• Claims debate date & venue must be discussed in prior 
• SJB MP Jayamaha also notes the need for debate between parties’ econ. councils

The main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), rejected the dates proposed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) led National People’s Power (NPP) also of the Opposition,, claiming that the dates must be decided after discussing with both the Parties.

The NPP officially informed the SJB on Monday (22) that they are prepared to hold the proposed debate between the Leaders of the two Parties — SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and JVP and NPP Leader and Opposition Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake — on one of the following days: 7 May, 9 May, 13 May or 14 May. In a letter sent by its Executive member, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa to SJB General Secretary, Opposition MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the NPP said that certain misunderstandings and speculations might be raised among the public regarding the debate if setting out a date is further delayed. The letter further said that a venue, a television channel, and the duration of the debate can be decided after setting out a specific date.

Against this backdrop, SJB MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha told the media yesterday (23) that the SJB is not ready to hold the debate on any date proposed by the NPP as the dates have been decided without consulting the SJB. Claiming that Premadasa is ready for the debate at any time, he said that the debate must be organised by the two Parties after reaching a consensus regarding the date and the venue. He said that deciding on a date without consulting others is not ethical. MP Jayamaha further claimed that while they had initially proposed a debate between the economic councils of the two Parties, the NPP is seemingly not ready for such a debate as the NPP is making attempts to depend on Dissanayake, since the NPP does not have experts for every sector, However, he noted that the SJB is to discuss the matter with Jayatissa in the days to come and take measures to fix dates for both the debates between the two Leaders and the respective economic councils.