Prez’s hint at being ready for second term causes turmoil in Opp. – Minister

..admits no option but to increase fuel prices

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Welcoming President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent declaration that he would seek a second term, SLPP Gampaha District leader and tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunga yesterday (22) said that the announcement caused turmoil in the Opposition.

The announcement made by the President at a recent meeting with proprietors of the privately owned media and heads of both state and private media delivered a heavy blow to Opposition plans, Minister Ranatunga said, adding that those opposed to the government were in disarray.

The minister said this while addressing members of the Minuwangoda Pradeshiya Sabha at Udugampola.

Referring to the rejection of a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) moved by the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila by a staggering 2/3 majority, Minister Ranatunga emphasised that there hadn’t been a split in the ruling SLPP though there were differences of opinion among constituent parties of its coalition.

The SLPP backed Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the 2019 presidential election though he was not a member of the party. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa hasn’t taken the SLPP membership yet.

The SLPP parliamentary grouping including its General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, who demanded Minister Gammanpila’s resignation over fuel price hike voted against the NCM.

Minister Ranatunga said that the outcome of the NCM proved the stability and strength of the government. The NCM received 61 votes in favour of it and 152 against. The Speaker and 11 others didn’t vote at the first NCM faced by the incumbent government.

Pointing out that in the wake of its big defeat, the Opposition had begun to give feeble excuses, Minister Ranatunga said that the government could comfortably defeat any Opposition move. The SLPP Gampaha District strongman said that the Opposition strategy was meant to cause a division within the government parliamentary group. However, the bid to exploit the situation boomeranged on the Opposition, the former SLFPer said.

Lawmaker Ranatunga said that they should understand that the government had no option but to increase fuel prices though it would have been much better if price increase could have been avoided. The minister alleged that a section of the civil society grouping was backing the Opposition campaign against the government. The ongoing relentless wave of protests and strikes was part of their strategy, he alleged, vowing to defeat all Opposition challenges.

Minister Ranatunga assured that new Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa would take necessary measures to rebuild the national economy that had been battered by the raging Covid-19 epidemic. Those trade unions affiliated to various Opposition political parties were hell-bent on undermining government efforts to overcome challenges posed by the epidemic. The Minister said that restoration of the tourism industry before the end of this year would be a major part in their overall strategy to bring the situation under control.