Wijeyadasa to make a special statement on Monday

Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who was at the centre of controversy after being accused of violating the collective responsibility of the Cabinet by some of his colleagues, is to make a special statement on Monday, UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim told journalists today.

Minister Hashim told journalists that Mr. Rajapakshe assured the party’s working committee and the parliamentary group that he will make a statement on Monday on the true situation regarding the statements he made earlier.

He said Mr. Rajapakshe is also expected to meet Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe shortly before making the public statement. Further, Mr. Hashim said the government will also take some important steps especially with regard to collective responsibility of the ministers.

“The decisions which the government will take on Monday will be relevant to all members of Cabinet and not just one member” he said. Government Parliamentary group is to meet on Monday.

Earlier, there were heated arguments at the working committee where some members had criticized Mr. Rajapakshe for the statements he made on Corruption probes and on the Hambantota Port.

However, the Minister has denied the statement he had made on Hambantota. ‘I never said I won’t look back till I cancel the Hambantota agreement” he had told the working committee.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva in a twitter message said Minister Rajapakshe denied of doing anything wrong even after the entire UNP working and parliamentary groups fiercely criticized him for two hours.

The journalists were able to witness Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera coming out of the working committee meeting in an agitated manner.

However, Deputy Minister Perera who spoke to the journalists later said he was happy about the outcome at the working committee meeting.

“Our opinion is that action against corruption should be expedited and if anyone says it cannot be done quickly that is wrong as this government was voted in to punish the corrupt,” he said.

The working committee has not made any decision on Minister Rajapakshe at today’s meeting though it was anticipated that some decision would be made against him.