With just a few more hours to go for a crucial Constitutional Council meeting to select the country’s 34th Inspector General of Police (IGP), Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Champika Ranawaka, who is a member of the Constitutional Council is coming under increasing pressure to sit out of the meeting.
Champika Ranawaka
Highly placed sources said that the decision would be an inherently personal decision on Ranawaka’s part, even though there was no clause to demand him to sit out of Monday’s meeting.
Minister Ranawaka is currently embroiled in a conflict of interest issue with the police as police is currently investigating his alleged recent hit and run case in Rajagiriya, which comes directly under the purview of DIG Pujith Jayasundara, one of the contenders for the top IGP position.
Several members of the Constitutional Council, including those nominated from the opposition have been pressuring Ranawaka to sit out of the meeting, which is scheduled to decide between Jayasundara, Chandana Wickramaratne and acting IGP S. M. Wickremesinghe for the position of police chief. Wickremesinghe has the backing of President Sirisena, although it is learnt that Jayasundara is the front runner for the position. However, a final decision will be taken by the Council after interviewing the three DIGs.
The Constitutional Council comprises of ten members, including Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan, Champika Ranawaka, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, W. D. J. Seneviratne, Vijitha Herath, Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy and Shibly Aziz. Ranawaka is President Maithripala Sirisena’s nominee to the Council.
Meanwhile, the Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that Ranawaka met with the Prime Minister late evening on Sunday for a meeting.
On Saturday, Member of the Council, W. D. J. Seneviratne said that if Ranawaka had any ‘credibility and integrity’ he should sit out of Monday’s meeting.
Repeated attempts by the Colombo Telegraph to contact Ranawaka, proved futile.
Lanka Watch / April 18, 2016
The purpose of having a Constitutional Council (CC)is lost if the PM
or the President openly backs a candidate, who should be selected only on merits, seniority and past record. On a matter of principles, Mr. Champika Ranawaka should sit out of Monday’s meeting to select the IGP.
thus setting an example of non interference in selecting a suitable
person for the job of IGP and set a precedence for others in the CC.to
follow.
CC should not be another white elephant for the govt. and they should
be allowed to do their job independently without interference from outside sources.
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Nic / April 21, 2016
How could you expect this guy to sit out when his political future is all but done. He is presumed guilty by his very acts post the fatal accident where he failed to stop and act like any and all citizens are required to do. His best friend is on Panama Papers. What MS and RW – these two have turned out to be mere puppets hoping that we the people will tolerate their betrayal of our supporting them for good, open and principled governance.
End of the day – there is no difference between pre 2015 and post 2015!!!! Look at how cabinet members behave and increase their number contrary to the promise to country!
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Daham / April 18, 2016
On Saturday, Member of the Council, The NOTORIOUS W. D. J. Seneviratne who does not have any credibility said that if Ranawaka had any ‘credibility and integrity’ he should sit out of Monday’s meeting. WDWS too should sit out of CC.
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Daham / April 18, 2016
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe who protects the Rajapaksas should also sit out of this CC meeting as he will vote for the friend of Anura Senanayake and Thissa.
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BBS Rep / April 18, 2016
Very interesting. I wonder if in the land of Moda Meeharakas if anyone would understand what ‘conflict of interest’ is.
If we are to go by the weird explanation given by My3 with regards to what is meant by Nepotism (when questioned about the unofficial official roles taken on by his children) ‘conflict of interest’ also will be given a similar explanation – methinks.
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jim softy / April 18, 2016
As W.D. J. Senevirathne has talked about another member in the CC, he should not sit. that is conflict of interest when a sitting member talk against another member.
Senevirathne should resign because of conflict of interest.
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Daham / April 18, 2016
Jim Softy has made a very valid point.
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Nic / April 21, 2016
You got to give all the members of the CC time to learn their job as for 10 years MR never had one – so no one is experienced on the job including the pozi
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thrishu / April 18, 2016
He should have cleared his name when he had the time and initiative in his hands. But alas, isntead he was trying to be smart, and now………?
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samare / April 18, 2016
We can undestand your differences with him. But I really dont know even if the accident was as it had been rumouered out, it was nothing deliberately done. It was an accident. This person was one of the front men that drove away the Rajaakshes – on the 8th January 2015 together with Golden son of the nation – most respected Sobitha thero, guys, please dont underestimate the energies of Ranawaka. He may be wrong with the accident… if it is truly the way it had been put to air.. but… it was an accident..
Thrisu, you seem to be not that far from becoming SOWAN… but always to attack your mate of the same alama mater is no nice I think.
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maya / April 18, 2016
Same alma mata, becoming SOWAN, is irrelevant. If the driver of the vehicle has done something wrong he should be brought to justice, the core principle of Yahapalanaya.
Yes it may have been an accident, yet the assailant fled the scene, cornered and made to stop by force, making it a hit and run, which is a grave violation.
So a conflict of interest is likely to be foreseen. Best to sit out if he is a right minded person.
BTW: nothing to do with Rajapakses…
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thrishu / April 19, 2016
Samare or whoever you are, FYI, I have no difference at all with CR except on the matter of honesty in public life that good politicians deserve. He was a politician that I once admired, and considered to be a straight high calibre guy, bar his extreme thinking on ethnic issues that is out of place in modern and well developed societies. But sadly he is not living up to the image that he has created for himself and to the public for many years. Through years of observing politicians of many countries (and in Sri Lanka in particular) I have the impression that Politicians in general are a waste of space; CR would have been one exception. If CR had just once owned up and given a proper explanation to what happened, people would have forgiven him even he had made a driving error. It was not a major crime; things happen on roads, specially roads in Colombo where driving could be wild. I was hoping and praying that he would do so, but he had not.
