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All Island Working Committee meets: SLFP adopts 15-point document

05 Feb 2022

  • Calls for LG polls, new constitution, and APC
  • Proposes solutions to address ongoing crises
  By Our Political Editor  The main coalition partner of the governing alliance, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), yesterday (5) called on the Government to hold the Local Government (LG) Polls without further delay and to formulate an All Party Committee (APC) to discuss and address the multiple challenges facing the country. The decisions were adopted by the SLFP All Island Working Committee that convened yesterday under the patronage of Party Leader former President Maithripala Sirisena. The SLFP adopted a 15-point document that was prepared by the party’s Working Committee last week. The SLFP noted that the LG Polls should be held without delay to ensure the people’s right to exercise their franchise. The proposed APC, which should be appointed casting aside political differences and agendas, should focus on discussing and successfully managing the multiple crises faced by the country. This committee could work according to a set timeframe and formulate short- and medium-term solutions to the crises. The party has also called for a new constitution that further strengthens parliamentary democracy to be formulated within a period of one year. The document adopted yesterday noted that the SLFP had formed the Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandanaya with the governing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) after agreeing with the ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ policy document. The SLFP has resolved that the current economic crisis was not brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, but was intensified and exposed by it. The party has also proposed that immediate action be taken against fraud, corruption, and irregularities reported from many parts of the country in order to build public confidence in the rule of law and uplift Sri Lanka’s image before the international community. Referring to the Government’s organic fertiliser policy, the SLFP has stated that unscientific decisions and practical issues taken in relation to the policy had resulted in farmers protesting while also threatening the country’s food security.  The party has resolved that the Government should take immediate steps to address the impending rice shortage in the Maha season due to crop failures and that relief be provided to paddy farmers as well as cultivators of minor export crops. On the power crisis, the SLFP has noted that it was an extension of the ongoing economic crisis and was not brought about due to the failure to set up more coal or thermal power plants. The SLFP has called on the Government to focus on renewable energy sources and act against technical or institutional obstacles that delay the initiation of renewable energy projects. The party has further noted that the Government should take steps to properly manage moves by some ‘economic assassins’ to sell the country’s assets for cheap to earn money amidst the ongoing crises. The SLFP has further stated that given the challenges faced by the country, there was a threat of emerging crises in the sectors of food security, power and energy security, economic security, and ecological security. According to the SLFP, the growing public dissension against the Government indicates the multiple crises identified by the party.  “The growing public dissention witnessed island-wide shows the political instability that stems from the crises that have been identified. The Government should positively manage these unstable scenarios.”


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