Maithri plans to go ahead with make or break Cabinet reshuffle

BY GAGANI WEERAKOON-MAY 27 2017

The government commemorated the fallen war heroes on Friday (19) near the monument erected at the Parliament Grounds under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena who vowed the government is committed in strengthening the Tri-Forces enabling them ensure national security.

President Sirisena commended the great service rendered by the members of the Tri-Forces not only in the issue of national security, but also in the national programmes including the drug prevention activities, development works and social welfare.

Members of the Maha Sangha, other religious leaders, Governors, Ministers and MPs, Secretary to the President, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, public servants, heads of security services including the Tri-Forces Commanders and family members of War Heroes participated in this event.
While, the government commemorated the war heroes in a more solemn manner on Thursday in Colombo, another commemoration was held in Mulliwaikkal on Thursday (18) under the patronage of Northern Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran in which he stressed that the time is not far off when the Tamils will ask the Sri Lankan Army, Navy and Air Force, to quit the province.

According to media reports (NewsIn.Asia), Wigneswaran has said he saw no reason for the Sri Lankan Government to station 150,000 troops in the province when the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels ended eight years ago.

"The good day when the people will loudly demand: Go back Army, go back Navy, go back Air Force, is not far off. The unnecessary deployment of forces with bad intentions will lead to heated arguments," he predicted.

PM absent

While President Sirisena attended the official war heroes' commemoration, the absence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the event – at a time where it is speculated that he made every effort to thwart a Cabinet reshuffle – was noted by many.
Instead, the Premier was touring in the North meeting local politicians in an effort to boost the development drive in the province.

He called upon all local politicians and civil society activists to join the efforts of the government to bring in investment to the area.

"We would like to start infrastructure development now. Rebuilding, resettlement and reconciliation is going on. Now let us look at growth oriented, job creating development in Jaffna. We must all get together to resolve the issues in the province because the lowest economic growth is coming from the Northern Province. We have to make a massive effort, and get big investments to Jaffna," he said.
He also promised 1,000 jobs to unemployed graduates in the two provinces in a bid to address the worsening employment issues there.

PM Wickremesinghe, who met political leaders and civil society activists in the Jaffna Peninsula to discuss development issues and challenges, said that the former conflict zones need special focus to drive economic development.

"On the one hand, all the consequences of the war have still not been sorted out. As I said there are issues related to land and missing persons which we have to sort out. At the same time, new issues have cropped up. Not only in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, but also in the rest of the country, there are economic problems and problems with creating employment, increasing jobs and incomes. This is the issue Sri Lanka has to face," he said.

While noting North is one of the most difficult regions to develop, the Prime Minister said that plans need be drawn up to provide skills training for unemployed youth, including school leavers to make them employable as companies willing to invest in the province have highlighted the dearth in employable youth.

Speaking on developing infrastructure to attract industries he said: "We have already discussed with India to develop the road system in the Northern Province, from Jaffna to Mannar, Mannar to Vavuniya and Vavuniya to Trincomalee. This can be later connected to the Central Expressway which is under construction. These large scale development projects will also create employment opportunities as well."

The Northern Province should also look at developing tourism, the Prime Minister highlighted, adding that the Task Force on Tourism will be visiting the province to explore new opportunities.
Revealing plans of establishing economic zones to attract investors to the province, he said that although the zones may be located outside the Peninsula due to limitations in access to water and other resources, youth from the area will be able to obtain employment in the economic zones.
"Industrialisation must commence in the area," he noted.

Wiggy says no

However, the Prime Minister's enthusiasm in developing the North, with industrialisation, seemed to be not welcomed by its Chief Minister Wigneswaran who said that his administration would not like industries coming up in the province to use locally available resources and would want them to deploy resources procured or purchased from outside the province.

"In working out our industries we would prefer not to use our natural resources internally available, if alternatives from elsewhere could be procured or purchased," he said.

Speaking in the presence of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, Wigneswaran further said that in selecting investors for the Northern Province, the Tamil Diaspora should be given high priority, next only to people in the province itself. Others should be given only third preference, he added.

"In Private-Public partnership, preference must be given to our local investors first, our own Diaspora investors next, and if unavailable, to others from outside the Northern Province. We cannot be used as a vassal province for the benefit of wayward investors." Wigneswaran was quoted as saying.

He also said that they do not approve of one stop offices in Colombo dictating the course of internal investments and economic regeneration in 'their' areas.

Grabbing the opportunity at hand, Wigneswaran has also sought the opening of officer levels posts in the Sri Lankan police force to the Tamils.