Instead, all these concoctions with his driver owning up some hours after the incident, police writing down a complaint and witness statement on some toilet rolls (did I read as some old receipt book)and then thrown into a garbage bin, police mysteriously discovering after several days that all CCTV footings have been wiped out, police apathy to find witnesses to an altercation in a timely manner, they were just far too many amateurish attempts to mislead the public that any fair minded citizen could see.
That is why I would have liked to see CR coming out clearing his name or honestly owning up to the situation if he was in that vehicle as some witnesses had stated in public. I would be the first one to doff my hat to the minister if he could and would do that. Falling short of such decisive and direct action CR would lose his credibility, and the public will have a warped imaged of him, I am sorry to say.
Taking a leaf from another country’s political heavy weights, there were two prominent British politicians that ruined their otherwise good reputation with British public on account of public false statements after committing minor motoring offenses. Sir Gerald Nabarro, got his driver to drive round a round about anticlockiwse in a hurry, made a false statement to the police afterwards. His career was ruined because the courts found him guilty of the offence and more seriously for making a false statement and trying to mislead the courts; he was convicted and that ruined his life as a politician. More recently, another still living politician got his wife to take the blame to his minor driving offence. When family relationship was broken on a later day after some months, the ex-wife ratted on the ex-hubby; both of them were convicted by the courts despite all sorts of attempts by the fellow to white wash himself in public. I gave these two examples to show how law abiding people view the antiques of politicians and their contempt for the law that they have promised to uphold.
As to your notion that CR and I went to the same school and might have been rivals of some game, it is a nonsense. I wonder why or how your imagination has been running wild. I have never, ever met the gentleman, have no idea where he has come from or where he had been. Certainly not to my school as he was not even born during the era when I have been schooling [PS: Wikepeadia > CR attended Taxila Central Horana followed by University Moratuwa, born Aug 4, 1965. All outside my boundaries]. There is a mistaken identity in your imaginations or if not you may have a habit of giving duff gen in public forums, that would bounce back on you, naturally discrediting you.
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KA Sumanasekera / April 18, 2016
UNP has 8 Reps on this CC which is supposed to elect Mickey Mouse candidates to give us Yahapalanaya.
Vijitha Herath can not vote against the wishes of the UNP, until his boss returns the LKR 25 Lakhs and tear up the MOU with Batalanada Ranil.
UNP Wije in the CC will ensure it.
With Sira.s stooge now in conflict with the Pujitha the latter can count only on the generosity of 9 out of whom 7 are UNP, controlled by Batalanda Ranil.
Will that give integrity and independence any credibility.
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Thepanis / April 18, 2016
This is Sri Lanka. What credibility people expect from politicians who are mostly liars, murderers, thieves, rapists, unethical bastards etc etc.
Good luck to inhabitants of “Loken Utum Rata”!
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Liyanage / April 18, 2016
Whether he sits out or not, I believe the council must always consist of an Odd number in case of a deadlock.
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JJ / April 18, 2016
The fact that Ranawaka is still hanging around and not excusing himself from being on CC to select the next IGP, in spite of “several members pressuring him to sit out of the meeting”, speaks volumes about the character of the man.
Ranawaka’s history is replete with examples of his dubious character and why Maithripala nominated him to be on the CC with the knowledge of his past doesn’t reflect well on the president.
But then, going by the characters of the other crooks nominated to be parliamentarians, why are we not surprised???
So much for Yahapalanaya!
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Lankan / April 18, 2016
Sri Lanka is a hopeless country.
Of what value is a CC comprised of
politicians anyway? Defeats the whole purpose.
It’s frustrating, living in Sri Lanka, if you
are at all bothered about fundamentally correct
and transparent processes in the governance
of a country.
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kalawadda / April 18, 2016
You see it is seniority, credibility, and how many years of service available as IGP I think Pujith has 4 more years, and other two has less number of years. I think Wickramasinghe is the only choice. Pujith can take over IGP next time at least for a year. As SDIG he can do a better job than now. He never solved drug problem, Under world activities. He could not control Murderers like Vaas Gunewardene. As IGP Pujith will not do anything but divide the Police dept as he is a level headed and a proud man.President must allocate more powers to Pujith to perform , He is talking but doing nothing. Actually he can be next GOTA if he wants.He also can act later on as Secretary to Min of Defence.
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Sam Silva / April 18, 2016
I am a EX Police officer.I know the standards, discipline, quality of present day Senior Police officers. From all reports I am informed from different sources Senior DIG Jayasundera is the Best Choice.He will run the Police e Department efficently
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Lakshman / April 18, 2016
Senior DIG Jayasundera had served in all Departments including Narcotics.He is a very capable officer Best Choice for IGPolice.
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samuel / April 18, 2016
Let s see how he then bring the reforms to lanken systems.
I wish DIG could join SF and bring company to go aginst rapidly increasing crime of the COUNTRY, Rjaakashes looted and introduced all drug business for their petty gains over the lanken guillible folks.
Rascals the kind would never learn it to improve their values:
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Funlover / April 18, 2016
I ask CT readers to please read yesterday’s article by Uvindu Kukulasuriya which proves that the SINHA-LE is infected by the NEPOTISM VIRUS.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/at-the-last-gasp-sirima-chose-unp-family-over-her-own-party/
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Lanka Watch / April 18, 2016
Wish the new IGP luck and courage in discharging his duties and people’s hope is that he maintains strict law and order and
serve the country without fear or favour.
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