The basic point of dispute appears to be superficial - whether the cabinet meetings should continue to be held at President's House or be moved to the Cabinet Office in the Foreign Ministry building where cabinet meetings had been held since the D. S. Senanayake era.

But over and above the venue, which after all involves only adjacent buildings, some serious constitutional issues have arisen. The sequence of events went like this: The cabinet did not meet as scheduled on Wednesday May 22 because the President, the Prime Minister and almost all ministers were at the Hilton bash for the wedding of business leader Chrishantha Cooray's daughter. The President and the UNF ministers had reportedly been in animated conversation at the wedding reception and the President was apparently so happy that she joined her brother Anura for a baila dance, which thrilled everyone and hit the front pages.

But the sentimental and romantic atmosphere did not last long and when the cabinet met the next day, tension ran high again over a proposal to shift the venue from President's House to the adjacent Cabinet Office in the Foreign Ministry building. The proposal had been moved and supported by most ministers about three weeks ago with the reasons given ranging from the traditional to trivialities. Most ministers said they wanted the change of venue to fall in line with the hallowed tradition of having cabinet meetings at Cabinet Office which had been graced by giants like D. S. Senanayake, John Kotelawela, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Dudley Senanayake, Sirima Bandaranaike and J. R. Jayewardene. But other ministers known to be less charitable with the President cited other reasons, including the President's habit of bringing her German Shepherd doggie for cabinet meetings.

The dispute over the dog reminded some observers of an incident last year just before the crossover which eventually precipitated the downfall of the PA and the President.
Amidst widespread speculation in early October, the President had reportedly called the then Deputy Speaker Sarath Munasinghe - at one-time her hand-picked appointee - and asked him about reports that he also would be joining the SB-GL exodus. The one-time military spokesman had denied the report, vowing he would not send even his dog to the UNP. But the next day he crossed over, provoking LSSP leader Batty Weerakoon to quip that Maj. Gen, Munasinghe had left his dog in the PA and gone to the UNP. Now the President's dog is playing some role in a big cabinet crisis.
Whatever is going to the dogs, the issue erupted again this week in the absence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe who was on an official European tour. The backstage game of political chess began on Wednesday morning with pieces being moved here and there.

One major move came from the one-time queen when she called senior minister Karu Jayasuriya with whom she appeared to be having a relatively friendly relationship. Though the Cabinet on May 23 had decided, with the President also being present, that the next meeting would take place at Cabinet Office, the President obviously had second thoughts and other ideas by last Wednesday.

She reportedly asked Minister Jayasuriya whether a change could be made and whether the cabinet could meet at President's House. Mr. Jayasuriya was reportedly was somewhat accommodating, saying he could not take such a decision on his own in the absence of the Prime Minister and would have to consult others. But most ministers, especially G. L. Peiris, Ravi Karunanayake, John Amaratunga, W. J. M. Lokubandara and S. B. Dissanayake, took a tough stand. They insisted that a cabinet decision was a cabinet decision and that the meeting should take place at the Cabinet Office.

They had their way and the ministers gathered at the Cabinet Office for the meeting around 6. 15 p.m. Along with the Prime Minister, a large number of other ministers were also abroad and there were only 17 ministers at Wednesday's meeting but it turned out to be explosive.

Meanwhile, the President though apparently marginalised, powerless and acting largely on her own also made some sharp counter moves. She reportedly called the Cabinet Secretary N. V. K. K. Weragoda around 2 p.m. and told him she would like the meeting to be held at President's House and would not come to the Cabinet Office if the ministers decided to go ahead with the meeting there. She also cited security reasons for her inability or unwillingness to come across the road from President's House to the Foreign Ministry building.

As the backstage drama intensified, the President also reportedly fired out an official letter to the Cabinet Secretary claiming that any cabinet meeting without her or her approval would be illegal and invalid.

When the cabinet ministers gathered for their meeting, most of them were furious when they heard of the President's comments and remarks. Especially scathing in their outburst against the President were ministers Peiris, Amaratunga, Lokubandara and Karunanayake.

