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“I will ensure the implementation of the 2015 mandate on the Executive Presidency,” he told the media.

Speaking at a press conference last night following the UNP Parliamentary Group Meeting at the party headquarters, Sirikotha, Premadasa said he did not accept any preconditions nor sign any deals with anybody for the presidential candidature.

Meanwhile, the UNP Working Committee passed a motion when endorsing Premadasa’s candidature that he would take forward the constitutional reform process that was initiated during the term of the present government.

The resolution also said it would proceed with the process of advancing power devolution, evolving electoral reforms and scrapping the executive presidency.

The resolution will be ratified at the party’s convention on October 3.

Commenting further on the matter, Premadasa said:

“I have not been informed of any conditions. But I must make my self clear. I am not someone who will demean the country’s honour, party's honour, or the front’s honour and also my own self-respect to benefit. There may have been individuals like that in the past but Sajith Premadasa is not a man of that calibre.”

“I will not do anything cheap after being subjected to terms and conditions. Therefore, Sajith Premadasa is not prepared to accept the candidacy subject to conditions. There is no doubt about that,” he said.

Sajith Premadasa is set to meet Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today (25) to express his views on the matter. Jayasuriya has been playing the role of mediator to bring both Wickremesinghe and Premadasa to a consensus.

If appointed as President, when will he step down?

Meanwhile according to some Pro-Rajapaksa social media sites, among the conditions is one that says “Sajith agreed to appoint Ranil as the executive Prime Minister after 6 months of being appointed”.

However, it has been revealed to theleader.lk that this news is completely false. While this had been discussed during a meeting between Sajith, Ranil and Malik. However, Sajith had retorted, “When you resign as Prime Minister, on that day I will resign from the Presidency and accept the Premiership”.

Ranil Wickremesinghe had not objected to this, sources said.

The sudden emergence of a strong ruling party candidate caught many, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother, SLPP Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, by surprise.

It will not be a surprise for the people if Gotabaya Rajapaksa is disqualified for his foul start and his illicit passport and parents' monument saga.  

A number of key SLFP members are to join Sajith Premadasa with more defections to follow dealing a major blow to Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is becoming unpopular day by day.  

While Gotabaya is still the frontrunner, it can no longer be taken for granted that Sajith, with his political experience has started his sprint bubbling with confidence to win the presidential race.     

The pressure is now mounting on politically inexperienced Gotabaya Rajapaksa who started his run for presidency early and now loosing stamina and vigor.

For the first time in years, the ruling UNF, together with critical voices among Sri Lanka’s beleaguered civil society, are sensing that Sajith’s win is a real possibility after several weeks of internal bickering .

At the same time, the sudden emergence of Sajith Premadsa as the presidential candidate increases his winning chances after the wide spread publicity received by him for his struggle with the party leader to clinch the candidacy.    

The Rajapaksas are almost certain to deploy the full resources – money, vehicles, radio, TV and newspapers of his camp , civil servants and the police – in support of Gotabaya’s victory, and are widely expected to do whatever is needed to get back into power. The tighter the race, the more violent it will be.

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), MP Dayasiri Jayasekera says the party is looking at joining hands with leftist forces and contesting the presidential separately in the event talks with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) fail.

Jayasekera saId the SLFP’s presidential candidate would most probably be President Maithripala Sirisena with his candidacy being unanimously approved by the party’s Central Committee.

He noted that the SLFP believed the SLFP and SLPP could continue with the talks to form an alliance to face the United National Party (UNP) but the stumbling block was the SLPP sticking to its ‘Pohottuwa’ (flower bud) symbol instead of a common symbol.

“Political alliances or coalitions have been formed in the past after the constituent partners had agreed on the policy, programme and strategy and a common symbol. But sadly the SLPP is not ready to accept our programme and a symbol other than that of the betel leaf or Pohottuwa,” he said.

 He insisted that as long as the SLPP was not prepared to agree to a symbol acceptable to the SLFP, it was not possible for the SLFP to enter into an alliance with the SLPP.

“We must listen to our grassroots level SLFP organisers, voters, Pradeshiya Saba members. We cannot betray the trust placed on us by our voters. If we join the SLPP, we must do it with dignity and self-respect. We cannot do so simply because it has a bigger vote base. But what the SLPP must keep in mind is that no candidate will be able to win without the support of the SLFP. That is definite,” Jayasekera added.

