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Cabinet Reshuffles

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4 May 2018 12:00 am - 1     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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And party reorganisations would not muster people’s support


The UNP and the SLFP are also struggling with their internal problems compelling the leaders of the two parties to dedicate most of their time to sort out those issues

It is not clear whether the Cabinet reshuffle and the UNP reorganisation would serve the purpose of the leaders of the government and the UNP


This week saw another Cabinet reshuffle which was the fourth of the sort for the past three years after the present so-called Yahapalana government assumed office and the third this year. Government ministers told the media before the new ministers were sworn in that this would be a scientific Cabinet and President Maithripala Sirisena also claimed on Monday that what he has appointed was a scientific Cabinet.  

However, this is not a scientific Cabinet as many subjects that should have come under one ministry have been assigned to various ministries. Besides, there cannot be a scientific Cabinet under a so-called National Government as subjects that should be under one ministry gets scattered under several ministries when the number of ministries are increased in order to form the “National Government.”  


National governments are meant to face national crises or to implement special programmes under special circumstances and political parties are expected to sacrifice towards this end. Yet under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution political parties can be bribed with portfolios in order to form National Governments, since the expected national governments are not only ones instituted to implement such national programmes or to face such national crises, rather they are also formed just because no party has the absolute majority power in the Parliament to form the government alone.  

 

The Cabinet was not rearranged this time because of the need to institute it on a scientific basis. It was carried out purely as an attempt to continue the so-called unity government which was on the brink of collapse after the no-confidence motion presented by the Joint Opposition last month against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Nevertheless, it is not clear that this would be the last Cabinet reshuffle in this year as there seem to be members of the ruling coalition, especially in the United National Party (UNP) who are not satisfied with the current allocation of portfolios. It is also a well-known fact that the UNP wants former minister Ravi Karunanayake to be absorbed into the Cabinet, despite the Presidential Commission on the Central Bank bond scam having recommended to take legal action against him. It is said that it was President Maithripala Sirisena who dismissed the UNP’s overture.  

This is not a scientific Cabinet as many subjects that should have come under one ministry have been assigned to various ministries


Meanwhile, the two main political parties of the government, the UNP and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) are also struggling with their internal problems compelling the leaders of the two parties to dedicate most of their time to sort out those issues. The UNP is now fresh from a party reorganization process where number of top posts except for the posts of Leader, Deputy Leader and Assistant Leader of the party have been changed. However, it is not clear whether there is a change in the decision making powers of the new office bearers.  


The decision for the reorganisaton of the UNP was also not taken collectively by the party hierarchy to face the current political challenges, rather it was a direct upshot of the outcry by some leading members of the party against the leadership following the party’s humiliating defeat at the February 10 local government elections. State Minister Palitha Range Bandara was one openly challenging the party leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe claiming that he would bring in a no-confidence motion against the latter. Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake had stated several times that he wished to see a change in the party leadership. Deputy Minister Eran Wickramarathna opines that all office bearers including the party leader be appointed by vote.  


In the wake of the defeat of the two ruling parties at the local council elections Mr. Wickremesinghe responding to the journalists who questioned him about the agitations within the party at a media briefing told that a collective leadership would be formed in the near future. Accordingly, a politburo was appointed apparently to bring in changes in the top posts in the party. However, the politburo was not the top most body of the party as the ones in the leftist parties or not empowered to take final decisions on the party reorganisation.  


The politburo had recommended some changes in the top positions of the party and they were ratified by the party’s Working Committee before being implemented. Thus, former General Secretary Kabir Hashim was appointed new Chairman while Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam being appointed in his former place and Sajith Premadasa and Ravi Karunanayake were reappointed as Deputy Leader and Assistant Leader respectively.   

Leaders of the government and the UNP do not have the most important tool, a coherent economic programme to muster the support of the masses


This was not the first time Mr. Wickremesinghe had to come upon rebellions from within his party. Since 2001 several times his leadership was challenged and every time party’s election defeats were cited as reasons behind the agitations. There were two such major revolts in 2001 and 2014 and interestingly the party in both times succeeded in major elections instituting its rule over the country and putting an end to the revolts within months.   


In 2001, it was party General Secretary Gamini Athukorale and former Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara were in the forefront against Mr. Wickremesinghe. There was a failed attempt to oust him while he was in Norway in July 2001. The rebels then wanted to appoint Karu Jayasuriya as the leader. Then in 2010 Sajith Premadasa challenged Wickremsnghe’s leadership and the row lasted till 2014 when Mr. Wickremesinghe appointed a leadership council in order to pacify his adversaries within the party. Though it was not up to the satisfaction of the rebels, the premature Presidential election announced by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa saved the day for Wickremesinghe.  

 

In fact, after the defeat of the UNP at the Presidential as well as the General Election in 1994 following its 17 year rule, the party failed to install a stable government, despite it being voted into power twice. And except for the 2001 Parliamentary election the party had been repeatedly unsuccessful in all national, provincial and local elections.  


In spite of the UNP having won the 2001 December General Election its administration came to an abrupt end just in two years and two months when President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved the Parliament on February 7, 2004 at the instance of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna over differences on the peace talks between the government and the LTTE. And this time within three years into its administration the party as well as its government have run into storms threatening the survival of its leadership and the government.   


It is not clear whether the Cabinet reshuffle and the UNP reorganisation would serve the purpose of the leaders of the government and the UNP. The professed purpose of them are to win over the people before the next Presidential and General Election. However, leaders of the government and the UNP lack the most important tool, a coherent economic programme to muster the support of the masses.   


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  Comments - 1

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • Manu Sunday, 06 May 2018 12:33 PM

    Reshuffles until RW as PM and leader disappers.


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