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Inside Politics; Govt. in turmoil as Prez-PM clash

18 October 2018 09:01 am - 42     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Animosity between President Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe took new heights on Tuesday as the two leaders embroiled themselves in a heated exchange of words at the weekly Cabinet meeting.

It started after Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe presented a Cabinet memorandum seeking approval to develop the East Container Terminal of Colombo Port by Sri Lanka Ports Development Authority (SLPDA).


The Prime Minister, however, opined that that it should be done under an Indian investment. Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama also stressed the need to hand over the terminal for development to India.  

The suggestion infuriated the President. In an excited mood, the President unleashed his verbal barrage in all directions sparing no one, and even charged that the country would compromise its sovereignty by alienating its seaports to external parties in this manner.   

While rapping the government for leasing out of the Hambantota Port to a Chinese company, he said it would spell more doom in the event of alienation of a stake of the Colombo Port to another country in the same way.  “If we act like this, we will not be able to berth our own ship in our own port,” he said.   

The Prime Minister defended his position saying that a bulk of transshipment business at Colombo Port was done with India. He cited it as justification for handing over the East Container Terminal for development to India. But, the President, at this point, referred to his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu, Nepal last month.   

“PM Modi does not mind the SLPDA developing it single-handedly,” he said.   

It enraged the Prime Minister prompting him to remark in Sinhala, “Modi agamethithuma dannawanam, ona Bambuwak (Hang it if PM Modi knows it!) The Prime Minister is slated to visit India this weekend and will meet with Premier Modi and discuss the issues at hand. The President did not stop at that. He struck a note of criticism on Chinese involvement in development projects as well. “I met with Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohammad. He asked me to exercise caution in dealing with China,” the President added.  

RAW conspires to kill me- President 

In addition, the President spoke out his disillusionment with the lack of progress in investigations into the alleged assassination attempt on him.  

“If I am the person with authority in this case, I will not keep the present Inspector General of Police (IGP) even for a week,” he thundered.   

Commenting on the Indian national questioned over the assassination plot, the President called him an agent of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). In this way, he tried to tell that RAW was conspiring to eliminate him physically.   

“I know Indian PM Narendra Modi does not know about it,” he said.   

Earlier, the accusation was that RAW played a pivotal role in unseating the MR regime and installing the current President. Today, the President accused the very same RAW of hatching a plot to kill him.   (Kelum Bandara)

See full article:

GOVT. in turmoil as prez-PM clash Interim Government with Mahinda Rajapaksa a remote possibility


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  Comments - 42

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  • Unchikun Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:09 AM

    Ha Ha Ha! May be Ranil thought the meeting was at Sri Kotha, his den. Looks like he has learnt a costly lesson. Time for the **** to leave the UNP leadership before more damage is done to the party.

    Cannot Remember Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:14 AM

    Mr. **** should be slapped silly till he remembers he is the PM of SL and NOT ***. Looks like he has caught the RK disease. Did you say 2020?...nah.

    DECIPHER Thursday, 18 October 2018 02:21 PM

    EVEN THE BOND COMMISSION COULD NOT DECIPHER WHAT IS "RK" ? - Is it Raj Kapoor ?

    Siyarata Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:27 AM

    Ranil is selling all parts of the country. Thankful to the president this is controlled to some extent.

    sirimanna Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:35 AM

    Non sense. Are are living in 17th century? In new gobble context you also can buy any thing belong to other countries.

    Priyatharshan Thursday, 18 October 2018 03:54 PM

    I see everything that's happening suddenly as a unclaimed rehearsal to increase the votes to the current president.... It seems like a strategy...

    Ceylon Thursday, 18 October 2018 08:52 PM

    sirisena sold all.the lies to people on 2015 election.

