Former President Maithripala Sirisena, who was convicted by the Supreme Court in connection with the Easter Sunday Terrorist Attacks, is unsuitable to hold public office, former MP and the President’s Trade Unions Director General Saman Rathnapriya said.
He was speaking at a press conference at the Sirikotha UNP Headquarters yesterday.He said that former President Sirisena should step down from the SLFP leadership and also from politics. He observed that nine SLFP MPs have already detached themselves from the SLFP.
“Some professionals and politicians, who have committed wrongs in the past, pretend that they have done nothing wrong. It has now become a trend. MPs such as Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila try to cover up their own mistakes by accusing President Ranil Wickremesinghe. We are also against increasing taxes, but it was done because there is no other alternative. If more money is printed, the people will eventually suffer when the inflation rises.
Those who led the country in the wrong track in the past have a responsibility to support these measures at this junction,” he commented.
The former MP opined that postponing the Local Government Elections would not affect democracy as it is not a crucial election.
The Provincial Councils are not functioning, but has it led to any problem? There is a Governor for each province and the system functions as usual. Likewise, despite the absence of 8,000 odd LG Councilors, the LG bodies will work under Commissioners. The LG Elections will consume about Rs 12 billion, and election campaigning will cost more money,” he added.
Add new comment