• Govt. delegation witnesses marked improvement in reception in Japan
• RW receives courtesy calls from four former Japanese Prime Ministers
• Singapore’s Dep. PM and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong meets RW
• RW also meets old friend former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad
• SLPP has no option now but to agree to UNP’s economic policy: Prez
• Govt. secures numbers for motion against Ratnayake, split in Opposition
• MR surprises RW’s informants and votes for motion, Namal also supports
• Two new governors to be appointed, appointments for Palitha and Navin
• SJB to commence programme to strengthen party with electoral meetings
• SLFP crisis intensifies with anti-Dayasiri action and chaos within the UPFA 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit this past week to Japan is being considered by those within the Government as an opportunity to firm up relations with one of the country’s oldest allies. 

With Japan having been insulted by the former Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government through the unilateral decision to cancel several investment projects, including the Japanese-funded Light Rail Transit (LRT), efforts have been ramped up by the Wickremesinghe administration to repair ties and regain the LRT project. 

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Wickremesinghe had apologised to the people of Japan for the mistreatment by the former Government. 

Sources within the Government stated that there had been a marked improvement in relations between the two countries. Last year when Wickremesinghe visited Japan, the reception had been cordial but far from friendly. On this occasion the welcome has been far warmer, with both the Japanese Prime Minister and his ministers looking to engage the President and his delegation in a more amicable manner.

In fact, it was noticed that following a bilateral summit between President Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Kishida in the morning, the pair were spotted once again at a dinner seated together chatting.

During Wickremesinghe’s address at the Nikkei Forum, he had made it clear that Sri Lanka’s foreign policy had elevated the importance of Japan regarding the geopolitics of the region. This was not lost on the Prime Minister, who had made clear his appreciation of the recognition by the Sri Lankan delegation of his Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative. 

More meets

Alongside the meetings with Government officials, Wickremesinghe was also paid courtesy calls by four former Japanese Prime Ministers. 

It was during these meetings that the President was introduced to several younger MPs who are vying for the top spots in the Japanese political hierarchy. 

The Sri Lanka mission in Tokyo had also been given the added task of preparing for a high-level visit by the Japanese Government to Sri Lanka. While sources within the Government have been tight-lipped about the visit, it is anticipated that it will coincide with the announcement of a large-scale investment project this year which will be funded by Japan.

Apart from the Japanese heavyweights, Wickremesinghe had also met several other key figures in the Asian political landscape. With Singapore being identified by policymakers in Colombo as being another essential partner, Wickremesinghe had taken the opportunity to meet Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong. Pegged as the heir apparent to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the meeting with Wong was an opportunity to give him a first-hand account of the progress in the liberalisation of the country’s economy. 

This meeting was hastily convened following the last-minute cancellation of the scheduled meeting between the President and the Singapore Prime Minister due to the latter contracting Covid. The scrambling to organise this meeting within 24 hours certainly made an impact with insiders, who claimed that Wong was considering a visit to Sri Lanka in the near future.

Meeting a friend

Aside from the Japanese Government officials, Wickremesinghe had also run into an old friend in Tokyo. While attending the Nikkei Forum banquet, the President was photographed chatting with Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. This certainly got the Colombo circles talking, with comparisons quickly being drawn between the two leaders. 

Mahathir had last returned as Prime Minister in 2018, 15 years after having held office for 22 years consecutively. With Mahathir having been credited with the development of Malaysia, there will be many who will be asking the question of whether Wickremesinghe will also end his career with a similar reputation.

No option for SLPP

Wickremesinghe, for his part, is pushing for a new economic order for Sri Lanka that could help the country come out of the economic doldrums for good.

However, the varying challenges in achieving these goals that range from the full implementation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to mustering the support of political parties, trade unions, and nationalist elements for the reforms programme have left the Wickremesinghe Government racing against time at present.

It is in such a backdrop that he had said in Kegalle recently that members of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) had expressed their will and given the necessary support to the economic policy of the United National Party (UNP). He had noted that this support was very important if the country was to recover from the economic crisis. “We should all work together and work hard to build a prosperous country out of bankruptcy.”

He had also stated that the IMF had imposed tough conditions on Sri Lanka: “But we had no other options. Similar conditions were presented earlier in the negotiations with the IMF. There, one previous Government withdrew from transactions with the IMF, but we have gone to the IMF and are taking the programme forward with proper management.”

An IMF mission, led by Peter Breuer and Masahiro Nozaki following the staff visit to Colombo from 11-23 May to discuss recent economic developments and implementation of the fund-supported programme, had issued a statement declaring that achieving timely restructuring agreements with creditors in line with the programme targets by the time of the first review was essential to restoring debt sustainability.

Accordingly, the IMF team pointed out that keeping up the reform momentum and ensuring timely implementation of programme commitments, including to ensure Central Bank independence, improve governance, and protect the vulnerable, were key for Sri Lanka to emerge from the economic crisis.

