and Cader Masthan, (also a signatory to the no-confidence
motion though he abstained).

SLFP group meets PM

The delegation said they were in favour of continuing the coalition and
“strengthen the hand of Sirisena.” They said that the 16 who voted for
the no-confidence motion would have to face the consequences but
should be allowed to remain in the SLFP so that their existing strength
of 41 is maintained. They said they were also keen to ensure that the
cabinet reshuffle is carried out before April 15. They asked for Sirisena’s
permission to negotiate with Premier Wickremesinghe to arrive at an
arrangement. Approval was granted. From there a telephone call was
made to the Premier.
Later that evening, the delegation met Premier Wickremesinghe at
Temple Trees and apprised him of the outcome of their talks. They
made clear that during talks Sirisena had agreed to let the group of 16
face the consequences but still remain in the SLFP. Wickremesinghe
took up the position that he would have to consult his other party
seniors. The delegation said they would also like to take part in the
same discussion and explain matters. Hence, a meeting was arranged
for 7 p.m. the same night. In the ensuing discussion, the UNP leadership
strongly argued on the difficulties involved in dealing with the six
ministers who have publicly declared they have no confidence in their
Prime Minister.

At this meeting, after a lengthy discussion, it was agreed to recommend

to Sirisena that a cabinet reshuffle could go ahead. This was on the
basis that none of those in the group of 16 was going to serve in a new
cabinet. It was also agreed that any names of new SLFP nominees put
forward, if they were not agreeable to the UNP, should be discussed
between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe. That newly won assurance was
also significant to the UNP which could veto any one whom it is not in
favour.

This was Wednesday evening. The delegation then went back to

Sirisena’s Paget Road (Mahagamsekera Mawatha) residence to brief
him on the outcome of the talks with the Premier. The result — a
meeting between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe again on Thursday
morning. Wickremesinghe had to put off his planned journey to
Nuwara Eliya for the New Year holidays as a result. With all hurdles
cleared, they discussed the reshuffle that would take place that day. A
source close to the Presidency said that the atmosphere was “very
cordial” and Sirisena even agreed to give the Samurdhi portfolio to the
UNP in return for the Public Administration Ministry for the SLFP. The
Samurdhi portfolio was held by Minister S.B. Dissanayake who voted for
the no-faith motion. Dissanayake was criticised on the floor of the
House by a UNP MP for sabotaging the Samurdhi handouts prior to the
local government elections to give the Rajapaksa party a distinct
advantage.

At the time of writing (prior to the Avurudhu holidays), plans were to fill
the positions left vacant by the resignation of the six ministers from the
SLFP. Sirisena believes that the six ministers could be persuaded during
the course of time to accept portfolios subject to some arrangement
with the UNP. Hence, he is to temporarily assign the six vacant
ministries to other SLFP ministers until a major reshuffle is carried out
when he returns from London.
Earlier, it was proposed to appoint Arumugam Thondaman, A.H.M.
Fowzie, Piyasena Gamage, Lakshman Seneviratne, Lasantha
Alagiyawanna and Mohanlal Grero as new ministers. On the UNP side,
former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake was to be re-inducted to
the cabinet. In fact Wickremesinghe raised the matter with Sirisena
during his 8 a.m. meeting yesterday. However, Sirisena declared he
would not allow that appointment and went on to explain that his
name has been associated with the Central Bank bond scam. At the
time of writing, the temporary ministerial changes carried out at 5 p.m.
Thursday.
The portfolios held by six ministers who resigned have been
temporarily re-assigned to three also from the SLFP. They are Sarath
Amunugama, Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training,
Science Technology and Research (previously held by Chandima
Weerakody and Susil Premjayantha) Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Minister of
Disaster Management (held by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa), Faiszer
Musthapha, Minister of Sports (held by Dayasiri Jayasekera).

Malik Samarawickrema was sworn in as Social Employment, Welfare

and Kandyan Hertage (held by S.B.Dissanayake) and Ministry of Labour
and Labour Relations (held by W.D.J. Seneviratne).

The Social Employment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage Ministry has

now been given to the UNP. In return, the SLFP will name a Minister for
the Public Administration Ministry during the planned major reshuffle.
Sirisena moved deftly earlier and chose not to call the second CC
meeting. Now, he has clinched a deal with the UNP to continue the
coalition. This is after telling Tuesday’s weekly cabinet that he would
carry out a cabinet reshuffle. Although official spokesperson Minister
Rajitha Senaratne declared at a news briefing on Wednesday that a
reshuffle hinged on that day’s Central Committee meeting, there was
no such event. He was quite clearly unaware of it. The CC meeting is
now to be held after Sirisena’s return. That would naturally endorse
Sirisena’s decision to go ahead.

