The appointment of a new Cabinet has arrived at a fresh deadlock with President Maithripala Sirisena refusing to appoint crossover SLFP MPs and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka to Cabinet positions.
President Sirisena
At the Central Committee meeting of the party held at the Presidential Secretariat last night, Sirisena had assured his party that he would not appoint crossover MPs and former Army Commander Fonseka who has severely criticized the President since the outbreak of the political crisis.
President Sirisena, at the Central Committee meeting, had specifically mentioned the names of Vijith Wijayamuni Zoysa, Indika Bandaranaike and Lakshman Seneviratne who crossed over to the ruling party in Parliament. On a previous occasion, the President informed the UNP that he will not appoint Piyasena Gamage, A.H.M. Fowzie and Manusha Nanayakkara as Cabinet members.
The UNP, however, has shot back at the President saying it is the United National Front (UNF) that will make final decisions on the ministerial portfolios. Informed party sources also added that the UNP would continue to negotiate with SLFP MPs willing to work with the UNF government.
“Three SLFP MPs joined the UNF yesterday. Three more will join today or tomorrow. With them joining the government, the SLFP, headed by the President, will have only 15 members in Parliament. A person who has only 15 members in the House cannot dictate terms to a party that has 109 MPs,” a senior UNP Spokesman told Colombo Telegraph this morning.
The President has also informed the UNP that he will not relinquish the Police Department and the Ministry of Media. The UNP, however, has vehemently opposed the President’s move, insisting that the two ministries should come under the UNP’s purview.
UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the media this morning that under no circumstances would the UNP agree with the President’s demands on the Law and Order Ministry and the Media Ministry.
JD / December 20, 2018
Maithripala Sirisena is on the Right Track. CT is different. Sri lankan Majority is not English speaking people. so, what CT says is immaterial. Sarath Fonseka has lost his reputation and now he is damaged goods. As a politician he never kept his reputation and never told to show that he is a politician.
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Kabaragoya / December 20, 2018
Is there anyone more damaged now than Sillysena Gamarala and Mahagona Rajapukka?
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jslal / December 20, 2018
Well said, JD! The President’s finally making a stand he should have many a while ago.
CT used to be good, unbiased amateur journalism, but now it has become a paradise for those on vested missions to benefit themselves. Some are just exposing their viciousness they are hiding inside…Same as that junk site e-news (a.k.a. ‘goo news’) :)…
Oh, well….at least they get to vent whatever’s bothering them. Heh heh.
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Buddhist / December 20, 2018
At times I wonder how people like Lakthilaka who is M3’s senior advisor can stomach these stupid acts of the President and still serve him. Is Lakthilaka there for money, has he got no self respect?
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Kumarage Perera / December 20, 2018
President is gaming with power neglecting the economic volcano where our beloved country is on .
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Ayathuray Rajasingam / December 20, 2018
On policy reason, it has to be accepted that Maithiripala was correct in refusing Ministerial post to A.H.M.Fowzie because while being a Minister in the past, he was in close association with the drug king who once followed the High Court Judge of Colombo and shot him dead for not granting bail. A.H.M.Fowzie did not had the courtesy to condemn such a criminal act. People should be aware of this. But D.M.Swaminathan and Malik Samarawickrema could have been accommodated though they have opted out. Ranil should pay more attention on this matter. I do not know about others. Even then there are some undesirable characters in the Cabinet. Ranil, people are watching the people whom you are selecting. Mangala Samaraweera is acceptable.
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Sim / December 20, 2018
The President is from SLFP even though he won with the UNP’s supporting him. What right does he has in the appointment of the cabinet?
What we want is the pending court cases to be expedited and the culprits punished before the next General election
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Rwkd / December 20, 2018
If sarath fonseka is damaged, yes he was injured and almost killed for the country. If he was good enough to lead the war against the country and bring about victory for everyone to claim being victors he should be good enough to hold a ministry. President should not complain over crossovers holding ministries as he himself crossed over from swan to slfp and still holds office! If crossovers cannot be ministers, parliement won’t find 30 ministers as from maithripala and mahinda downwards almost everyone at some point has crossed over from one party to another!
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Vanguard / December 20, 2018
Please, let’s give the politicians the respect they deserve. Or to put it another way, let’s respect the position and try to work with these people who really want to serve the country (and themselves to some extent, but we all do).
Apart from personal flaws, these politicians are perfectly capable of developing the country ( and themselves) and helping the poor (and themselves) . Apart from that I am sure they get donations from their supporters, the same people who put up huge posters, this is not illegal money, after all, a gift is a gift.
Give them a chance, I mean what is the worst that could happen? The return of Terrorism?
The President is doing a great job, given the circumstances, at least he has kept his sanity, and he has not resigned and gone back to farming, which would show lack of resolve, and make him look like a pansy. As Chairman of SLFP he wants an SLFP government, nothing wrong with that. One day his dream of a united Sri Lanka will come true.
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Kabaragoya / December 20, 2018
Politicians deserve respect because they cost over 50 0million dollars each, lot more than other people.
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