The Political Column

19th November 2000

Quite a different ball game

By our Political Correspondent

Not only Mr. Wickremesinghe, but many civic-minded people also have welcomed her speech saying that it is important that the government should create an environment where all parties represented in parliament could participate in solving the problems facing the country through consensus politics.

Mr. Wickremesinghe is of the view that the October 10 general election has not given any party a clear mandate to rule the country. The UNP thus believes that the government is unable to go ahead with any of its programmes unless it reaches consensus with the main opposition and other parties in parliament.

Call for consensus politics is nothing new. President Premadasa also had a three-C formula — consultation, compromise and consensus. But to what extent he stuck to this formula is disputed and debatable.

But today, the opposition is more persuasive than the government in calling for consensus politics. For instance, Mr. Wickremesinghe has urged that modalities for talks with the LTTE — a subject mentioned in the government policy statement — should be arranged after consulting him and leaders of Tamil parties.

The UNP leader also said he would be eagerly awaiting a response from the government towards convening such a meeting with the Tamil parties. He also tagged his main demand — the setting up of independent election, police, public service and judicial service commissions — to the opposition support for government's proposed dialogue with the LTTE and talks on the new constitution.

He said there were provisions in the present constitution to set up not only an interim council for the North-east but also the four independent commissions that would bring about a corruption-free society.

The UNP believes the ball is in the government court. It awaits the government's response to its proposals in a move that tests the President's commitment to consensus politics and a new political culture based on equality. Thus the UNP wants to see how the President will respond to its call for the setting up of a select committee to probe malpractices at the general elections and recommend ways and means to avert violence and malpractices at future elections.

UNP spokesman Karunasena Kodituwakku said last week that a motion calling for these measures would be presented shortly in parliament.

Mr. Kodituwakku said that the UNP was holding talks with other opposition parties such as the JVP, the TULF and the TELO to get their support for the motion.

On Thursday, a UNP delegation comprising Karu Jayasuriya, A.H.M. Azwer and Mahinda Samarasinghe met Speaker Anura Bandaranaike to discuss this and other parliamentary matters.

The UNP delegation was keen on amending the standing orders on the basis that most of them have become obsolete. The UNP delegation cited several examples. They said that under the standing orders, an MP should speak only if he manages to catch the eye of the Speaker but today parties were called upon to submit the list of speakers before a debate starts.

The UNP delegation recalled that a committee headed by A.C.S. Hameed was appointed to revise the standing orders, but it could not accomplish its task due to the change of government in 1994.

The UNP also brought to the notice of the Speaker that the parliamentary complex had not been maintained properly and some wooden structures were in a broken-down condition. They also pointed out that the complex had not been colour-washed for the past six years.

It is learnt Speaker Anura Bandaranaike will summon a party leaders' meeting to discuss the UNP's motion to appoint a select committee.

The question that arises now is as to whether the PA would agree to the UNP's select committee proposal. The Speaker is expected to act as a catalyst to bring about a consensus between the two parties and expedite this process.

Time was when our law makers lacked a quorum during the March 'Battle of the Blues'. This was indeed raised by no less a person than Laski's Pupil NM when parliament was by the sea. Those days are long gone, some call it "progress", although our late political matriarch had some hard comments on the latter day Diyawanna Oya guys whose antics are more akin to a fish market than that of their role model by Big Ben.

With Ali Baba now donning wig and robe most look to him to restore the dignity of the house. Initial steps look just right. Old Royalist and much-respected authority on Parliamentary procedure, former Secretary-General Nihal Seneviratne comes in as advisor to the Speaker, an appointment without precedent approved this week by the Cabinet of Ministers. Mr. Speaker has already readied his personal team. Old Thomian and London qualified lawyer, Laj Wickramasinha, joins as Private Secretary. Siri Amarasekera, another Thomian with over 25 years parliamentary service as Librarian and Private Secretary to former Speaker K.B. Ratnayake, is appointed Co-Secretary - Information.

Speaker Bandaranaike is tidying up "in house". He will not live at Mumtaz Mahal, now decrepit. He was seen inspecting the new residence in Kotte with a professional team that will be very selective in regard to the end product. All in all it seems Rahu days are here for some!

However, it appears now that the PA's troubles are not coming from the opposition but from within. Several ministers have expressed reservations about talking to the LTTE amidst reports that the rebels have indicated readiness for direct talks with President Kumaratunga. Though the President has responded positively on direct talks, several ministers had made contradictory statements, indicating a slowing down of the peace process.

President Kumaratunga has reportedly told the ministers that she was ready for direct talks with the LTTE because it would be difficult to fund a protracted war in view of the heavy burden placed on the government in bridging the budget deficit.

Some analysts, however, dismiss the proposed peace talks with the LTTE as what has now become a routine periodical gesture and say the war will continue for the next six years in view of the contradictory statements made by ministers.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake in a recent interview ruled out talks with the LTTE unless the rebels laid down their weapons — a demand unlikely to be met by the LTTE. Deputy Speaker Sarath Munasinghe also made certain comments which could not be seen as favourable to the impending talks. Mr. Munasinghe who is a retired army officer had said that Tiger Supremo Velupillai Prabakharan did not like peace as he would find it difficult to exist in a peaceful environment.

