Day: 24 November 2014

It is alleged that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Leader R. Sampanthan had discussions with former President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Sunday (23) asking beyond the 13th Amendment. The TNA is asking for implementing the 13th Amendment, bringing in changes in the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) and in changing the governors of the North and East. Kumaratunga in reply, had told Sampanthan not to seek anything beyond the implementation of the 13th Amendment as per the countries constitution.. UNP has already announced that they will NOT go anything beyond 13th amendment and would not…

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Some ministers said today they were in favour of abolishing the executive presidency or to at least prune its powers and would continue the struggle to bring these about. At a media conference held Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) head office, the ministers — many of whom were mentioned in the media as possible crossovers to the opposition when asked by a journalist about the President’s statement that he held the files of several ministers to be used if and when necessary — said it was not the correct thing…

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Third reading of the Budget 2015 passed in Parliament with a majority of 95 votes. Of the 225 MPs in the house, 152 members voted for the Budget while 57 voted against. Fifteen MPs, including the government MPs supporting Maithripala Sirisena, were absent today. With the vote on the third reading, the debate on the budget which took place for over 24 days came to an end. Minister Sumedha Jayasena was absent in the Parliameny when the vote was taken. It was widely speculated that she was going to cross…

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MR says he has files on the defectors – BLACK MAIL BY PRESIDENT? UNP’s who’s  ‘Files’ are with President to CROSS OVER next week? SLPE’s who’s […] ‘I HAVE YOUR FILES’ President warns betrayers Don’t throw stones from glass houses Those who left the party were always doomed Chandrika promised to scrap EP but ruled[…] Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake today questioned why President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not taking any action if he had files on the illegal activities of government members. President Rajapaksa, on Sunday said…

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Sri Lanka: Rajapksa’s move to remove Bandaranaike name from SLFP revealed ( November 24, 29014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) “Former general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (… Sri Lanka: Battle lines drawn | by Manik De Silva ( November 23, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The battle lines are drawn and the coun… A short profile of honourable Maithirpala Sirisena | by A Special Correspondent ( November 22, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Today is a historical day in S… Tamil must be more widely used for true…

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Left parties in the government to reconsider stance Lanka News Web on Sunday, 23 November 2014 05:21 Left parties in the government are to hold a separate discussion to reconsider their stance on the next Presidential election. Desperate MaRa offers bribes up to Rs. 1000 million: nation implores politicos not to sell their souls or betray country (Lanka-e-News- 23.Nov.2014, 9.45AM) With the exit of SLFP general secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena from the government ably supported by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunge , and after becoming the opposition common candidate…

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Don’t throw stones from glass houses Those who left the party were always doomed Chandrika promised to scrap EP but ruled for 11 years Dharmasiri Abeyratne President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday warned party-men who betray and cross to the opposition not to throw stones while living in glass houses. “I have their files and documents which will be very detrimental to their well being. I will not use them against those who had left betraying the party, but I warn them not to throw stones from inside glass houses,” he…

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President Mahinda Rajapaka signs a proclamation announcing an early presidential election. The President and his secretary Lalith Weeratunga (R) waiting for the auspicious time. By Shamindra Ferdinando With the JVP deciding against fielding a candidate at the seventh presidential election now scheduled for January 8, 2015, there is no likelihood of a smaller party nominating a candidate of its own. Asked whether the five-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had decided on its position, National List MP A. M. Sumanthiran yesterday told The Island that they haven’t met yet to discuss…

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Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary, Patali Champika Ranawaka, in an interview with Ceylon Today said, “We invite people to join us to create a new age of better economic and political culture.” Ceylontoday, 2014-11-23 02:00:00 Mega deal makers have hijacked Parliament – Champika Ranawaka By Niranjala Ariyawansha Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary, Patali Champika Ranawaka, in an interview with Ceylon Today said, “We invite people to join us to create a new age of better economic and political culture.” Following are excerpts: Q: You said at the press…

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It had to happen that way, and the break was only possible with a serious split within the regime. The moment had come for members of the SLFP to take the plunge. And when finally Vasantha Senanayake, MP, crossed over (the first member of the brave ‘suicide squad’) and mentioned that he knew who the common candidate was, the matter was settled. It had to be Maithripala Sirisena. And yet it was somewhat remarkable, in this day and age of unprecedented surveillance, how the opposition forces kept the regime guessing,…

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Former Fisheries Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has always cut a rebellious figure in the local political arena and this image was further boosted when he left the government on Friday to join the common opposition movement that has fielded SLFP stalwart Maithripala Sirisena as the much anticipated common candidate to contest against President Rajapaksa at the upcoming presidential polls. From believing President Rajapaksa was fit to win the Nobel Prize, what prompted Dr. Senaratne to abandon the government and pledge his support to a candidate competing against President Rajapaksa at…

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Leader of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka MP Rajiva Wijesinha says that it is important that Mahinda Rajapaksa does not win the forthcoming Presidential Election, because if he wins the consequences for Sri Lanka’s armed forces will be very negative. Wijesinha, who recently quit the government with former Minister Maithripala Sirisena, was speaking as a panelist, along with UNP economic spokesman MP Harsha de Silva and Global Tamil Forum (GTF) spokesman Suren Surendiran, in Aljazeera’s “Inside Story” segment on Thursday (20). “I think the President does feel beleaguered,” he…

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UNP’s who’s  ‘Files’ are with President to CROSS OVER next week? SLPE’s who’s ‘Files’ are with the President will continue to stay with the government. President Mahinda Rajapaksa today warned that he had “files” on those who had defected from the Government but will not use it against them. A Government supporter said that If the President had files on ‘corruption(?)’ on the people who are in is government  as he says it, It is wrong for him to hold on to it. If he was a Honest leader he must take…

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