Daily News Editorial

Will it be curtains for JO?

26 April 2017

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, or more precisely President Maithripala Sirisena, has apparently had enough. Two weeks ago the President declared that he would soon be making several important decisions, politically. Reading into the President’s statement, one cannot but come to the conclusion that he wants to consolidate the SLFP and in furtherance of this take a firm decision against the rebels of the party, read Joint Opposition.

Presiding at the party Central Committee meeting on Sunday the President unequivocally stated that all MPs of the SLFP MUST attend the party May Day rally at Getambe and a resolution was passed giving effect to this decree. In furtherance of this, letters had been sent to all SLFP MPs and Provincial Councillors that it was mandatory for them to attend the party May Day rally. Coming out more into the open SLFP General Secretary Minister Duminda Dissanayake said that SLFP MPs who boycotted the party May Day celebrations in Getambe would be expelled. What is more, the resolution also specifically mentions the mandatory presence of Mahinda Rajapaksa at the party May Day celebrations.

The past few weeks saw the President becoming more assertive, taking the full reins into his hands. He removed several SLFP electoral organisers who were backing the JO and replaced them with his loyalists. From all accounts, the SLFP is gearing up for perhaps its biggest ever May Day show this time, with over 2,000 buses already booked to transport crowds. The undoubted show of strength it is speculated will be a prelude to drastic action against the rebels.

In the past too, the SLFP had threatened action against the JO members for staging independent rallies. But these threats were lukewarm and unconvincing. This time though, it appears that President Sirisena is set to walk the talk. The tone and tenor of Minister Dissanayake’s statement left no doubt that there will be no compromise this time around and for good reasons.

President Sirisena cannot be seen to be a weakling right through, a leader of a party, nay the President of the country, who cannot get a section of his party men to fall in line. He can ill afford a direct challenge to his rule by the rebels who have even threatened to lay siege on the President’s House come May Day. Besides, it is incumbent on him to lead the SLFP to victory at elections, soon to be held. A defeat of the party caused by the present split will not only dent his image as a leader but also cause a drift of supporters towards the other camp. He would certainly not want to be a leader who presided over the defeat of the party while also being the Head of State. It has never happened before, barring the instance where CBK lost the General Election while still being the President, in 2001.

The JO has some 50 members in parliament but commands support out of proportion to its numbers, due certainly to the leadership given to it by Mahinda Rajapaksa. This is hanging like a sword of Damocles over the President. Hence he has to act and act fast. Last time around the Supreme Court held with the rebels when the UNP petitioned for the expulsions of messrs. Sarath Amunugama, Wijepala Mendis, Nanda Mathew and Susil Moonesinghe. The country was witness to a bizarre scenario where the rebels claimed they were still loyal members of the UNP while sitting and voting with the government. The court did not find anything amiss with this state of affairs. Of course that was a court that had Sarath Nanda Silva as its head. Things have changed since then. Is parliament going to witness a mass exit of members in the not so distant future? Will the SLFP hierarchy walk the talk this time around?

‘Cheers’ to John

Labour Minister John Seneviratne, no doubt, is going to be the toast of all the imbibers of this country. Speaking at a District Development Committee meeting in Ratnapura the Minster spoke in favour of reducing the price of a bottle of Special Arrack, commonly known as Gal, due to it being beyond the reach of the common man. Presently a bottle of Gal which is favoured by manual labourers and others engaged in strenuous duties, is priced at Rs. 1,500 which they can ill afford. As the Minister noted, this has made them turn to the cheap rot gut moonshine (kassippu) which is injurious to health.

Of course, the minister’s suggestion will clash against the concept of mathata titha of the former President and also the current attempts by President Sirisena to combat drug and alcohol abuse. However the government should open it’s eyes to reality. Although it may earn extra shekels to the state coffers by way of excise revenue, on the other hand this will be offset by the extra expenditure imposed on the health budget to cure illnesses caused by drinkers taking to the rot gut.