Prof. Peiris, the cabinet spokesman and constitutional affairs minister, said his view was that they could elect a senior minister to preside and go ahead with the cabinet meeting and that every decision would be legal and valid.

The government's main constitutional expert, K. N. Choksy, widely respected for his balanced legal opinion, said his understanding of the constitution was that the cabinet could meet and take decisions without the President or the Prime Minister being present.

Minister Ravi Karunanayake hit out harder. He asked why the highly controversial and highly extravagant Presidential Security Division comprising some 1624 personnel could not provide security for her to go just across the road. Referring to the presidential Hilton baila, he asked whether she had enough security to dance like that but felt insecure to walk across the road for an important cabinet meeting.

Interior Minister Amaratunga took it more seriously than a baila. He said if the President was serious about her reasons and the PSD was unable to take her safely across the road, he would order an official investigation on why this huge security division was so incompetent.

Minister Karunanayake also threw another bouncer at the President. He suggested that she was bowling round the wicket because she did not want to come for the cabinet meeting in view of the embarrassing May 23 questions over what had happened to the 44 luxury vehicles imported through the Presidential Secretariat.
It was in this highly charged atmosphere that the cabinet meeting began. The ministers did not want to take any chances, constitutionally or otherwise. Ministers Lokubandara and Amaratunga proposed and seconded the election of Karu Jayasuriya to preside over the cabinet meeting. Several decisions were taken, including a reconfirmation of the change of venue from President's House to the Cabinet Office.

What will happen next Wednesday is anybody's guess. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will be back by then and with a majority of UNF cabinet ministers taking a tough line, the shaky cohabitation arrangement with the President is facing the danger of coming apart.

Though the cabinet cold war was intensifying, some significant new steps are being taken to consolidate the ceasefire on the war front. If anyone has valid reason to have bitter memories of the war, it would be the disabled soldiers. Aware of the need to heel the deep wounds there, a group representing disabled soldiers approached Minister Rehabilitation Minister Jayalath Jayawardena, asking that a meeting be arranged with LTTE leaders as a first step towards the healing of the inner wounds. The Minister reportedly communicated with LTTE Political Secretary S. P. Thamil Selvam and a group of disabled soldiers will be flying to Kilinochchi tomorrow morning for a reconciliation meeting with LTTE leaders.

Another important step was the May 24 ceremony to lay a pinnacle for the historic Naga Viharaya in Jaffna. Playing a key role again was Minister Jayawardena. He arranged for the Asgiriya Mahanayake, the Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa and some 60 monks to be flown to Jaffna for the ceremony. The Asgiriya prelate gave a traditional scroll to Minister Jayawardena as a sign of appreciation for what he was doing.

Meanwhile, the President is reportedly facing an internal problem which might turn out to be as serious as the Cabinet crisis. The President in her capacity as SLFP leader is reportedly having extensive discussions with party electoral organisers prior to a crucial party meeting on June 7. The main issue at stake there is the election of a deputy leader who might eventually be the party candidate for the next presidential election. Among those pushing for the election of a deputy leader is former minister A. H. M. Fowzie who is widely reported to be the leader of a group pushing for cooperation with the UNF's peace initiative or a national government.

Mr. Fowzie has reportedly said that if a deputy leader is elected that could immediately begin the campaign promoting him for the next presidential election. The focus obviously is on opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse whose decision to launch a full-scale campaign against the government is seen as part of the process of consolidating his position as the number two.

In the past few months after the PA was thrown out of government, the major challenge to Mr. Rajapakse has been Anura Bandaranaike. Until recently, Anuruddha Ratwatte had also been regarded as a possible successor. But the past six months have been a calamity for him, falling from the position of absolute power to the disgrace of being in remand custody on criminal charges. A significant event took place last Wednesday in Kandy when Mr. Ratwatte was finally released on bail. Among those who went to greet and garland him were the MPs of the so-called Mulberry Group. One of them Reggie Ranatunga was heard to comment on why party bigwigs had not come to welcome the one-time war hero and super star. Even if the Mulberry Group is trying to promote Mr. Ratwatte, the Pallethalawinna massacre is likely to keep him out of contention for months.

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