PM-finance minister clash worsens! 

- Nov 11, 2015

From a minor difference, the clash between prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and finance minister Ravi Karunanayake has now worsened into a major concern for the government, say UNP sources.

It began after the state banks and many other institutions were taken away from the finance ministry and given to a separate ministry called state enterprise affairs under UNP general secretary Kabir Hashim. Karunanayake has expressed his objections to this to the PM, who has not taken much note of it.

Later, Karunanayake used the media friendly with him and carried out a campaign for several weeks that the PM has agreed to return the institutions taken away from him.

In the meantime, the state enterprise affairs ministry has informed the chairmen and directors of the institutions taken away from the finance ministry to resign, in order to make new appointments. However, the finance minister has told them not to resign under any circumstance.

Hashim has now informed the PM about this situation. For example, the PM appointed chairman of the People’s Bank, UNP legal affair secretary, advocate Nissanka Nanayakkara is still not able to assume duties as Karunanayake appointee Hemasiri Fernando is still on the job at his request.

The PM has apointed Krishantha Cooray as chairman of Hilton Hotel, but Sagarika Delgoda, appointed by Karunanayake, remains in the position.

The PM is angry and dejected over the finance minister’s conduct and has instructed his secretaries to gazette the names of the new appointees and pave the way for them to assume duties immediately. But, Karunanayake says that if that happens, that will be the end of the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government.

The president is looking on silently. Activists of the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government are going to request the president to take up the matter with both parties and give a solution before the situation worsens further.