The statement further read: “We welcome the authorities’ ongoing efforts in meeting key commitments under the fund-supported programme. Performance under the programme will be formally assessed in the context of the first review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, which is expected to be undertaken in September 2023. The mission discussed additional fiscal efforts that will be critical to ensure successful revenue mobilisation. We also discussed progress on debt restructuring, noting the ongoing discussions with both foreign and domestic creditors.”

During their visit, the IMF mission had discussed recent macroeconomic and financial sector developments. 

The statement further said: “Following strong policy efforts, the macroeconomic situation in Sri Lanka is showing tentative signs of improvement, with inflation moderating, the exchange rate stabilising, and the Central Bank rebuilding reserves buffers. However, the overall macroeconomic and policy environment remains challenging.”

The IMF team, while in Sri Lanka, had met with President and Finance Minister Wickremesinghe, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana, senior Government officials, members of the Opposition parties, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), think tanks, trade unions, the private sector, and development partners.

Awaiting investments

President Wickremesinghe has meanwhile emphasised the country’s commitment to stabilising and liberalising the economy while actively inviting new foreign ventures during a roundtable discussion in Tokyo, Japan on Friday (26).

He had engaged in a business roundtable on ‘Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival and Opportunities for Japanese Enterprise,’ which was jointly organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan-Sri Lanka Business Co-Operation, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan, aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

Wickremesinghe had outlined the ongoing efforts undertaken by Sri Lanka to restore stability and openness to its economy, which has presented an inviting climate for foreign investment. 

In a bid to attract Japanese enterprises to Sri Lanka, the President had discussed the various measures and reforms being implemented to create a conducive business environment for potential investors. 

He had also recognised Japan’s significance as a vital economic partner and emphasised the mutual benefits that could be derived from increased collaboration between the two nations. 

The President had highlighted Sri Lanka’s strategic location and skilled workforce as key advantages, providing a gateway for Japanese companies to expand their operations in the region and leverage the country’s emerging economic opportunities. 

The President’s media team noted that President Wickremesinghe’s active participation at the roundtable underscored the Government’s unwavering commitment to attracting foreign investment and driving sustainable economic progress at a time when Sri Lanka continued its journey toward economic revival.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is reportedly expecting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to rise by a fifth to $ 1.3 billion this year, a Government official had stated on Wednesday (24). India is likely to play a lead role despite the Sri Lankan economy facing its worst crisis in decades.

Despite Sri Lanka being pushed to the brink last year by power cuts, chronic shortages of fuel and food, and soaring inflation, a Reuters report noted that Sri Lanka had managed to raise its FDIs by 38% to $ 1.08 billion, as revealed by data from the Board of Investment (BOI).

Part of the push had reportedly come from India, which wants to keep China’s expansion in its neighbour in check. India’s Adani Group had signed up for two wind power plants worth $ 442 million last year.

Sri Lanka has received proposals worth $ 600 million with 22 new projects and six expansions in the first quarter, according to BOI Director General Renuka Weerakone.

“The acid test is really in what comes in, that is what really helps the economy,” she had told Reuters.

Numbers game

The vote last week on the motion moved by the Government to remove the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairman had the Government working hard to ensure that it was passed with a House majority. 

The vote was taken on Wednesday (24) evening following the debate and was passed with a majority of 43 votes, with 123 Members of Parliament (MPs), a majority from the ruling SLPP voting in favour, while 77 MPs, most of whom were from the main Opposition, voting against. The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) voted against the motion. 

However, on the electronic display of the division of votes, a few SLPP dissident MPs, who had declared themselves as ‘independent’ MPs sitting in the Opposition, including Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, W.D.J. Seneviratne, A.L.M. Athaullah, and Nimal Lanza, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Duminda Dissanayake, and SJB MPs Kumara Welgama, A.H.M. Fowzie, and Vadivel Suresh had voted in favour of the motion. 

While certain Opposition MPs including Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa criticised MP Ali Sabri Raheem, who was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake with an illegal consignment of gold on Tuesday (23), and was subsequently released after the imposition of a fine, being allowed to attend the parliamentary session and to vote for the resolution, Raheem had voted against it.

The Chief Government Whip had last week instructed all SLPP MPs in writing to attend House sittings on Wednesday (24).

The instruction had come following reports that 10 seniors were going to boycott sittings in a mark of protest against the President to express their displeasure over not being appointed to the Cabinet.

The joint Opposition coalition had also met on Monday (22) in Parliament to discuss the vote on Ratnayake as well as other decisions taken by the coalition.

Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP), the SLFP, and the dissident MPs of the ruling SLPP currently in the Opposition had announced their decision to vote against the said proposal on Monday.

