A ceremony organised by the Lake House employees to extend greetings to new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was held at Lake House premises under the patronage of Ratnapura District Parliamentarian Ranjith Soysa. Picture shows Parliamentarian Ranjith Soysa cutting the cake. Parliamentarians Thenuka Vidanagamage, Vijith Weragoda and Janaka Wakkumbura and president of Sri Lanka Progressive Trade Union affiliated to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Chandana Bandara were present. Picture by Ruwan De Silva
We joined the government with the support of 116 Members of Parliament in our pocket, Ratnapura District Parliamentarian Ranjith Soysa said
“Our duty is to support the two leaders who are in charge of governing the country,” he said.
“Although some people argued that the newly appointed Prime Minister should be ousted, we can muster the support of 161 Members in Parliament,” Soysa said.
He was addressing Lake House (ANCL) employees at a ceremony organised by them to extend greetings to the new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa held at Lake House yesterday.
The present government will not sell any state property. The Maithri – Mahinda link is a sacred link established for the welfare of the country and no one will be able to break it, he said.
Ranjith Soysa said that their existence depended on the media. If they had made a creation the background for such creation is fashioned by the Media. He said the country was today undergoing a period of transformation. Mahinda Rajapaksa who was the former President bade farewell to the nation within four hours of his defeat.However they left with hopes of coming back. Soysa said their firm resolve was not to abandon their leader under any circumstances. They mustered a big strength through their trade unions. Soysa said he would request journalists to use their pen in accordance with the government in office. The decision taken by the President was hundred percent Legal. The President was vested with powers to appoint or dismiss a Prime Minister. Economic experts were using the next two weeks to finalise the Vote on Account to be tabled in Parliament on November 16, he said. Although people made various arguments challenging the appointment of the Prime Minister they had the support of 161 members of Parliament. The law applied to all equally whether it was Ranil or Mahinda. Soysa said they were committed to protect and safeguard Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at the cost of their lives. Co-ordinator of the Programme Employees Union affiliated to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Hemantha Dep delivering the welcome address said the previous regime took the country towards disaster by privatizing country’s resources. President, Progressive Employees Union Lake House branch Chandana Bandara and President of the Mother Union Sumith Wijesinghe also spoke. Parliamentarians Thenuke Vidanagamage, Vijithe Welegoda and Janaka Weragoda and Janaka Wakkumbura, Provincial Council member Ajith Gunasekara Soysa, Lake House General Manager Abhaya Amaradasa, Company Secretary Mrs. Kumudu Gunawardene, Tissa Dhammika, Dilantha Batugedara and Dhammika Tammitaarachchi were also present on the occasion.