On Tuesday afternoon, after the cabinet meeting, Sirisena chaired the

first meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) since the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) under Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe was abolished. The 90-minute meeting was attended
by Wickremesinghe but he made no major contribution. Since the
Cabinet decision on March 20, the NEC has taken charge of all functions
under the CCEM. The official’s committee of the CCEM has also been
abolished.

Both for the SLFP and the UNP, gearing the parties for the elections
ahead has become a tough task. It is more difficult for the SLFP than its
coalition partner with many a branch organisation being non-
functional. This was first experienced when the party was on the
lookout for candidates for the February 10 local elections and found it
difficult. The latest split will make it worse. There has also been strong
criticism against SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake who has
backed the UNP. Added to that is United People’s Freedom Alliance
(UPFA) General Secretary Mahinda Ameraweera. Though he lent his
official residence in Colombo for meetings by backers of the no-
confidence motion, he abstained together with Dissanayake. A major
challenge for them would be the choosing of candidates when
provincial council elections are held.

Relatively, the UNP district and electoral level organisations have

functioned though one of their biggest drawbacks has been the lack of
communications to and from Siri Kotha , their headquarters. Some of
the issues afflicting the party echoed in the halls of ‘Temple Trees’ the
previous Saturday (April 7). This was during a meeting of the UNP
parliamentary group and the Working Committee. Some speakers
including Ajith Perera and Sujeeva Senasinghe advocated a leadership
change. Minister Harin Fernando who was critical of President Sirisena
also touched on the subject. Their proposal was shot down by Ministers
Mangala Samaraweera, Sarath Fonseka and Vajira Abeywardene. They
said Wickremesinghe should continue as leader.
Although the role for a Council, elected by the joint meeting, is yet to
be clearly defined, its main task is expected to be to undertake
structural changes and ensure they are carried out. Wickremesinghe
will appoint senior office bearers for different party positions. Their
terms expire this month. UNP sources said he will appoint a full time
General Secretary for the party so he could devote his attention to re-
building and re-organisation efforts. Among the criteria, these sources
said, would be a person who has demonstrated continued loyalty to the
party and is capable of delivering on the tasks assigned. Heavy lobbying
is now being carried out by different claimants.

SLPP holds post-mortem

An influential section of the Sri Lanka Podujana Pakshaya (SLPP) who

swept the local polls has also been soul searching over the failure of the
no-confidence motion. One of them, who did not wish to be identified,
said there were four factors — the power of the Government, money,
international pressure and public opinion. “Whilst the first three were
not with us, public opinion was divided. There was uncertainty,” one of
them said adding that “no members of the Tamil or Muslim community
supported the motion.” Another point this section pointed out was how
some SLFP ministers did not heed President Sirisena’s advice. Sirisena
has, however, denied any involvement with the no-confidence motion.
The ‘JO’ was also divided over the merits and demerits of the motion
though it voted in full strength.
If Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe survived the no-confidence motion,
interesting enough Sirisena, who gave tacit support to the motion, too
has survived though the project he envisaged — a new Prime Minister
— misfired. In the process Wickremesinghe, as was expected, has
emerged stronger. Though technically, the group of 16 will sit in the
Opposition benches as SLFPers (under the de jure leadership of
Sirisena), they are quite clearly a new entity, one that Sirisena has lost
in his ambitious gamble.

With a new unity, the “Yahapalanaya” (good governance) government

moves towards a new lease of life for the rest of its 18 month tenure.
Unlike the period it has ruled so far, the political minefields it has to
steer through are more complex. With an increase in fuel prices
imminent after the national New Year, its snowballing effect on the
mounting cost of living would be unimaginable.

Added to that is the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation.

Despite the change in the Law and Order portfolio from one to another,
the public at large now fear walking into a Police Station to complain
over acts of injustice. Not unless they know someone who is in some
way connected. They fear the Police as much as they fear the criminals.
The hierarchy remains unconcerned. At one premier greater Colombo
police station, a caller rang to complain to the Station Duty Officer
(SDO) at late night about an emergency. He was told that he was “doing
his rounds.” As the name implies, the SDO is expected to be at the
station. This notwithstanding, the Government is to fast track
investigations into cases involving those in the previous Rajapaksa
administration. More arrests are expected in the coming days and
weeks.
Contrary to the many official news releases, the economic situation has
been cause for serious concern, particularly for those in the private
sector. All this and more will be cause for worry for a relatively old
Government in a relatively new garb.
Posted by Thavam