Formation of Caretaker Government, a myth or a reality?

OCT 14 2018

President Maithripala Sirisena who left for Seychelles on a two-day official visit amidst speculations of forming a Caretaker Government with the help of arch rival Mahinda Rajapaksa, returned to Colombo on Wednesday (10 October) morning as the Joint Opposition was debating the idea of joining hands with Sirisena.
President Sirisena, who paid a two-day State visit to Seychelles on the invitation of his Seychelles counterpart, Danny Faure, attended high level bilateral talks where the two sides agreed to take the existing cooperation between the two countries to a higher level.

The leaders of both countries agreed to take forward the strong relations between Sri Lanka and Seychelles in the fields of trade and tourism.

On arrival at the State House, President Sirisena was warmly received by Seychelles President Faure and a Guard of Honour was held. After a cordial meeting between the leaders, the bilateral discussions commenced.

During this meeting, the President said that he will give instructions to the relevant sectors to improve the relations between the business forums of both countries. The President also noted that it is expected to get more Sri Lankan businessmen to participate in the trade fair to be held in Seychelles at the end of this year.

The two parties discussed regarding the mutually important bilateral and regional issues.

The Seychelles President praised President Sirisena’s initiative to eradicate drug abuse and requested his assistance to find a solution to the drug menace which is a threat to his country, too. The Seychelles President expressed his gratitude to President Sirisena for providing assistance to improve the health sector in Seychelles and requested to provide training opportunities to Seychelles doctors in Sri Lanka.

He also requested President Sirisena to assist in granting military training opportunities to Seychelles security forces members in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, it was requested to assist in obtaining training for judicial and legal drafting sectors.

The President, paying his attention to these requests, said that he will speedily take action to make necessary arrangements in this regard and promised to award ten scholarships annually to the Seychelles students in the field of vocational training.

Expressing his views, Seychelles President Danny Faure said that he will be grateful for the assistance given by Sri Lanka not only as a friend but like a brotherly State.

The President of Seychelles also stressed that they are ready to provide any support to Sri Lanka to develop the fields of economic and trade sectors as well as to provide any support to Sri Lanka at any time assistance is needed.

This tour of President Sirisena taking place at the time of completion of 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, will mark a new milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the Seychelles President said.

Diplomatic relations between Seychelles and Sri Lanka commenced on 3 October 1988. The Sri Lankan High Commission in Seychelles was established in 2013. The President of Seychelles also stated that a permanent place will be allocated for the construction of the Sri Lankan High Commission, which is currently functioning in a leased building.

Nearly, 2,400 Sri Lankan workers are serving in Seychelles and the President also extended his thankfulness to the Seychelles President for the support given to the welfare of those employees.

Marking his State visit, President Sirisena planted a seed in the National Botanical Garden of Seychelles. President Sirisena was welcomed at the Botanical Garden by Waila Pecrocrow, Seychells Minister of Environment, and Raymond Brioche, CEO of the National Foundation of Botanical Gardens.  After planting a seed of Coco de Mer, an endemic plant of Seychelles, the President observed the botanical garden, which is known for its exemplary work in education, conservation and landscaping and which is a major tourist attraction in the country since it was established in 1901.

On the same day, the President was speaking at the "Miridiya Waruna 2018" awards ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall when he received information about the decision by President of Seychells to release all Sri Lankan fishermen in their custody.

Caretaker Government

The already severed relationship between President Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe took another leap with both Sirisena faction and the Rajapaksa confirming speculations that the two parties actually met.

While it was made to appear that the suggestion to form a Caretaker Government came from President Sirisena’s side, the Joint Opposition (JO) led by former President Rajapaksa remains extremely sceptical of the proposal citing their difficulties in having faith in President Sirisena.

Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, at a meeting chaired by Mahinda Rajapaksa, at Prof. G.L. Peiris’ residence on Tuesday (09), has attempted to enlighten SLFP Parliamentarians in the Joint Opposition.

“I am aware that most people in the Joint Opposition also have doubts about me and my intentions. While I cannot disclose where and who were there, it is true that we met President Sirisena and talked about serious political issues. We also explained what is needed to be done in order for us to understand that he is genuine,” Basil informed the gathering.

Accordingly, the former strongman of the Rajapaksa Government has told JO members that he asked Sirisena to replace incumbent Inspector General of Police (IGP) as he continues to harass Rajapaksa family members and other JO members. His other request has been appointing an independent and unbiased individual to the post of Chief Justice.

However, from what was said by JO members in the aftermath, it is clear that there is a clear division amongst JO ranks in forming a Caretaker Government.