    Dhammika Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:34 AM

    RW has again shown his failure to sail the UNP (SHIP) in to smooth waters in the ocean called governance and politics . The success of any political leadership is fundementaly based how well and smoothly he OR she steer and sails in rough seas and times . RW as PM and leader of the UNP with over 40 years in politics as an MP , Deputy ministet , Cabinet Minister , Opposition leader and Prime Mininster has miserably and countniously failed TOTALY . Should he (RW) has a bit of self respect must RESIGN and hand that much needed UNP leadership to an HONEST , YOUNG ENERGETIC Leader without sinking our country to a point as a failed state.

    aruna Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:22 AM

    Ranil has shown failure in politics because he always tries to do what country wants regardless of political advantages . during last three years he could have done many for the country if the leadership of the country is steady

    Yahiya Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:36 AM

    Both need to retire. Need a new generation leadership.

    Dhammika Thursday, 18 October 2018 12:03 PM

    A YOUNG and HONEST leadership . Thats all is needed.

    Ratapanapan Thursday, 18 October 2018 01:19 PM

    Keep dreaming.

    Nahfees Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:42 AM

    If we say that there should be one chef for a kitchen, then what about a leader for a country?

    Rasheed Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:45 AM

    All these are happening after the secret meeting with MR.

    johan Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:24 AM

    MR is behind or not but policy decisions should be approved by the majority of the cabinet ministerstaking into consideration of the facts and cons for the betterment of SL.There should not be any unilateral decisions either by MS or RW or any ministers

    Rasheed Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:46 AM

    Yes, agreed, but many were approved, why now there is a rift?

    johan Thursday, 18 October 2018 12:06 PM

    Any proposal or suggestions coming out side the cabinet should beanalysed thoroughly before accepting or rejecting because govt. has all mechanism to put things right unlike MR Govt. where only one familydecided everything.

    jimbo Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:54 AM

    Keep fighting. Love these bouts.

    Ghost Friday, 19 October 2018 06:50 AM

    Yeah, good for marital health!

    Lord Wolfstein Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:03 AM

    The president promised to become a ceremonial president before his election. A lie. Now he is constantly interfering in matters for which he lacks the necessary knowledge. Evidence of assassination is mostly fabricated for the reason to strengthen the power of the President and get rid of unwelcome opponents, as happened in Turkey.

    cheers Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:47 AM

    Do not bark too much he will form a coalition with SLPP and can see UNP go to sleep but Mahinda will never do that

    anura Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:08 AM

    PM Ranil thinks on strategies how the country can can be developed rapidly and enter into new world based on gobble technological economical changes happening in the world . He has very good vision. And also he has sound knowledge and insight of new world. But President think traditionally and he his knowledge about new world is very limited. he is not sensitive to new trends taking place in the world.he is always thinks about popular decision which will not help betterment of the country in the long run. This is the conflict between them.

    Lord Pakyam Thursday, 18 October 2018 11:25 AM

    The so called new world strategies had led Sri Lanka to the worse from where it was few years ago. Having vision strategies on paper are useless unless there is tangible performance on the ground for the betterment of the people. And this comes with commitment, honesty,

    aruna Thursday, 18 October 2018 02:32 PM

    How does a country get tangible benefits without implementation of strategies formulated. If the country leader obstruct for every things he proposes how can he show the results. The leader of the government always pays heed to the groups backwards in the society and believe them. No country achieves success without a steady

    Nahfees Thursday, 18 October 2018 02:55 PM

    Ranil only talks about strategies. It should be coupled with workpackage, tangible short term and long term deliverables. Monitor the progress and change course if required.

    asela Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:17 AM

    Mr President this is what happens when one sleeps with ****. You are a President with no authority at all.It is shame to note how you missed or overlooked the slashing of your power by amendments knowing who Ranil is. He is a ****** and never act as a straight forward man. See how nicely Ranil and his gang was thrown out by Chandrika when UNP was becoming uncontrollable and a threat to country.s sovereignty but you have just become a onlooker

    TJ Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:28 AM

    Marriage of Convenience never last long.

    Wise Donkey Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:42 AM

    The man behind all this is having a hearty laugh! MR I can hear you laugh even your roof tiles will come down, now Basil is starting and Namal too............

