SF OVERALL COMMANDER

President’s suggestion under consideration:

I will do any duty for country’s sake:

President Maithripala Sirisena has asked Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka whether he would be interested in resigning from his ministerial portfolio to take up the post of an ‘Army Commander’ or ‘Overall Commander’ of the Tri-Forces to ‘bring about discipline in the country,’ Co-Cabinet Spokesperson, Minister Rajitha Senaratna said yesterday.

The Field Marshall had responded that he was willing to take on any responsible post for the sake of the country. Senaratne added that the Cabinet had responded positively to the proposal made by the President.

Minister Senaratne addressing the weekly Cabinet briefing at the Government Information Department, said the suggestion came about, given the increasing number of protests and public agitations which have hindered development programmes in the country.

“This week alone, strike action by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) unions brought to a halt the fuel supply in the country wreaking havoc among the public.

The unions were protesting against an alleged agreement with India over the Trincomalee Oil Farm tanks. Earlier this month, hospitals around the country had to turn away patients as doctors launched trade union action over private medical universities.

“You do not want the Trincomalee tanks to be given away but what have we done for the last 100 years with it? Do we want to keep it as an artifact?”, asked the Health Minister.

“The GMOA now says that they are going to shift their focus on ETCA. There are protests at every corner”.

Minister Senaratne however stressed that no definite role or responsibilities for the Field Marshall, who currently holds the Ministry of Regional Development has been decided as of yet.

The Minister also denied allegations that the government was increasingly moving towards militarisation and was trying to create another ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’; the former Defence Secretary was famed for his intolerance towards dissent.

“The government is always talking to unions and many a time, strikes have been called without proper knowledge. People complain that the President and Prime Minister have been quiet for too long. For those who say the government is spineless, we are about to have a spine,” the Health Minister said. 

 

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post