SLFP Senior Vice President Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa had said that the SLFP MPs elected to the Parliament from the SLPP ticket, had also decided to vote against the proposal to remove Ratnayake.

The Government had assigned Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to ensure the support of the SLFP MPs for the motion on Ratnayake.

Dissident SLPP MP Gevindu Cumaratunga, representing the Supreme Lanka Coalition (SLC), which consists of MPs Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, and several others, had stated that they would cast votes against the resolution.

Freedom People’s Council (FPC) led by MPs Dullas Alahapperuma and Prof. G.L. Peiris had said that they had also decided to vote against the motion to remove Ratnayake.

MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa had said that the group of MPs led by him, including MPs Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Chandima Weerakkody, and Jayarathna Herath, would discuss the matter on Tuesday (23) and reach a decision. Yapa however voted in favour of the motion during the division.

MR turns up

The vote on the motion against Ratnayake also placed much focus on the Rajapaksas, especially on SLPP Leader, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) and his son, MP Namal Rajapaksa. The latter has taken over the role of an Opposition legislator these days by challenging certain actions of the Government.

It is learnt that both MR and Namal were under pressure by some SLPP MPs who had maintained that the party should not vote against the then PUCSL Chairman since he had the support of the people for speaking against the increase of electricity tariffs as well as issues faced by the country’s power and energy sector.

However, it is also learnt that MR had decided not to refrain from supporting the Government’s motion as it was not the time to clash with the incumbent administration and create instability in the country. He had convinced Namal as well that it was still not the time to act against the Government.

MR had also learnt that President Wickremesinghe had been given a list of names of MPs who would not be voting in favour of the Government’s motion and that his (MR’s) name was on the list as well.

MR had then noted that the people who had prepared and handed over such a list to the President would be humiliated when he arrived in Parliament on the day of the vote and voted in favour of the motion.

Another candidate

Nevertheless, following the outcome of the vote on the motion, former PUCSL Chairman Ratnayake declared his intentions of running for the highest office in the country.

Ratnayake, prior to being removed from office, had told the media: “I have always spoken for the people’s benefit and MPs who are elected by the people should think twice before voting in support of this resolution. Also, removing the chairman of an independent commission using political power is not a good precedent. This modus operandi will push independent commissions to raise issues against adverse decisions of the Government. This is a big damage to a democratic system. This will affect the future of all independent commissions.”

After he was removed from office, Ratnayake had told the media that he was prepared to contest at the next Presidential Election. He had said that since all common political candidates had failed, he would contest the next Presidential Election as a people’s candidate.

Ratnayake had added that while there were a number of political parties in the country, none of these parties had been able to fulfil people’s expectations.

More governors

The appointment of governors to the Provincial Councils has meanwhile become a much-discussed topic in political circles following the controversial manner in which President Wickremesinghe had appointed three new governors recently.

Government sources now say that two more new governors are likely to be appointed in the near future.

Sources said that UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara is likely to be appointed as the Governor of the Central Province while former Minister Navin Dissanayake is likely to be appointed as the Governor of the Sabaragamuwa Province.

The new governors are expected to be appointed after President Wickremesinghe returns to the country following his official visit to Japan.

Despite news reports which said that five new governors were to be appointed prior to Wickremesinghe’s Japanese tour, only three new governors were appointed to the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Provinces.

Although a new governor was to be appointed to the Western Province, President Wickremesinghe had not removed the Western Province Governor due to a request made by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A new governor was also to be appointed to the Sabaragamuwa Province, but the new appointment was delayed since Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa was overseas to attend his daughter’s graduation. He is expected to return to the country on 4 June.

State Ministers disgruntled

Some state ministers in the current Government are a disgruntled lot since many ministers holding Cabinet portfolios are failing to share their work with the state ministers as well as assign duties of some State institutions to them. There are currently 22 Cabinet and 38 state ministers in the Government.

The disgruntled state ministers have approached several confidants of the President to explain their plight to them and to request presidential intervention in addressing the issue. The state ministers have pointed out that some ministers had only assigned one or two minor State institutions to the state ministers while holding the key institutions under them. The main reason for this issue is the lack of a gazette notification assigning subjects to many state ministries.

The growing displeasure between ministers and state ministers is likely to blow up in the coming weeks in the event the President decides to appoint new ministers to the Cabinet.

Gearing for polls

Opposition political parties continue to focus on holding an election, with special attention also being placed on an early Presidential Election. The main Opposition SJB and the group of SLPP dissidents – the Freedom People’s Council – have expressed their support to the Government to move a motion in Parliament paving the way for the holding of an early Presidential Election.

FPC Co-Leader Prof. Peiris had stated that they would support the Government’s motion for early elections during a recent visit to Anuradhapura.

However, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene had said that a Presidential Election would be held next year and that it was important for the nation to elect incumbent President Wickremesinghe for another term. “The incumbent President should rule the nation for five years if the nation is to be stabilised economically,” Wijewardene had reportedly told the UNP Bala Mandala meeting in Gampaha.

“President Wickremesinghe predicted the economic crisis three years ago. He predicted the economic downturn even before the Covid pandemic broke out. He has been able to stabilise the nation to a fair extent. It took 10 years for Greece to earn some kind of stability after the economic crisis. However, Sri Lanka has moved towards stability in a short time. Therefore, Wickremesinghe should rule the nation for at least another five years,” he had said.

“All parties should forget political differences and unite to form national policies on behalf of the nation. We are happy to see some SJB and SLFP Gampaha District organisers joining the UNP,” he had added.

SJB in action

Meanwhile, the SJB has decided to refocus on building and strengthening the party network and a series of electoral level meetings have been planned from 16 June. 

Opposition and SJB Leader Premadasa is expected to visit all electorates to form the party’s electoral committees. The focus of the meetings attended by Premadasa is to brief the people on the current political and economic situation in the country with the aim of preparing them for the next election.

The SJB is to also initiate action against party MP Vadivel Suresh for acting in violation of the party decision during the vote on the removal of PUCSL Chairman Ratnayake.

UPFA in crisis

While the Opposition is pushing for elections, including an early Presidential Election, the SLFP is faced with a series of crises, with the political alliance led by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) running into troubled waters over a leadership clash.

The Election Commission last week stated that both Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and MP Thilanga Sumathipala holding the post of General Secretary of the UPFA would not be accepted until relevant inquiries were concluded.

The Additional Commissioner of Elections (Legal and Investigation) in a letter to Amaraweera had emphasised that attention had been paid to all the facts presented by both parties. The letter had also mentioned that since the issue was currently being heard before courts, the commission would suspend accepting Amaraweera or Sumathipala as the General Secretary of the UPFA until a verdict was delivered by the court.

The SLFP last year decided to remove the party’s MPs who had accepted ministerial portfolios in the Wickremesinghe Government from all their positions in the party.

Accordingly, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Jagath Pushpakumara, and Chamara Sampath Dassanayake were removed from all positions held by them in the party and were also stripped of their SLFP Central Committee membership. 

Meanwhile, the SLFP Central Committee had unanimously decided to appoint Sumathipala as the General Secretary of the UPFA on 21 November 2022.

However, the following day, five constituent parties of the UPFA had declared that they did not accept Sumathipala as the new General Secretary of the alliance, pointing out that they were not notified regarding the removal of Amaraweera, who was the General Secretary of the UPFA, or the appointment of a new general secretary.

The parties further pointed out that the Executive Council or the allied parties of the alliance must be informed in this regard in accordance with the Constitution of the UPFA and its previous precedents.

However, a case pertaining to the matter filed by Amaraweera is currently being heard in the Colombo District Court. 

The relevant case was filed by Amaraweera naming several respondents, including UPFA Leader Maithripala Sirisena, MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara, Vadivel Suresh, Thilanga Sumathipala, and others, challenging the decision to remove him from the post of general secretary of the UPFA.

Anti-Dayasiri move

Meanwhile a group of SLFP members is expecting Party Leader Sirisena to remove MP Dayasiri Jayasekara as the SLFP General Secretary over several matters, including a recent incident where the latter had allegedly attacked and made death threats to an officer of the party’s media unit on Monday (22).

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday (23), Pradeep Nanayakkara, who is alleged to have been attacked and threatened by Jayasekara during an event to mark Republic Day in Colombo the previous day, on Monday, had said that he had lodged a complaint with the Cinnamon Garden Police Station regarding the incident.

“When we are loyal to Sirisena, Jayasekara does not like it. There have been a series of incidents of him criticising electoral organisers and party members who are loyal to Sirisena. Once he met us and told us not to work for Sirisena and instead work for MP Jayasekara. We have informed the party about it. Since then, he criticises anyone who speaks in favour of Sirisena. The latest incident of his actions is the attack and threat on me,” he had claimed.

Meanwhile, a senior member of the SLFP, who also represents the party’s Central Committee, had told the media that many SLFP members were of the view that Sirisena should take steps to remove Jayasekara as the party’s General Secretary. “Jayasekara’s behaviour is not suitable for his position. Sirisena is well aware of all these matters. We have not officially requested him to remove Jayasekara, but we expect that he will do it, considering these matters,” he had noted.

However, Jayasekara had stated that the SLFP members who had joined the Government in contravention to the SLFP policies expecting ministerial positions were attempting to create a conflict between him and Sirisena.

“As the General Secretary of the party, for what reason should I work against the Party Leader? I always work to protect him and the party. All these accusations are made by different individuals who have no loyalty to the party but only to their political agenda. Behind this are people who have left the party looking for ministerial positions,” he had added.