For more reasons than one, the coming weeks remain crucial for President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
With a comfortable two thirds majority in Parliament and a separatist war over, his UPFA government has still been floundering. A number of issues have begun to erode public confidence even though they are not highlighted by an impotent opposition. The largest cabinet in post-independent Sri Lanka notwithstanding, absence of good governance in some key sectors have haunted the higher echelons of power. Concerned by these reasons, senior ministers believe Rajapaksa is veering towards a series of corrective measures.
On Friday, he chaired a meeting of constituent parties of the UPFA. Taking part among others were Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Wimal Weerawansa, Champika Ranawaka, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Tissa Vitharana, D.E.W. Gunasekera and Keheliya Rambukwella. A gamut of issues facing the government formed the subject of discussion. That included wages for employees in various sectors, student unrest in universities and the proposed legislation for private universities.
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| TNA leader R. Sampanthan is being introduced by Radakrishan (Roy) Padayachie, South African Minister of Public Service and Administration to a Cabinet colleague. |
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South African President Jacob Zuma speaks at the ANC centenary
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