It is reported that a serious clash has taken place between the Chief Government Whip, Johnston Fernando, Minister of Highways and Wimalaweera Dissanayake, State Minister of Forest Protection, Elephant Fences and Trenches Construction, Reforestation, and Forest Resources.
Minister of State Wimalaweera who participated in a meeting of the Ampara Regional Development Committee recently had questioned the officials regarding the awarding of road construction contracts in the area and they had said that they would be decided by the officials of the Ministry of Highways, Colombo.
The enraged state minister had scolded a group of officials at the Ministry of Highways in Colombo and videos of the incident had been circulating on social media.
It is said that the Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando had immediately telephoned the Minister of State for Wimalaweera after hearing about this and had questioned him about scolding and threatening his officials.
It was reported that Minister Wimalaweera replied to Minister Johnston in his usual style, reminding him that he was the one who established the politics of Pohottuwa in the Ampara District and that he had been in politics with the Rajapaksas for a long time and challenged Johnston Fernando to do what he could.
Sources said that Minister of State Wimalaweera Dissanayake who had gone directly to the Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa after this had requested him to take action against Johnston Fernando.
According to sources, the ministerial-state ministerial clash has escalated to the point where it is being resolved at the Rajapaksa family level, with Johnston Fernando also being a politician with close ties to the Rajapaksas, sources said.
