by Sumadhu Weerwarne
Even by one pm yesterday the People’s Alliance was still considering whether or not to call off the referendum. Minster D M Jayaratne General Secretary of the PA was tight-lipped on the issue and would only say that even at that late stage the government was seriously considering the call to call off the referendum.

"We are still considering it," he said adding that the decision would be made known by yesterday evening.

He declined to comment on whether the government was taking the step based on the JVP or UNP offer. Other reliable sources, however, said that the referendum would be called off, and most probably on the basis of the JVP offer.

Wimal Weerawanse, JVP Propaganda Secretary said that even by afternoon yesterday the government had not responded to the JVP offer of support for a probationary government which would have as its priority the introduction of the five independent commissions within a stipulated time frame. "The government has not so far responded to our offer," he said yesterday afternoon.

The rethinking on the part of the government comes almost at the brink of the commencement of referendum proceedings, with public sector employees expected to cast their postal votes today.