The Political Column

12th April 1998

Saturn shakes politicians

By our Political Correspondent

The transit of Saturn to the zodiac sign Aries had caused alarm among top politicians. They are planning to be away when this vital planetary change takes place on April 17.

Saturn, the celestial body that represents the poor and the down-trodden, moves to Aries, causing ill effects, astrologers say.

According to astrologers, the planet will act fast in the house of Mars, but will not bring in greater disasters to Sri Lanka since it occurs in the 3rd house of Sri Lanka's horoscope.

However, many politicians will be out of the country and in seclusion, when this change takes effect.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga has cancelled all outdoor engagements, based not only on intelligence reports but also on astrological predictions.

This was revealed at a meeting she had with Minister S. B. Dissanayake, Presidential Secretary Kusumsiri Balapatabendi and other officials to discuss the Presidential Mobile Services.

President Kumaratunga and Mr. Dissanayake found that the officials have not maintained proper records and directed them to do so immediately.

The President said she was unable to attend the Moneragala Presidential Mobile Service scheduled this month.

When asked for reasons she cited intelligence reports and astrological predictions.

She also did not attend the recent Sarasaviya Film Festival. She too is planning to take off to Geneva via London but would remain in the country when Saturn's entry to Aries takes place.

She told colleagues she would not go abroad before Saturn changes its houses since it could give a wrong impression to the people. The President is scheduled to meet the visiting Commonwealth Secretary General during these days and would leave the country probably by April 19.

Among others already out of the country is Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Anura Bandaranaike, Ronnie de Mel, Gamini Atukorale, Ministers G.L. Peiris, S. B. Dissanayake, Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Mahinda Rajapakse and D. M. Jayaratne will also be out of the country.

At the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, an exchange took place between Ministers D. M. Jayaratne and Maithripala Sirisena.

Mr. Sirisena accused Mr. Jayaratne of giving on lease a warehouse in Polonnaruwa to a leading garment factory owner who is buying paddy and storing it.

Mr. Sirisena requested Minister Jayaratne to take the warehouse back. Mr. Jayaratne said he had given on lease a warehouse which was idling and he was not in a position to take it back.

Mr. Jayaratne said the person in question was buying paddy since the government wanted the private sector to step in. "If the government institutions are not doing well, it is not the fault of the private sector," he said firmly while refusing to stop the garment factory owner from buying paddy from farmers.

The meeting of the Ministers lasted only 50 minutes and the President skipped it due to other important work.

Minister Batty Weerakoon who came prepared with his amendments to the agreement between the government and the prospecting buyer of the Eppawala Phosphate deposits was disappointed when he learnt that the President was not coming and that the next meeting would be on April 22.

Mr. Weerakoon said he could not agree with the present proposal and the President had wanted amendments.

He subsequently presented his amendments in the form of a Cabinet Paper.

In another development, Aviation Minister Dharmasiri Senanayake has written to the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) saying some of its members had overstepped the limit and were acting with personal agendas.

The Minister who appeared to be annoyed over the media exposes on a recent COPE meeting had questioned about the "reporter" who had leaked information.

The letter states:

"Wide publicity has been given through the media that PERC officials had been summoned before your committee to establish whether they 'concealed" information and acted mendaciously when they appeared before the committee. These reports were based on an alleged statement made by one of the members of your committee. I also observed that your committee had questioned these officials with regard to the re-structuring of AirLanka Ltd.

"It appears from the reports in the media that some of the members of your committee have acted in excess of their authority as members and have made imputations that are seriously harmful to the reputation and character of public officials who came before your committee in the trust and belief that the committee and its members will conduct themselves responsibly within the bounds of their authority.

"The unauthorized conduct of the members has also tendered to create an impression in the public mind which is damaging and harmful to AirLanka Ltd. Being a Public Company and the PERC being a body that is empowered by law to inter-alia advise the government on re-structuring of Public Enterprises I have to note with deep regret that these members of the committee have acted in excess of their authority in pursuit of their personal agendas and petty political motivations and thereby misconducted themselves as Members of Parliament. Hence I would respectfully request the Speaker and you to inquire into the manner in which proceedings of the committee are being conducted in this matter before further unauthorized and illegal proceedings are resumed in this house of the Supreme legislature.

