Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna to support Ranil Wickremesinghe in parliamentary vote for President
Posted by Editor on July 15, 2022 - 4:25 pm
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has decided to support Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the parliamentary vote on July 20, which will elect a new President.
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam issued this statement to the media a short while ago.
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It is easy to understand the anger of the opportunistic parties . But there is a framework called the constitution under which the country’s governance is based. At the moment the only solid fact is the result of the last general election, which is valid for 5 years which the voters knew when their cast the votes, not the number of young thugs on the street running about, threatening, causing mayhem unless they have their way. Now with the departure of GR and many eyes watching and talking about the corruption (incidentally, SL public and the society do not seem to count hoarding fuel and selling at a black market price is corruption. I haven seen a single report the righteous public has gone and attacked any of the hoarders and destroyed or occupied their properties, or those hoarded rise or sugar), there should be NO corruption or much less corruption. If RW going to be appointed as the president for the next 2 years, other parties have to bite their tongues and wait till the next election. The demand so far, as well as the mechanism available, has been by the majority vote in the parliament. It is funny to see parties crying foul that the SLPP has the majority in the parliament and whoever they vote will be the president. Welcome to the reality and get used to it or persuade the SLPP MPs to vote for somebody other than RW. That is the way to do it, not by trying to rewrite the book when it not suit to you by telling representation in the parliament does not represent the public opinion. To see whether it is changed or not, wait till the next election since the claim has no basis though might be true at the moment. If it changed in 3 years after the last election, there is no guarantee that the current voting intention will not changed again in a short time, if the reason for current change of mind is mainly based on unproven allegations and factors in the work market beyond control of the SL government at all. After all RW does not represent any party and most crucially Ching Ching Chan and her country like him. Who in the world care about the opinion of the SL voters, when that is the most important thing!
Best outcome will be achieved through parties giving their MP’s a conscience vote.
The risk is the downstream allegation of vote buying.
The three international players in the arena are US/EU, India and China.
RW goes well with the US/EU and India and has demonstrated capacity to deal with China.
None of the others in the ring have similar or greater acceptance and/or capacity.
For once I agree. It has to be a free vote. But, then has to be old fashion ballot papers put in a box, untraceable of the person who cast it.
Agree with both Roxie and Indra. If the ballot is not cast anonymously, the typical corrupt horse-trading practices (or worse, intimidating tactics) of the SL parliament will ensue, making the whole exercise worthless.
The SLPP is making a grave error by supporting RW – who is a failed politician and also an UNELECTED politician. The SLPP will have to answer to the general public when things get worse. The best candidate under the current circumstances should be the Speaker, Mr Yapa. Whoever is elected as the President should be a man/woman of known capability and integrity. I do not think there is any person in the present parliament who deserves to be considered. I can think of only one other person, who has been a previous speaker, Mr Karu Jayasuriya.
Who else but RW?
The nation needs a politically savvy, quick decision making individual, unimpeded by Parliamentary pressure, who can get us out of the ‘handout’ mentality which has plagued us since 1948.
I lived in Aragalapitiya in a tent for > 60 days; the Aragalaya turned sour towards the latter having been captured by the IUSF/FSP combine.
Primarily, I believe, GR should not have taken off. Now that it has occurred, the Nation’s best bet is RW, well experienced (shown by the Yahapala era where external reserves reached $7b in 2019 and the budget was nearing balance) and who has a communicative capacity to reach out to the World.
Come back Hitler!
The best news I heard today.
Former President GR is planning to to return to SL in Aug 2022.
He is entitled to privileges as a former President and must be given the opportunity to participate in the Nation’s build-back.