INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
President Ranil Wickremesinghe says Sri Lankan cricket crisis should be resolved by bringing in relevant laws to select the most suitable
persons for the administration of the sport.Delivering a special statement in parliament earlier today (Nov.21), the Head of State refuted
power struggle between two groups.The President said he asked the Sports Minister not to get involved in a legal battle with the cricket
with regard to the backlash from certain individuals against the court judgments in respect of the cases filed over the cricket issue,
Wickremesinghe slammed the Members of Parliament for criticizing the judges inside the parliament and said it is a concerning trend
the unnecessary involvement of the government in Sri Lankan cricket, Wickremesinghe said accusations of political interference cannot be
dismissed after the parliamentary members got together to bring forth a resolution against the SLC.Expressing his views further in this
My sincere gratitude goes to the one hundred and twenty MPs who supported it, providing us with the strength to move forward.I extend my
appreciation even to the 77 individuals who voted against us, as their dissent highlights the diversity of opinions within this House.MP
I urge you not to oppose me, as our collective efforts have fortified democracy
Therefore, I kindly request your support, at least for this budgetary proposal.Regarding the former president, who is a lawyer handling his
legal matters, I emphasize our commitment to democracy
I am planning to conduct both presidential and parliamentary elections next year, followed by provincial councils and local government
elections the following year.In response to a recent question from the leader of the opposition, I want to highlight that I have received a
report indicating that the Attorney General has filed a case against ABC Enterprises, Thyagaraja Vinayamoorthy, M.P.D.U.K
awarding of the dry food and bread supply tender to ABC Enterprises for the Trincomalee prison in 2023 and 2024
The petitioner seeks compensation of Rs
I can inquire with the Attorney General to provide the specific information required for this matter.The report I received indicates a
violation of a fundamental right, emphasizing insufficient evidence for a criminal case during that period
It suggests adherence to separate rules
not take necessary actions, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of events following that period.In our tradition, when the leader of the
opposition is invited to form a government and has the majority, they usually proceed
However, our opposition leader did not follow this tradition, constituting a breach of public trust
The premiership I assumed that day was not granted by the Rajapaksas; but several MPs approached me, and I accepted the responsibility to
Despite calls for my resignation, I stated that I would step down if anyone with a majority emerged
During the siege of the parliament, when the army commander arrived, party leaders fled
Ultimately, I instructed the army commander to take any necessary measures to safeguard the parliament
A thorough examination of these events will reveal who is responsible and who is not
situation.Speaking about cricket, I want to address accusations of protecting individuals
The cricket issue has been a long-standing challenge, with its decline attributed to a struggle between two groups
To address this, we consistently advocated for the enactment of a law and the selection of the right team based on that law
To facilitate this, we utilized the Chitrasiri report as a foundation for the proposed law.On a specific occasion, I cautioned the minister
against handling a case in a way that could lead to consequences such as losing the International Cricket Council (ICC) membership,
forfeiting matches, and deterring tourists
During cabinet discussions, the minister sought legal representation, and we, including the former president and the Attorney General, urged
the Attorney General to represent him
verdict, I believe that in cases with disputes, decisions should be sought from the court
Regarding the current situation, I conversed with the ICC, and they expressed concerns about political interference, emphasizing the need
for a law rather than defending individuals.Currently facing two charges, one pertains to the dissolution of the Cricket Board by this
council, which awaits a legal verdict
The other alleges parliamentary involvement, as the opposition swiftly approved the decision when the minister announced it
I emphasize the presence of politics in this matter.Acknowledging mistakes, our representative, Mr
Nimal Siripala de Silva, apologized to the judges, recognizing our wrongdoing
The temporary order could have been addressed the next day if necessary
Importantly, the Chief Justice, not I, selected and appointed Rajakaruna as the President of the Court of Appeal.However, this cannot be
Launching attacks under the guise of parliamentary privileges is unacceptable
There is no privilege in this context
According to the standing orders, the proposal did not receive approval
emphasize that Article 04 of the Constitution should remain inviolable
I have refrained from blaming judges directly
While we can critique judgments, accusing a judge should be done following standing orders; otherwise, claims of privileges are unwarranted
Placing the council in such a situation is unprecedented and regrettable.In the past, we took action against Neville Samarakoon
Initially, we invoked standing orders to discuss his actions
Rakava, who collaborated with us in the United National Party in the 70s, was endorsed by President Premadasa to stand for a vote and later
served as the vice-chairman of this council
It is perplexing why we are attacking someone President Premadasa trusted and someone I appointed as an ambassador to Vietnam
I know him personally, and I doubt his involvement in questionable activities
It saddens me to witness criticism against him and his son, considering their past association with us.On a particular day, these
My focus is on adhering to standing orders
Parliament; it is a part of the executive
Their role involves supporting the president in appointments, assessing the suitability of names, and making suggestions
Any activity can be subject to a fundamental rights case
Despite our discussions on combating corruption, the appointment of the Commission members is delayed due to concerns raised by a few
I am willing to face any legal challenges, and if we were truly committed to eradicating corruption, we could have proceeded with these
The delay in this process hampers the effective functioning of the legislative assembly.To address this issue, I propose the establishment
of a selection committee to discuss the way forward
The current situation has created a backlog in the courts, and I suggest the Prime Minister initiate discussions to form a selection
committee to determine future procedures.Moreover, the primary purpose of this assembly is to pass laws
We often commence work late, and people do not pay us to merely perform; they expect us to pass legislation
Therefore, I recommend discussing with the cabinet the introduction of a new amendment, suggesting that we shift to the main agenda after
Many new laws are anticipated next year, and further delays are impractical.Considering that MPs will need to return to their constituencies
for development work next year, it is crucial not to get stuck here
Therefore, my suggestion is to prioritize the main legislative work after the first hour
I wanted to clarify these points, and if the opposition wishes to provide additional insights on this matter, it can be appropriately