Army Chief Lionel Balagalle addressing Colombo-based foreign correspondents last week ruled out any possibility of a ceasefire until the two parties reach an agreement.

Minister D.M. Jayaratne, once considered to be a hardliner, has however welcomed the idea of direct talks between the President and the LTTE leader as it would expedite the peace process.

Minister Batty Weerakoon went one step further when he said that the talks would be based on August 2000 constitutional proposals.

Thus contradictory signals are coming from the PA, making it difficult to gauge PA's commitment to the peace process, which has got the blessings of the international community, including the European Union.

The TULF, meanwhile, appears to be in a huff over the government's present position. Its leaders believe that some ministers, who are more concerned about party politics than national issues, are trying to manipulate things to present a different picture at different times. But political analysts point out that these ministers have little say in matters of peace and it is the President who takes important decisions.

One analyst told this column the ministers would only shout within the parameters of the cabinet room. Beyond that their voices have little effect.

The President on Wednesday gave stern orders to ministers to achieve development targets within one year. She said she would keep a close tab on the ministers and wanted them to submit proposals within ten days on how to achieve their targets within one year.

She also had friendly discussions with several ministers and one such discussion led to the Export Development Board being reverted to the Trade Ministry. It was pointed out that the EDB had been listed under the Minister of Industrial Development but most of its functions come under the Trade Ministry.

Trade Minister Rauf Hakeem was satisfied with the decision, but still his position is not stable within the PA as well as in the National Unity Alliance.

While there are alleged moves by the government to create a split in the NUA using the widow of M.H.M. Ashraff, Mr. Hakeem is trying to consolidate himself. Many of the top-rung NUA members however have thrown their weight behind Mr. Hakeem.

Minister Hakeem is trying to stick to his guns and get the maximum from the government. But some people feel that he got played out when he insisted that Shipping and Shipping Development Ministry should be assigned to him. In the process the President removed key institutions from his ministry while creating a separate ministry for food which was allocated to Reggie Ranatunga.

Minister Ranatunga is in the news these days because his son and Cricket Board Chief Executive Dhammika Ranatunga has been sent on compulsory leave after a unanimous decision taken by the board.

It is alleged that Dhammika had made a complaint to Sports Minister Lakshman Kiriella about the manner in which the Board was handling a tender to grant TV rights to an international television firm. After this incident, Cricket Board President Thilanga Sumathipala refused to work with Dhammika.

The board deliberated for long as to what it should do on the conduct of Dhammika Ranatunga. When the Ranatunga family learnt about the imminent decision of Mr. Sumathipala, Minister Ranatunga met Mr. Kiriella to discuss the matter and solve it amicably. However, before they acted the board met on Tuesday and took the decision against Dhammika.

The board has queried Dhammika about the complaint he made to the sports minister. Dhammika responded saying he spoke only after the minister asked him about the TV deal. But Mr. Kiriella has told the board that it was Dhammika Ranatunga who told him of the TV deal.

Minister Kiriella later sent a letter to the Board, requesting it not to take action against Dhammika solely on the complaint made by him on the TV deal.

However, the Board maintained the position that Dhammika had acted wrongly in reporting the matter to the minister.

On the TV deal allegations, the board has submitted its comments to the minister for his approval and the minister has referred the matter to the Attorney-General. The board says that everything has been done according to law and accepted norms in the presence of minister's representatives and the board auditors. Board officials said they were negotiating with two short-listed companies to get the best deal for the board.

The Board officials claim that if they do not finalise the TV deal within two weeks, the board stands to lose financially. At the executive committee meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Sumathipala alleged Dhammika had misled the Sports Minister. He said that Dhammika denied that he made any complaint to the sports minister when asked about it.

"We cannot allow him to run a parallel administration," Mr. Sumathipala said adding that it was a serious matter. Several other members endorsed his view. He then said there should be an inquiry into the matter and the conduct of Dhammika. The proposal was unanimously approved by the executive committee which also included Board Vice President Prasanna Ranatunga, Dhammika's brother.

The next item taken up for discussion was whether Dhammika should be suspended from the post of CEO. One member said it was not the time for him to be suspended, but others recommended that he be sent on compulsory leave. While the other members of the Board agreed with this suggestion, Prasanna Ranatunga abstained from voting. Thereafter, the Board appointed former Sri Lanka Captain Anura Tennekoon to act as the Chief Executive Officer.

The Board is now probing allegations regarding the purchase of a Volvo car for Dhammika. The Board has allocated Rs. 2.5 million for the purchase of a brand new car and when quotations were called A.J. Sales Ltd is said to have offered the lowest price of Rs. 2.3 million. But now it is alleged that the company sold a car that was being used by one Ms. Gunasekera, who is said to be a relative of the Ranatungas. The owner of the car sales Anura Jayasekera on inquiry had admitted that the car, still unregistered, had been given to AJ Sales by a relative of Mr. Ranatunga and had asked him to submit a tender to the Cricket Board. Mr. Jayasekera has reportedly said he is prepared to swear an affidavit to this effect.

The Board is of the opinion that once the money is allocated, it is the responsibility of the CEO to handle the matter according to the law and accepted norms.

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