UNP Working Committee approves appointments to party leadership

• PM looking forward to working with new team to make UNP stronger
• Harin appointed Communication Secretary; Ajith Perera named Trade Union Secretary
• Joseph Michael Perera resigns from Working Committee in protest of Ravi K’s appointment as Assistant Leader 

 By Skandha Gunasekara

The United National Party (UNP) Working Committee yesterday approved the new appointments made to the party hierarchy despite the objections of a few members.

Newly-appointed UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the Daily FT that UNP Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, had congratulated the new leadership team.

“The Prime Minister said that he was looking forward to working together to make the party stronger,” said Minister Kariyawasam.  

The Minister went on to say that a majority of the Working Committee had given their approval to the appointments made by the party’s politburo on 25 April.

“Almost everyone agreed with the appointments. A vote by the Working Committee is needed only if a minimum of two-thirds aren’t content with the appointments,” the General Secretary said.

However, he went on to note that Working Committee members Joseph Michael Perera and Ranjan Ramanayake had objected to the new leadership appointments, adding that the former had resigned from the Working Committee in protest. 

“Joseph Michael Perera was against the appointment of Ravi Karunanayake as Party Assistant Leader. He stepped down from the committee as a sign of protest,” he said, adding that Wickremesinghe had called for alternative suggestions to Karunanayake’s post but none had been put forward. 

In addition to the appointments made on 25 April, Minister Harin Fernando was made the Communicating Secretary of the party while Minister Ajith P. Perera was appointed the Trade Union Secretary of the UNP. 

When asked about various media reports of anticipated disciplinary action against UNP Deputy Minister Ramanayake, Minister Kariyawasam said that no such decision had been taken. 

“We have not taken any decision to carry out disciplinary action against Minister Ranjan Ramanayake. However, the Working Committee decided that from this point onwards, UNP members discipline within and without the party will be strictly monitored,” he asserted.