"You will appreciate that Standing Order 126 reflects the provisions that are contained in Article 154 of the Constitution which brings Public Corporations within the purview of Parliament only for the purpose of control of finance. Therefore the committee has no authority to look into any matter or question and person except on the accounts that have been laid before Parliament.

"In the circumstances I state that the committee has no power to summon the officers of PERC and compel them to answer questions that were beyond the authority of the committee.

"The committee has questioned the officers of PERC whose statutory duty is to advise and assist the government on all matters relating to Public Enterprises. They were authorized by the Cabinet to advise and assist the govt with regard to the matters connected with the privatization of AirLanka Limited. In terms of the Constitution, the Cabinet is not only responsible to the Parliament but also answerable. Furthermore, all matters in relation to the said privatization, have been placed before the Cabinet and were subsequently approved. If any MP has any query, I say that such matters can be clarified through a legitimate process without resorting to an illegal action of the nature stated above. I state that no Committee of Parliament can legitimately inquire into the advice tendered to the Cabinet by any person or body in the exercise of its statutory authority.

"Finally, I raise the question what regard to the manner in which proceedings of the committee were published in the newspapers discrediting the officers of PERC. You will appreciate that the proceedings of the committee are not public proceedings to which the media have access. Nevertheless, several newspapers carried extensive reports of the proceedings of the committee. Some of the reports purports to be verbatim accounts couched in question and answer form. The only inference that could be drawn is that a member of the committee or a person who was present at the proceedings or a member of the staff, who has access to the recordings of the proceedings, reported the matter to the media. The release of this information of the media should have been done only with the due authority of the Speaker and the Chairman of this committee. In the circumstance, I urge that immediate action should be taken to ascertain the identity of this "reporter" and action should be taken to prevent serious misconduct of this nature.

"I reiterate that the committee has acted in excess of its authority and I also urge that all proceedings of the committee be suspended until the Speaker makes a ruling on this matter."

Meanwhile, MP Ravi Karunanayake has written to COPE Chairman Reggie Ranatunga claiming that the PERC officials had misled the COPE on the AirLanka deal. In the circumstances he requested the COPE Chairman to summon the PERC officials before the committee.

Accordingly, on April 7 the PERC officials appeared before the COPE. At the beginning the members of the COPE noted the letter written by the Minister.

Vasudeva Nanayakkara said Minister Senanayake had apparently overstepped his limit and he should be summoned before the COPE. M.H.M. Azwer (UNP) endorsed that view.

PERC Director General Mano Tittawella and Chairman P.B. Jayasundera were present along with lawyers Dayani de Silva, Anil Obeysekera and Kumar Paul. Dixon Nilaweera was also present at the meeting as Secretary to the Treasury.

Grilling the PERC officials, Mr. Karunanayake asked why they misled the COPE on the AirLanka negotiations.

Mr. Tittawella denied it and said that though the commercial side of the agreement had been finalised they were still negotiating with their strategic partner on some legal issues.

Mr. Karunanayake: "Why didn't you inform the COPE if that was the position?"

Mr. Tittawella: "There was no Cabinet decision on the matter at that stage."

Mr. Karunanayake: "Though the Cabinet had approved the agreement on March 25, the agreement had been signed before the Cabinet had confirmed their approval at a second meeting of the Ministers."

Mr. Tittawella said they obtained approval of the Cabinet before they signed the agreement on March 30. UNP's John Amaratunga intervened to insist that the officials had misled COPE.

SLMC's Asitha Perera said there were some officials who carried tales to the President.

He said they had complained to the President about leaks to the media and accused him and Mr. Karunanayake of being possible moles.

At this stage Mr. Karunanayake asked whether AirLanka had approved the purchase of six Airbuses without going through the normal tender procedure.

Both Mr. Tittawella and Dr. Jayasundera affirmed it.

Subsequently, Mr. Karunanayake questioned the officials on the loss of revenue and suggested that the government would lose a colossal sum over ten years as a result of the deal with Emirates.

Mr. Tittawella said it would be difficult to forecast on revenue.

After nearly 2 1/2 hours of discussions, the COPE decided to summon the PERC officials before the Privileges Committee of the House through the Speaker, despite Chairman Ranatunga's disapproval.

Apart from the AirLanka issue, the Wijeyapala Mendis civic rights issue takes a significant place in the Sri Lankan political scene today.

