Former president Ranil Wickremesinghe’s health concerns have prompted his United National Party to postpone a convention scheduled for this weekend, it was announced on Wednesday. The event marking the United National Party’s (UNP) 79th anniversary was to be the 76-year-old veteran leader’s first public appearance since his arrest on August 22 and subsequent bail four days later. “In consideration of president Wickremesinghe’s personal health condition, a decision has been made to postpone the party convention. It will be held on another date within this month,” party general secretary Thalatha Athukorale said in a statement. The September 6 convention was seen as a move by Wickremesinghe to unify the fractured party.