"There are hardly any Tamils in the higher echelons of the Police force, leave alone the rank and file," he pointed out that the Provincial Councils' List in the Ninth Schedule to the Constitution says that "there shall be a Provincial Police Division for each Province consisting of Provincial ASPs, CIs, IPs, SIs, Sergeants and Constables recruited in the Province."

Cabinet reshuffle

With pressure mounting on President Sirisena to go for a Cabinet reshuffle from his party despite reservations by the Prime Minister, the former has summoned a 'crucial' SLFP Central Committee meeting to be held this evening (21).

He has also informed all Cabinet Ministers to be present at the Presidential Secretariat by 8:30 a.m. on Monday (22) which, the ministers believe is to announce new ministries. However, though it is confirmed the President has summoned ministers and several others for tomorrow's meeting, any confirmation on the reason for the meeting is withheld.

According to sources close to the President, key institutions under main ministries will be regazetted in which the ministers are not changed. For instance, ministers of Mass Media, Public Administration, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Highways and Law and Order are to be completely changed. Key institutions of all the ministries including that of Minister Rishard Bathiudeen will be regazetted, accordingly.

President Sirisena was immensely under pressure by civil society organizations and SLFP ministers of the Yahapalana Government to take away at least four key ministerial portfolios from current ministers, thus prompting the need for a Cabinet reshuffle.

While it was speculated the much awaited reshuffle was delayed as the two parties – UNP and the SLFP – not being able to decide as to under whom should the Ministry of Finance be, it is also learnt the delay was due to the planned change of heads in the Ministry of Law and Order.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has allegedly agreed to give up his portfolio after several lengthy negotiations with the President and would be appointed as country's next Minister of Foreign Affairs, sources claimed. However, by last evening Karunanayake has apparently decided not to take up the portfolio and to occupy a backbench seat in Parliament.

It is speculated that present Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera is tipped to be appointed as the Minister of Finance and Deputy Minister of State Enterprise Development Eran Wickramaratne to be appointed as his deputy on Samaraweera's request.

However, this has not being finalized yet by President Sirisena and it is also learnt that Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is likely to take the Finance Ministry under his purview.

Yet, the civil society organizations have strongly come forward against such a move. It seems President Sirisena is determined to rectify his errors and would be more careful in allocating institutions to each ministry.

What prompted this reshuffle is the public outcry against several incidents of mega scale corruption that allegedly took place during the past two years under the yahapalana unity government. The forces that were behind electing this government into power with the hope of ending a corrupt era expressed their displeasure as the current rulers were elected on the basis of eradicating corruption completely from the country.

Institutions under the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Law and Order came under heavy criticism over the past many months due to various acts of misconduct.

Last minute attempt

While, SLFP Ministers remain hopeful of a Cabinet reshuffle before President Sirisena leaving the country to visit Australia on Tuesday (23), it seems UNP ministers are engaged in last minute attempt to thwart the planned Cabinet reshuffle.

It is in the midst of this that Premier Wickremesinghe met President Sirisena and former President Chandrika Kumaratunge last week and demanded that the portfolios assigned to the UNP should not be changed and any reshuffle, will only be applicable to portfolios held by Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members. UNP MPs Bandulalal Bandarigoda and Asoka Priyanatha have expressed views opposing any reshuffling of portfolios currently assigned to the UNP. Wickremesinghe had highlighted the need to give ample time to the ministers to produce results and in fact, a reshuffle could be considered six months later if necessary.

The UNP group opposing the move also pointed out that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution states that it is mandatory for the President to consult the Prime Minister when appointing Cabinet ministers. On the other hand, the initial agreement between the SLFP and the UNP in allocating ministries specifically mentions as to what ministries should be with each party. Therefore, a reshuffle could only happen where an SLFP minister is replaced by another SLFPer not involving any UNP ministers.

However, Article 43 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution states: (1) The President shall, in consultation with the Prime Minister, where he considers such consultation to be necessary, determine the number of Ministers of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministries and the assignment of subjects and functions to such Ministers;(2) The President shall, on the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint from among Members of Parliament, Ministers, to be in charge of the Ministries so determined; and(3) The President may at any time change the assignment of subjects and functions and the composition of the Cabinet of Ministers. Such changes shall not affect the continuity of the Cabinet of Ministers and the continuity of its responsibility to Parliament.

This tug of war on the Cabinet reshuffle however, will decide whether the honeymoon that began on 9 January 2015 will continue or not.