President Sirisena does not have the ability to gather the required number of MPs in order to establish a Caretaker Government and under such circumstances, it is a joke to talk about a Caretaker Government, JO MP Kumara Welgama said.

He said that the group of 15, including Dilan Perera is once again trying to hoodwink the JO and send them on a wild goose chase.

According to him, the main objective of this proposal is to make Rajapaksa the Prime Minister and nominate Maithripala Sirisena as the next Presidential candidate.

Welgama noted that he is not prepared to be hoodwinked again, adding that although he loves the SLFP he is not happy about the current leadership.

He further said that in the event Mahinda Rajapaksa decides to form a Caretaker Government, he would oppose it and would not accept any ministerial post in such a Government.

Though both Rajapaksas have ignored Welgama’s plea to sit in the Opposition even alone, Mahinda Rajapaksa has further explained to the group that the Caretaker Government, if formed, would be for a period of one year.

He also said that the Cabinet will have to be reduced to 15 ministers in this period.

Meanwhile, information from President Sirisena faction suggests that the SLFP is also planning to propose an alternative budget for 2019. While it is yet to be confirmed, various sources claimed that President Sirisena’s side has already entrusted a once powerful individual in the last regime to draft these budget proposals.
According to these sources, if Sirisena is serious about getting rid of UNP-led government, he will present this Budget Proposals to the Cabinet along with Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s Budget Proposals which will be presented in Parliament on 5 November.

The Appropriation Bill was already passed by the Cabinet and was presented in Parliament last Tuesday (9).

Meanwhile, with reports emerging to the effect that President Sirisena has assured the majority in Parliament in the event of forming a Caretaker Government more than 11 UNP MPs have already pledged support, UNP backbenchers also announced they will get the numbers and form their own Government.

New CJ

Few days after Basil Rajapaksa allegedly requesting President Sirisena to appoint an independent and unbiased person to the post of Chief Justice, Justice Nalin J. Perera was sworn in as country’s 46th Chief Justice by President Sirisena on Friday (12) evening.

This appointment received mixed reactions with one sector questioning the seniority of Justice Perera while others justifying the appointment on the grounds, him being the most senior career judge in the country.

Justice Perera is the first career judge to be appointed the Chief Justice in almost three decades.

The last career judge to become the Chief Justice, before Perera, was Parinda Ranasinghe who was elevated to the position of Chief Justice by former President J.R.Jayewardene in 1988. Justice Ranasinghe served in office until 1991.

The Constitutional Council convened on Friday afternoon and approved the nomination of Justice Perera which was made by the President.

A past student of S. Thomas’ College Kotte and Guruthalawa, Nalin Perera entered the judicial service in the year 1980. He was appointed as a Magistrate in 1984.

After functioning as the Magistrate of Mt. Lavinia, Walasmulla, Kalutara and Colombo Fort, Justice Perera was appointed as assistant District Judge and a District Judge in 1990.  Justice Nalin Perera was appointed as a High Court judge in 2001 and served in this capacity at Ratnapura, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Justice Perera was one of the first judges chosen to serve in the newly established Civil Appellate High Courts in Kandy.

He was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court on 3 March 2016.
Speaking at an event earlier in the day, President Maithripala Sirisena noted that Nalin Perera was the only nominee that he submitted to the Constitutional Council and that he was picked due to his seniority and lengthy track record. President Sirisena noted that over the past 30 years his predecessors made appointments to the position of Chief Justice not taking into consideration the seniority of justices.

The President also noted that his decision was also influenced by a number of judges who called on the President to appoint an individual who started from the bottom of the judicial services sector as a mark of respect for their service.

Protest against PM

Four men were arrested under the Terrorism Act while protesting against Prime Minister's visit to Oxford.

According to British Media, the men, aged 28, 34, 50 and 54 were arrested on Monday (8) during Wickremesinghe’s visit to talk at the Oxford Union off St Michael's Street.

They were held on suspicion of being members of and displaying an article of a proscribed organization under Section 11 and 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The Sri Lankan leader joined other speakers at the Union this week including Jo Malone and the former president of Botswana.
Oxford Union wrote online: “Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is one of Sri Lanka’s most decorated politicians.

Thames Valley Police said the arrests were made at 11.16 p.m. on Monday by officers from the force.

They have since been released under investigation and no further information by police can be given whilst the investigation is continuing.
Section 11 explains that a person commits an offence if they belong to a prohibited group.

Section 13 states that an offence is made if a person wears an item of clothing, or carries and displays items that arouse suspicion that they are part of a forbidden organization.