The UNP Southern Provincial Council (SPC) election candidate from the Ambalangoda electorate in the Galle District, Maithree Gunerathne, stressed that the momentum currently enjoyed by the UPFA since winning the separatist war against the LTTE in May, would last for only six months more.
Is it worth contesting any poll under the UNP ticket anymore, given the performance of your party in recent PC elections?
On the contrary, it is fully worth. I say this is because the UPFA deserved the credit for winning the war, but after that, they shouted from the rooftops about providing a plethora of benefits and releif measures to the people.
The problems in numerous sectors like employment, education, building and tourism have gone out of control and added to that, the CoL has shot through the roof. As an analogy, the UPFA winning the war could be interpreted as winning the World Cup. But, in sports, if a team wins the World Cup, they are expected to maintain that consistency for a considerable period --- but the MR administration has failed on that front. (Read More)
The minister of Ports & Aviation and Irrigation & Water Management, Chamal Rajapaksa told LAKBIMAnEWS that actions will be taken to dismiss Nishantha Muthuhettigama either from the SLFP itself or from his post as the Akmeemana electorate organizer after a proper disciplinary inquiry.
He said that the UPFA’s disciplinary committee will initiate an inquiry regarding this matter, and set a good example for others by taking proper action against the candidate. The committee is expected to consider the accusations against him and thereby to decide on the penalty that would suit him best, either dismissing him from the party or from the organizer post.
The minister expressed hopes that action will be taken to protect the honour of the party, in-keeping with its policies. According to the minister the party has already decided to refrain from granting a ministerial post to anyone who engages in violent politics and breaks “party discipline.’’
The increasing acts of violence in the run-up to the October 10 Southern Provincial Council poll, serve as a reminder that maintaining law and order in Sri Lanka is continuing to be a tough proposition for the state. The race for prime place between the main political contenders has been hotting-up in the South over the past few weeks, but this is no reason why the law should be wantonly flouted by the hot heads among those who have hit the campaign trail. We call for a clean election and remind the law enforcers of the need for a stringent application of the laws of the land, for, under no circumstances could the South be allowed to drift into a state of anarchy.
We are not over-reacting by making these comments because the most recent unlawful acts, particularly against opposition candidates, not to speak of the running and ugly intra-ruling coalition battles among candidates sporting the same colour, amount to an unfolding of the proverbial writing on the wall, that democratic practice in this country would suffer further emaciation if current ills are not checked firm-handedly. .... (Read More)
As the polls campaign hots up in the south, both UPFA and opposition candidates of Hambantota District say they will be the sure winners, while polls observers blame police inaction for the increasing incidence of violenceIt is not all blue in the Hanbantota District as expected, with the opposition also showing its colours and digging in for a stiff battle with the government side as the up-coming Southern Provincial Council elections entered the home stretch this week.Unlike in the elections held in other provinces where the opposition presence was near zero, barring the North Central Province (NCP), the situation is very much different in the South with the main opposition UNP and the JVP putting up a challenge and together are confidant of grabbing a sizeable chunk of votes. ... (Read More)
The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) claimed that nine casual labourers attached to the Netherlands aid programme of the Central Cultural Fund have been released to work at the Matara office of the Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
The workers have been released from their duty station with immediate effect and are supposed to work in the minister’s office till October 16. CaFFE spokesperson Kirthi Tennakoon said that the nine employees are already engaging in election work.
CaFFE has written to the Elections Commissioner informing him of the violation of the election law by engaging State employees on election campaign work. However Minister Abeywardena said that he is not aware of any such transfer.
“I am not aware of anything like this but if there has been anyone sent it must be to clean the premises of the Matara branch of the Ministry,” he said.
There was a time in this country not so long ago when a politician made a speech people would make a beeline to the closest TV or radio to catch what was being said. They would hang on to every word trying to decipher the ‘deeper message’ and invariably there was one. Today it is the same – people would run to the TV or radio broadcasting the politician’s speech, but no, not to listen to every word but to turn the thing off or to change the channel.
Today politicians are probably the least trusted among the many categories of ‘servants’ that have been foisted on a long-suffering public. ..... (Read More)
Certain leaders who want to internationalise Sri Lanka’s domestic problems without trying to solve them locally are trying to spread false propaganda against the Government which eradicated terrorism that dogged the country for three decades, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
The President addressed delegates of SLFP Women’s Organisations in Matara and Hambantota districts at Medamulana yesterday.
Nearly 5,000 women delegates attended the meeting. The President who thanked the delegates for their presence at short notice said the mandate people had given him at the Presidential Elections had enabled him to eradicate the terrorist menace. ...................... (Read More)
UPFA candidate Nishantha Muthuhettigama who was embroiled in a clash with fellow candidates Sajin Vas Gunawardane and Anarkalli Aakarssha, yesterday said he would co-operate with both of them in the run up to the Southern Provincial Council Election.
Addressing a hurriedly summoned news conference at a leading Colombo hotel, Mr. Muthuhettigama said he would act for the establishment of the most brilliant provincial council in the south.
“Mr. Gunawardane, Anarkalli Nangi, former opposition leader Justin Galappatthi and former Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva will sit in that council to be formed after October 10. It will be a fantastic council. After the election, I will travel in the same chopper with Mr. Gunawardane. I won’t do it before that in fear of both of us perishing in a possible crash. I will also go with Anarkalli Nangi in the same vehicle,” he said adding that Mr. Gunawardane was the organizer of the Galle district.
“I hope Anarkalli will also get a similar post,” he said.
The UPA candidate pointed out that both the UNP and JVP would be defeated roundly at this election. .................... (Read More)
Galle district UPFA candidate Nishantha Muthuhettigama, who had recently been referred to a psychiatrist after being released on bail, may not continue in the upcoming Southern Provincial Council electoral race, said Minister and UPFA general secy.Susil Premajayantha yesterday.
The minister told Daily Mirror that the former provincial council member and UPFA organizer had the liberty to proceed with the election, but may not continue in the election race. “I don’t think he will continue. However, if he wishes to continue competing in the election he may,” said Mr. Premajayantha. ............................. (Read More)
A total of 31,154 voters are eligible to vote by post next Tuesday and Wednesday in the October 10 Southern PC polls, election, officials of Galle, Matara and Hambantota Districts said yesterday.
They said about 29,250 officers will be in charge of the PC polls. The largest number of officials a total of 13,000 will be deployed in Galle and another 10,000 and 6,250 will be officiating the election duty in Matara and Hambantota respectively.
Matara Asst. Elections Commissioner C. A. Suneth Lochana said the elections officers’ main task is to conduct the election at 1,485 polling stations and the counting of ballots at 168 counting centres. ............ (Read More)