While a section of the MPs wanted Mr. Mendis to remain in Parliament and in the party, others supported the view of the hierarchy that he should step down.

At the previous UNP group meeting, Mr. Mendis was given time to address UNP MPs. Making use of this opportunity he prepared a document and circulated it among the UNP MPs.

The Mendis' issue did not surface in Parliament last week - neither in the UNP Group Meeting nor at the party leaders' meeting. There was speculation that the government may indicate the next date at the party leaders' meeting but the government was silent on the subject.

Meanwhile the UNP has not been able to reach consensus as to what it should do with regard to the debate. One thing, however, is sure — the UNP will vote against the motion to expel Mr. Mendis. But still the rest of the UNP's action is not clear. Mr. Mendis has firmly refused to resign and the UNP Parliamentary Group is divided into two. The government having had a good innings during the absence of the UNP in Parliament had used the Mendis issue to the maximum in the debate on the motion and is perhaps now not wanting to pursue the matter unless it is sure that the motion would be passed in the house.

However, it is quite clear that nothing is going to happen during April and not even in the early part of May. The Opposition leader is said to be leaving for China on the invitation of the Chinese Government and it is learnt that he had indicated to the Speaker that nothing controversial should be taken up during his absence.

At the party leaders' meeting, there was no agreement between the government and the Opposition on the Anti-Ragging Bill.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told the meeting that the TULF and the JVP had also requested him to refer the Bill to a Standing Committee. UNP MP., A.C.S. Hameed said he had spoken to the Minister of Education and the Minister was not in favour of referring the Bill to a Standing Committee as he was already under criticism for having delayed the Bill. In the absence of a compromise it was agreed that the Bill would be debated for one full day in Parliament.

Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Leader of the House, said at the meeting that there was still a large list of MPs who had passed away and for whom the House has not expressed its condolences. Both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition were of the view that this list must be cleared as early as possible. The Speaker suggested that the number of speakers be limited when votes of condolence were taken up. It was finally agreed that a determined effort should be made to pass the votes of condolence as early as possible.

Mr. Hameed said the Committee appointed by the Speaker on the telecasting of proceedings of the House had still not been finalized. Mr. Hameed said since the Committee was appointed there had been a change in the ministerial portfolio of Media and Tourism and that had delayed to a certain extent. Now most of the relevant discussions had been completed and he also said the Engineer's Report was already available and suggested that the matter be expedited. Mr. Hameed also said the Committee appointed by the Speaker to decide on the utilization of the adjournment time should also meet early and finalize matters. The Speaker agreed to have these two committees meet as early as possible.

Contrary to expectations, the issue of having telecast the motion on Mr. Mendis live, without the Opposition consent, did not blow up.. However, the Leader of the Opposition explaining the UNP's boycott for one month in Parliament on Tuesday made a sharp reference when he said, "I consider this a breach of confidence on the part of those who are entrusted with the onerous responsibility of maintaining the dignity, traditions and conventions of this House".

The UNP Parliamentary Group met immediately after the voting on the emergency and discussed the programme of work for the third week in April when Parliament meets. The Group was divided on the Anti-Ragging Bill and Badulla District MP R.M. Ratnayake and national list MP Dinesh Dodangoda were of the view that the UNP should not vote for the Bill but abstain. But Tissa Attanayake, Kandy District MP and Gamini Lokuge, Colombo District MP said the Bill should be supported since the parents were very disturbed by ragging in the universities. Mr, Wickremesinghe appointed a Committee headed by A.C.S Hameed which included Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Lokubanda, Tissa Attanayake and Sarath Kongahage to prepare the necessary amendments to be moved by the UNP when the Bill is debated in Parliament.

The Investment Agreement between Sri Lanka and Malaysia was also discussed at length. Mr. Wickremesinghe said there was no difficulty in supporting the Investment Agreement between Sri Lanka and Thailand, but the difficulty was in supporting the Malaysian agreement. Mr. Hameed explained that in the Investment Agreement between Sri Lanka and Malaysia reciprocity in certain banking and other activities, which are in the original Agreement are sought to be withdrawn. That, he said, was a bad precedent and could lead to difficulties in the future. Mr. Wickremesinghe said the UNP would not support the bill unless the Minister of Foreign Affairs has some special reason as to why this amendment was necessary.

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