    Dhammika Thursday, 18 October 2018 12:06 PM

    VERY TRUE , MR and the JOkers are the creator of TURMOIL and TROUBLE in SL politics.

    Samson Thursday, 18 October 2018 10:48 AM

    President is correct about time that the PM went home.

    Vasa Thursday, 18 October 2018 12:14 PM

    When one is thinking of yourself and not the country the country suffers,so will the people.no wonder all those countries that wre far behind us are now very much ahead of us.e.g. Singapore,Korea,

    Siri Thursday, 18 October 2018 12:48 PM

    Hey ******* *** wiping toilet paper Dially Mirrors look at the comments you have published, it’s not selling, it’s a commercial to the benefits of the country. If the Indian with draw the transshipment s cargo through Colombo port march over for Colombo port. Would Sri Lanka have enough cargo for the port to fill capacity and more. India is developing their ports and building deep water ports to bring larger vessels but if offer something like they stall that, and SL *&%$*$#@#%* would get benefit out it. Asia’s biggest property deal was recently done in Singapore- they solid a logistic facility inside the Singapore port for USD 21 billion to Chinese companies for they bought take advantage the booming eCommerce for Chinese companies like Alibaba etc in the ASEAN in the wider Asia. Do you @#*&%* think China bought Singapore or Singapore sold itself China, no, no, it’s purely a commercial for the win, win of the both both sides. Why don’t you @#%*$#@ highlight this

    fareed Thursday, 18 October 2018 01:51 PM

    You are right because the so called nationalists and Desappremis are a stumbling block which prevents country from becoming a hub. Every inch land should be developed everything we produce should be exported and we should import things from other countries in order to export just like Singapore is the leading timber exporter but Malaysia is the producer. Srilanka is dogged by bad politics.

    Nadi Karunaratne Thursday, 18 October 2018 01:37 PM

    We were so pleased when MR and his gang of ********* were ousted but this replacement government has disappointed on an epic scale. Where on earth can the voters turn now? We need a new set of politicians from outside the existing political class - educated, moral and with a sense of public duty that the existing 225 ****** could never understand. We love our country but our rulers show contempt for us - it is not true that the people get the politicians they deserve - we are being held hostage by useless bandits who wrap themselves in the flag while plundering and abusing power.

    karthik Thursday, 18 October 2018 02:03 PM

    Oh all our patriotic leaders are standng in a row to create a row with the RAW.

    kudda Thursday, 18 October 2018 02:24 PM

    HE President must at least intervene at this juncture and stop selling national assets to others. PM has no next generation to think about but our children will be left with nothing if he remains in power.

    Kumar Thursday, 18 October 2018 02:28 PM

    If the Prez is sincere and honest he should resign and hold an election to prove he has the support of the people as he contested in the UNP ticket. However he is putting boulders preventing progress against an Government elected by people for his selfish political gains.

    Ceylon Thursday, 18 October 2018 08:50 PM

    what a fool do this ???.malaysian pm told him secretly as advice to friendly country.sirisena said here to know to whole world.what kind of embarrasment to malaysia now engaging with china???.4 years as president this guy has not learned anything about diplomacy.

    Ceylon Thursday, 18 October 2018 08:54 PM

    cabinet discussion mean it is.discuss,argue and finaly make decision.

    mad monkey Thursday, 18 October 2018 09:50 PM

    Ranil is not fit to be a PM. Maithiri is not fit to be President. That doesn't mean MR is fit be PM. The first 2 are not crooks and the third one is the biggest crook. Our country is going backwards thanks to all of us voting crooks to be in power.

    BJP Friday, 19 October 2018 12:23 AM

    "ona Bambuwak". Does he know the meaning. It is not the language expected from a PM of any country. Daily Mirror, thank you for clarifying the situation very well.

    Lakshman Friday, 19 October 2018 03:08 AM

    Shouldn’t be long before MS says just the opposite of what he’s saying now and denies he ever said any of it in the first place!!


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