Even if he let his cronies down badly and opted for the post of Co-leader of the United National Party (UNP), Sajith Premadasa, waxed eloquent at a meeting of the party's Advisory Committee, on Tuesday.
The meeting was scheduled for 3 p.m. on Monday, but the party Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, who was in Nuwara Eliya arrived late. By then, party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had other important engagements to attend. Hence, it was put off for 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Advisory Committee is made up of Wickremesinghe, Karu Jayasuriya (Co-Deputy Leader), Sajith Premadasa (Co-Deputy Leader), Gamini Jayawickrema Perera (Chairman) and Senarath Kapukotuwa (Treasurer). A National Organiser, a member of the Committee was to be named only at that meeting.
Despite the thunder, it did not rain, said a UNPer at the meeting that was touted to become a watershed with Premadasa and his backers resigning en masse. This time, it was over his disappointed supporters not receiving positions in the new Working Committee, the main policy making body of the party.
A casual reference by UNP leader Wickremesinghe to Premadasa as "I say Sajith" was to spark an acrimonious exchange of words. Trembling with anger, Premadasa called Wickremesinghe a Hitler and declared "I have my self-respect".
The meeting saw a number of Premadasa loyalists being edged out of the Working Committee. The arguments began when Premadasa wanted Talatha Athukorale (UNP- Ratnapura District) appointed as the head of Lak Vanitha, the party's women's organisation. Wickremsinghe named Shanthini Kongahage, a member of the Central Provincial Council and wife of Sarath Kongahage, Ambassador-designate to Germany. It is unconstitutional, cried Premadasa. Wickremesinghe said he had obtained the views of three eminent lawyers, two President's Counsel - Tilak Marapana and Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha -- and the party's legal secretary Daya Pelpola.
Several new names were announced by Wickremesinghe as members of the Working Committee. A new comer in the Colombo District was Mohanlal Grero. Both, Rosy Senanayake and Sujeewa Senasinghe, Colombo District MPs once handpicked by Wickremesinghe himself for entry into politics, were purged. The two of them were prominent supporters of Premadasa against Wickremesinghe's leadership, bitterly criticising him, especially over a private radio and TV station.
Premadasa objected again when Mangala Samaraweera was named to the Working Committee from the Matara District. He replaced Buddhika Pathirana, one of Premadasa backers. He said Samaraweera was the head of the party's communications unit. However, the objection was of no avail.
The meeting was adjourned abruptly due to Premadasa raising a string of other objections. It continued when the Working Committee began its meeting at 4.30 p.m. When it came to the appointment of National Organiser, Ravi Karunanayake was named. Premadasa was to not only argue that it was unconstitutional but also say that Karunanayake could not be present at the meeting until he was picked. Again he was overruled and Karunanayake was declared the National Organiser.
The continuing drama saw D.M. Swaminathan (National List MP) appealing to Premadasa to treat the party leader (Wickremesinghe) with respect.
Though Premadasa supporters declared they would go to court to challenge their leader's decision, they have had second thoughts. They now say they would fight within the party.
Academic in panel soup
Student groups staged two protests this week. One was at the Sri Jayawardhanapura campus and the other in the Nugegoda town.
They were objecting to the views of an academic staff member who had spoken in favour of the UN Panel's report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. It had been published in a local newspaper.
The account has disturbed even top leaders of the UPFA government prompting them to ascertain what action could be taken against the staffer concerned. They are furious.
No diplomatic ties with him
An academic turned bureaucrat turned politician turned author has earned the wrath of western diplomatic missions.
At least two key missions have decided not to deal with him after he authored a string of what are called acrimonious articles over the UN Panel's report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.
UNP goes to Blake
One time Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, now chief of communications in the main opposition United National Party (UNP), was a notable absentee when a party delegation met Robert Blake, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia.
Only three UNPers, led by leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, met Blake at his suite at the Colombo Hilton. Others were Co-Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya, Sagala Ratnayake (the current secretary for international affairs) and Ravi Karunanayake (the former secretary for international affairs).
One might have thought that protocol would demand the US Assistant Secretary meet the country's Leader of the Opposition at the latter's office and not the other way round. But who cares for protocol nowadays.
Long titles but little money for CMs
Provincial Chief Ministers met at Kukuleganga. One of the subjects of discussion was the inadequate salary they were drawing.
They complained to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
To drive the point home, one of the participants said the titles in their letterheads were more than a foot long. They had so many ministries but most did not generate an income.
Curtains for DPL queen
The one-time diplomatic prima donna, recalled to base, was in tears this week.
The one time queen of the service, she was busy moving heaven and earth this week to ward off the transfer.
She said she wanted to be in the cold capital where issues pertaining to Sri Lanka would surface. She said she is capable of tackling the issues with her friends, but it looks like it's curtains for her.
Who blocked Sudarshani's march?
Parliamentarian Sudarshani Fernandopulle was leading a group of her supporters for the May Day rally.
As they marched towards Colombo, they were stopped near the Railway Cricket grounds at Dematagoda.
A police officer on duty said she could not be allowed to proceed beyond that point. This angered the widow of one time Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) stalwart and former Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was killed by a Tiger guerrilla suicide bomber.
Sudarshani challenged the Police officer; "Who told you not to allow us?" He replied that a "senior Cabinet Minister had given the order."
She brushed him aside and led her supporters boldly past the Police officer to join other crowds that headed for the Town Hall grounds. There, she was met by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. He asked her to go over and sit at the stage.
She declined the offer and declared she would like to remain with her people.
Retired diplomats recalled
One time diplomat and retiree Nanda Godage is tipped to be Sri Lanka's new envoy in Kuala Lumpur, according to those in the know at the Foreign Office.
Earlier, the External Affairs Ministry had planned to appoint Chief of Protocol A.L.Ratnapala as the envoy to Malaysia. However, he is to be given another posting.
Former Army Commander Shantha Kottegoda, who served as envoy in Brazil is now tipped to go to Thailand as the new envoy in place of Prof. J. B. Dissanayake and our man in Brazil is likely to be yet another retiree A.W.Pathiraja who was re-inducted to the Foreign Service as Acting Director (Overseas Administration).
The post in Cairo remains vacant. The Foreign Office is possibly looking for another retiree to fill the post, say these Foreign Service folks.
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