GR, RW hold talks

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe 

• President responds positively to Ranil’s request to convene a party leaders meeting on COVID containment measures 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday met for a near 45 minutes for talks on the current health crisis, where the former agreed to the suggestion of an all-party conference by the latter. 

Sources said the meeting was very cordial and President Rajapaksa has responded positively to the request made by former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to call for an all-party leaders meeting to rally support to the nation’s fight against the pandemic. 

Sources said that Rajapaksa is expected to convene the suggested meeting and will invite Wickremesinghe along with the Prime Minister, the Speaker, Health Minister, high-ranked health officials and the party leaders. 

The current COVID situation, national vaccination drive, shortfall of drugs and medical equipment and capacity concerns at hospitals are some of the topics to be taken up at the proposed meeting.

Noting that the UNP has already presented its COVID-19 containment proposals to the President, Wickremesinghe had suggested party leaders also to submit proposals in a progressive move to implement a collective strategy to contain the spread of the virus.