As for statements made by MP Kumara Welgama that he was prepared to contest as the SLFP presidential candidate, Jayasekara said under no circumstance would Welgama be nominated as the SLFP candidate at the upcoming presidential election.

 “It is true that Mr. Welgama is back at the SLFP. That is after a long journey with the SLPP against the SLFP and becoming the SLPP district organiser of Badulla. Besides, I cannot understand how he opposes Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s candidacy while worshipping Mahinda Rajapaksa. Therefore, I assure you that Mr. Welgama will not be the SLFP presidential candidate. We still maintain that President Sirisena will most likely be the SLFP candidate,” the SLFP General Secretary said.

The US government is currently assisting to make Arugam Bay a sustainable, green tourist destination.

Through an initiative called “Waste Less Arugam Bay,” sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the project provides free drinking water at refill stations, recycles plastic bottles, and promotes the benefits of reducing plastic waste.

In Arugam Bay alone, since April 2018, more than 230,000 bottles have been mitigated from entering landfills or the ocean.

The website www.getwater.lk details the 35 locations of water refill stations across Sri Lanka.

“Reducing plastic waste not only preserves the beauty of Sri Lanka’s oceans and waterways for future generations but protects the livelihoods of people and promotes tourism during a downturn,” U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz said.  “It means fishermen can count on a decent catch, communities can access locally-made recycled goods and most importantly tourists can visit pristine beaches.”

Under the programme, local businesses in Arugam Bay have received bins to separate plastic bottles from other waste, and each day, a vehicle collects and transports plastic bottles to a facility where they are turned into 100 percent recycled plastic polyester yarn, reducing the need for new plastic in polyester production.

Community outreach and education is key. Visitors and locals learn about the potential harm of plastics to the environment and human health and ways they can help reduce waste.

The USAID Municipal Waste Recycling Program works with partners throughout Sri Lanka to reduce marine environment degradation caused by plastic and polythene waste.

However, the agreement to nominate Premadasa as the UNP’s presidential candidate is based on several conditions.

The consensus was reached at a meeting held late last evening between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa camps.

Wickremesinghe has agreed to nominate Premadasa as presidential candidate subject to a written commitment from the latter to abolish executive presidency in six months after assuming office, appoint Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and agree to a power devolution package agreed at the parliamentary steering committee

The Prime Minister is also reportedly in agreement that candidacy could be offered to Premadasa but on condition that he (Wickremesinghe) remain the UNP Leader as well as Prime Minister.  

Meanwhile, a key member of Premadasa’s camp, Minister Harin Fernando following the crucial meeting has tweeted saying, “Game on! Positive outcome, New energy for a New Sri Lanka.”

Nevertheless, the official announcement is to be made after the UNP Working Committee meeting on Thursday (26).

Attanayake’s pledge comes in response to Premadasa’s request to Attanayake and other members of the UNP who have left the party to re-join the UNP noting that any issues can be resolved through discussion.

Issuing a statement, Premadasa called on all those who had left the UNP to re-unite and engage in activities to develop the country.

“I request all Provincial Council members, Local Government members who distanced themselves from the UNP to join hands with me,” Premadasa said in his statement.

While commending on the request made by Premadasa, the former UNP stalwart said the reason that led him to vacate the party was because of the party’s decision not to field a UNP candidate in the 2015 presidential poll.

“I think what I have been hoping for, is going to be a reality that a UNP candidate is going to contest at the presidential poll, I have decided to render my support to you,” Attanayake said issuing a statement.

The High Commissioner has tweeted yesterday saying that she made a courtesy call on the Leader of the Opposition.

UNP General Secretary, Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has told the media that these five members were expelled as they had violated the interests of the party during the constitutional crisis in 2018.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Kumara Welgama says he was prepared to accept the presidential candidacy and contest if the party nominated him.

He told a news briefing that he had been in the SLFP for 38 years and had not left the party under any circumstances.

“I am confident that I would be able to cope with the state of affairs and lead the country to a better position,” Welgama said.

“People know my character. I have worked for the people, and I am a straightforward person. People have faith in me,” the MP further said.

He also noted the fact that the SLFP had been steadfast right throughout history and that it was essential to field a presidential candidate from the SLFP.

 “I raised the importance of fielding an SLFP candidate without losing its identity when I personally met with President Sirisena recently,” he added.

According to Welgama, he would support President Maithripala Sirisena if he would decide to contest the upcoming presidential candidate.