Confusion reigns over proposal to assign SF to deal with emergencies

• Rajitha, John clash at Cabinet 
• JO basks in May Day glory 
• Foreign Missions watchful of developments in SL 
• SL commits to initiate time-bound action to implement projects with India 
• MoU modified in New Delhi, outlines a number of projects to be executed

Confusion reigned within the government regarding the proposal to appoint Minister Sarath Fonseka, the one-time tough, battle-hardened Army Commander to deal with the emergency situation arising due to trade union actions. It evoked a provocative response from the trade union leaders. Let alone, the govt ministers started taking on each other on the matter, with some denying the veracity of this proposal and the others vouching for its accuracy. It puzzled people being unable to understand who was telling the truth.
Of such infighting, the bitterest emerged between Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne who, as the Cabinet Spokesman announced such a move to the press and Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister John Seneviratne, who not only denied it but also asked the former to make his utterances responsibly at the weekly Cabinet meetings. Infuriated by the latter’s response, Dr. Senaratne unleashed a verbal barrage against his Cabinet colleague.  
Miffed by such slandering, Minister Seneviratne complained about it at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting in the presence of President Maithripala Sirisena. This led to a kind of showdown between the two. During the height of tense cross talks, Dr. Senaratne even called Minister Seneviratne ‘a boot licker’ of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.   
Minister Seneviratne retorted saying if he were a boot licker, all the others who served in the Rajapaksa government’s Cabinet could be labelled so. He would have intended to say so because Dr. Senaratne was also a Cabinet Minister in the MR government.   
Finally, the President intervened and apologized to Minister Seneviratne over what had happened.   
Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera looked concerned about the Cabinet Ministers taking on each other. So to speak, he suggested that all should stop this and forge ahead amicably in the greater interest. The President sounded serious about this suggestion as he pledged to call for a meeting next week between the two parties - the UNP and the SLFP to discuss differences among the ministers.   
The news about the proposal involving Minister Fonseka came about, ahead of May Day. Therefore, it was not a decision timed well because of the scope for its interpretation that the government was bracing for repression of trade union activities. In fact, the trade unions, mostly affiliated to the political parties such as the JVP, scorned the proposal and vowed to leave no stone unturned in thwarting the implementation of it. It helped the political parties, oppositional to the govt, to solicit the support of workers and form public opinion against it. In fact, the Cabinet spokesman announced this after the strike by petroleum workers who crippled fuel distribution of the country. It was a strike action against the proposed plan to lease out the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm to Lanka Indian Oil Company (IOC). The govt has a lot of such projects involving foreign investment up its sleeve. The snowballing of trade union activities would hamstring the smooth channelling of those projects; and as such, the govt may be contemplating a move to pre-empt such an eventuality. This proposal, if meant seriously, could be viewed as a warning signal to those planning strike actions.  
May Day was conducted this time in the backdrop of such developments in the country. Rather than focusing on workers’ rights, May Day served as an occasion for the respective political parties and formations to display their political might and crowd pulling strengths. 

JO basks in May Day glory 

Of the rallies, the Joint Opposition’s May Day rally was the much-talked about one this time. Galle Face Green is a large area for a political rally to be conducted. The JO, led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa asked for this ground. The government readily agreed to it. Most view that the govt granted it in the hope that the JO would fail in filling up the massive ground with people. Failure in this regard would amount to a political setback.

Though the JO asked for it, it was also apprehensive initially whether it could accomplish the task. Finally, it managed to fill the ground, somehow or the other. Today, the JO is basking in the glory of its success. Former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa played the pivotal role in bringing such large crowds in buses, trains and private vehicles to the city.   

In the aftermath of this rally, the JO anticipates two responses from the govt. On the one hand, the govt may intensify its action to neutralize the JO. Or else, it would remain silent given the public following the JO has. Actually, Health Minister Senaratne, in his address on the UNP May Day rally, urged strong action against the Rajapaksas. So did Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka.   
While these govt politicians demand stern action against the Rajapaksas, some leaders of the JO advocate continual mass demonstrations, laying siege to the capital, to force the govt to step down. Party leaders Wimal Weerawansa and Vasudeva Nanayakkara made remarks to this effect. If the two sides take such extreme ends, nothing but turmoil would erupt in the country.   

Foreign Missions watchful of developments 

According to diplomatic sources, the foreign missions in Colombo are watchful of political developments in Sri Lanka. China, a country seeking major investment in Sri Lanka is perturbed over policy inconsistency in Sri Lanka. India is equally concerned since the ground situation is becoming unfavourable.  

SL commits to initiate time-bound action to implement projects with India 

India had issues with the previous govt due to some measures which, India believed, were detrimental to its security interests. It is widely believed here that the role India played in unseating the previous regime. Developments, that happened after the installation of the new govtt, gave credence to such analysis. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a state visit to Sri Lanka in March, 2016, just two months after the new government assumed office. He is coming for the second time on May 11 in view of UN Vesak Day celebrations in the country.
During his 2015 visit, he remarked that the world saw India as the new frontier of economic opportunity. “But, our neighbours should have the first claim on India. And I again repeat, the first claim on India is of our neighbours of Sri Lanka. India and Sri Lanka are too close to look away from each other. Nor can we be insulated from one another. We have to ensure that our proximity always translates into closeness. I also assure you of India`s full commitment to development partnership with Sri Lanka. We see this as a responsibility of a friend and neighbour. Sri Lanka is a leader in advancing cooperation in South Asia. And, it is important for the future of the Indian Ocean Region. Sri Lanka`s progress and prosperity is also a source of strength for India. So, Sri Lanka`s success is of great significance to India,” he said at the time.   
This seems to be the line of thinking behind the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries recently.   

MoU modified in New Delhi, outlines a number of projects to be executed   

The projects mentioned in the MoU are; Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) fired 500 megawatt capacity LNG Power Plant, for which GoSL will issue a Letter of Intent to GoI or to GoI representative by end May 2017.  

    An LNG Terminal/Floating Storage Re-gasification Unit (FSRU) in Kerawalapitiya, in the Colombo suburb; a piped gas distribution system; retail outlets for supply of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to the transportation sector; and conversion of liquid fuel-based power plants to R-LNG fired power plants in Sri Lanka. GoSL will issue a Letter of Intent for the FSRU and the LNG package to GoI by mid May 2017. For the LNG Terminal/FSRU in Kerawalapitiya, a Joint Venture will be formed among entities of Sri Lanka, India and Japan. For which, modalities would be worked out by end July 2017. A Joint Working Group (JWG) would be constituted and would meet in the first half of May 2017. GoI would submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to GoSL by end August 2017 on the piped gas distribution system and retail outlets for supply of CNG to the transportation sector.