Friday’s dissolution won’t save UNP Treasury bond issue:
Posted on June 28th, 2015
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy Island
Former UPFA Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday warned the UNP that the truth with regard to the Treasury bond issue couldn’t be swept under the carpet by dissolving Parliament.
The UNP wouldn’t be able to suppress the findings made by a special parliamentary committee that investigated the alleged fraud for over a month, Prof. Peiris asserted.
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The former External Affairs Minister was addressing SLFP Kesbewa Balamandalaya yesterday on the invitation of former MP Gamini Lokuge.
The ex-parliamentarian recalled him moving a no-faith motion against Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran in Parliament several weeks before the dissolution. Peiris said altogether, 88 members had signed that motion whereas two of the charges directed at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe related to the bond scandal.
The electorate was fully aware of the so-called yahapalanaya administration causing irreparable damage to the national economy, he said.
Prof. Peiris alleged that the dissolution was meant to shield the UNP. The UNP lacked the strength to face several no-faith motions moved against the party, hence sought dissolution.
The former law professor recalled the circumstances under which a no-faith motion moved against him by the UNP during the last parliament was defeated with a majority of over 100 votes. “When, they called for a no-confidence motion against me, I requested parliament to expedite the process. In fact, it was perhaps the motion which was debated soonest after being entered in the order book.”
Referring to a statement attributed to Health Minister and cabinet spokesperson Dr. Rajitha Senaratne that the parliament wouldn’t be dissolved until the passage of the 20 Amendment to the Constitution, Prof. Peiris alleged the government caused confusion and uncertainty. The administration obviously couldn’t speak in one voice and continuously misled the country.
The controversy over Colombo Port City was another case in point, Prof. Peiris, said, pointing out varying statements made by various government spokespersons as regards the Chinese-funded project. Alleging that the entire country was in a state of disarray, Prof. Peiris described the situation as a cauldron of confusion. The situation was so bad, public officials now hesitate to take decisions, the former MP said. The forthcoming parliamentary election would give the electorate an opportunity to elect a stable government to ensure continuity of pro-people projects launched by the previous UPFA administration.
June 28th, 2015 at 6:12 pm
During the past three months volumes have been written by patriots of the mother land in the columns of this website.
So, the time has come for them to ‘put their money where their words are’ – by returning to SL pre election time and to
demonstrate their concerns for and loyalty to the mother land alongside kith and kin ,in a pro active manner, rather than from the comforts of the alien West.
June 28th, 2015 at 6:44 pm
L Perera,
Not really. For some it is good to be there PHYSICALLY. Vote, even better. Organize rallies, etc.
But for MOST, the right thing to do is flood the SOCIAL MEDIA. Below 40 upper, upper middle and middle class voters are the BULK of the FLOATING VOTERS and they are now GLUED to social media. Even those who don’t have internet get their news feed from those who have.
FACEBOOK is the most popular. Patriots should go to popular facebook pages of politicians, parties, etc. and flood them with the message.
Patriots should also organize themselves with someone in SL to get posters, handbills printed and distributed.
Believable LIES, cartoons, snippets also have to be created to MAXIMIZE DISGUST against the traitors in the Maru Sira govt. It can be BEST done through FACEBOOK, blogger.
WITHHOLD helping SL in anyway during the election capaign time. IF you do, RULING POLITICIANS will get the credit.
June 28th, 2015 at 8:11 pm
Lorenzo, Why is that no one is referring to the TAMILNET.com? It tells about the Buddhist temple at KOKOKVILL! Its time we talks about this lone Buddhist Monk who doesn’t want accolades or protection.
June 28th, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Lorenzo -your posts were always short, intelligent, unbiased and tinged with humour. Enjoyed reading them.
June 28th, 2015 at 9:45 pm
“Believable LIES, cartoons, snippets also have to be created to MAXIMIZE DISGUST against the traitors in the Maru Sira govt. It can be BEST done through FACEBOOK, blogger.”
“Believable Lies” this is what we hear all the time from Prof. LORENZO.
June 28th, 2015 at 10:07 pm
GL is correct, the dissolution was to avoid the COPE report on the UNP bond fraud scandal and coverup, evade no-confidence motions against UNP ministers (especially Ranil), and to have elections ‘before’ the UNHRC report in September that will help Mahinda. Taking all of this together, there is absolutely no doubt that Maithripala’s decision to dissolve when he did makes Maithripala a servant of the UNP and the West, not the SLFP and the Sri Lankan people.
Mahinda is correct to bag the SLFP and contest with the UPFA under a different party. He should be able to bring the vast majority of SLFP MPs with him, leaving Maithripala the leader of nothing. Mahinda should also aggressively go after each MP who stayed with Maithripala by fielding strong candidates in those districts, especially districts he won in January or even 2010. In fact, comparing the 2010 results with the 2015 results (excluding the minority votes from the North and East) will allow Mahinda to identify the voters he lost to Maithripala and target these voters with the Ranil and UNP foolishness which is obviously not “good governance”. I think there are at least 500,000-1,000,000 voters from Kandy and Colombo areas that are absolutely disgusted that they were tricked into voting for Ranil and a UNP government by voting for Maithripala, and Mahinda only needs 201,000 of these votes (51% of the 400,000 vote difference in January) to win if he can maintain his base of 5.8 million voters.
The security and re-colonization by the West issues will help maintain his 5.8 million, and genuine contrition and reform on corruption while exposing Ranil’s complete phoniness on the corruption issue with the bond fraud and coverup, politicization of law enforcement with the FCID, and stopping the economic development that was occurring previously will reach the disgruntled Maithripala voters.
June 29th, 2015 at 12:09 am
MB,
Not that simple. There are many BORN SLFP voters who will ONLY vote for the SLFP or whatever it is aligned with.
CBK will contest and MOST SLFP voters see her as SWORD B’s daughter. MR cannot win bulk of SLFP votes without winning GAMPAHA. That is where CBK is hiding.
LANKAPUTHRA,
But MR will NOT take up that issue!!
June 29th, 2015 at 12:26 am
MR should promise a PEOPLE’S COUNCIL to look into grievances of ordinary people without politics and work across all ministries.
He should contest SECURITY FORCES PERSONNEL and monks from MOST districts.
Supporters should get doctors, hospitals, port, buses, etc. to STRIKE work near the election to make Maru Sira and Run-nil more unpopular.
June 29th, 2015 at 1:48 am
Regarding the current unelected government, I always felt that they never hijacked power and the country to do justice by the population. They are executing the foreign agenda to make our mother land a failed state. From the mini budget where a super tax (a back tax) was imposed on corporations, the tax free hybrid cars were levied with a tax, zero tax on 1000cc and less cars (these are for Maruti’s and Tata’s imported from India), removing Omanthei check point, allowing 10 out of 13 of the banned goods to the North and latest the Bond scandal (also remember Arjuna opened a branch of the CB in Kilinocchi after the robbery) are all part of the grand plan.
The unity government was not for the people but for the foreign agents. By giving a carrot to the unsuspecting MPs they wanted to pass legislation to make SL a federal state. Our opposition MPs were very courageous in watering down 19A and not allowing the Presidential powers to go to the pickpocket PM.
The last is breaking theLFP and giving the country to the UNP on a platter. I only hope that the grass root levels will oust Sirisena and hold on to the party for the country.
If the UNP manifesto could be published for the benefit of general public it would be very good.
June 29th, 2015 at 5:19 am
ඉන්දියානු අදිරදය පත්කල ආන්ඩුකාරවරියත් ඇගේ තෝරාපත්කරගත් කූලියාත් බලයේ සිටිති. මේ දෙන්නාටම කෝප් වස්ත්රය සෝබිතයාට පූජා කල හැක.
June 29th, 2015 at 6:09 am
The only answer is,if my3 insist on keeping manhida out, to oust him and get mahinda back in to the leadership.
Plain but not simple.
June 29th, 2015 at 6:09 am
The only answer is,if my3 insist on keeping manhida out, to oust him and get mahinda back in to the leadership.
Plain but not simple.
June 29th, 2015 at 7:30 am
Lorenzo,
You are giving CBK WAY too much credit (remember her disastrous “don’t call me a daughter of ….” pledge that ended in total failure) and totally underappreciating the LACK of SLFP party loyalty of their voters. These voters have been loyal to Mahinda and ‘his’ people for over 10 years now, and this will not change in August.
At least 50% of Maithripala’s non-minority, non-UNP voters in January feel they were TRICKED into voting for Ranil and the UNP, and these voters will put Mahinda over the top in August if Mahinda plays the issues correctly in his speeches and advertisements as mentioned above.
June 29th, 2015 at 7:34 am
“A vote for SLFP is REALLY a vote for Ranil and the UNP” is the battle cry Mahinda can use to reach all SLFP voters.
June 29th, 2015 at 8:46 am
Kumari,
You are right. The actions of the new illegal govt do point to weakening of Lanka.
Please add to your list that Ranil W removed the Navy Training Centre in the North. Why would Ranil do that when such a Navy training centre ought to be there for all times, unless he wants more and more illegal migrants from Tamil Nadu to flood into Lanka ? Common sense tells us that Lanka has to guard her coastlines forever, same as Britain.
We must also note that the Tamil leaders have not yet officially removed the Vadukoddai Resolution (1976) or their demand for a Separate State, now called a Federal state.
June 29th, 2015 at 4:32 pm
“The only answer is,if my3 insist on keeping manhida out, to oust him and get mahinda back in to the leadership.
Plain but not simple.”
WELL SAID NAK!
According to the SLFP constitution amended EXACTLY 9 YEARS AGO TODAY, the country’s president automatiaclly becomes the SLFP president if he is a SLFP member.
Now My3 wants to SHED SLFP leadership but CANNOT because of this amendment. He wants to make CBK the SLFP president!!! MOST SLFP working committee is with My3 and don’t want EITHER MR or CBK.
IF Maru Sira and MR support 2 different SLFP sections, BOTH will lose to UNP. SLFP MUST be united by hook or by hook.
That leaves only a SMALL window to save BOTH SLFP and SL. And ONE option.
My old My3 buddy “Independent” complains to the good moderator and gets my comments deleted if I say how. So I stop.
June 29th, 2015 at 4:44 pm
MB,
Maru Sira won mostly UNP votes (other than minority votes). May be 5% was SLFP votes. 50% of that is only 2.5%. Cannot change anything. On the other hand, MR is NO LONGER the SLFP leader. So he does not have the DISTRICT ELECTORATE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE of the SLFP the second most powerful one in the country that is 64 YEARS OLD.
UNP has at least 30% of Singhala voters. AT LEAST. JVP has 5%. Altogether 35%. That leaves 65% for BOTH SLFP groups MAXIMUM. To get 50% of that MR pushes SLFP proper to only 15% which is NOT possible. AT MOST it will be an equal split of 32.5% each for both SLFP groups. With the minorities, UNP will get ahead.
This is why it is CRUCIAL NOT to split the SLFP.