Prez receives draft Constitution prepared by Romesh’s team

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena says all proposals in respect of the 21st Amendment to be introduced to the Constitution will be submitted to Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam through the Cabinet.

Speaker Abeywardena says that by sending the proposals throught the Cabinet of Ministers, he has sought to speed up the process of introducing the 21st Amendment, as the politico-economic situation is deteriorating.

Meanwhile, a nine-member expert committee led by Romesh de Silva, PC has recently submitted the English version of a draft Constitution to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Well informed sources said that the Sinhala version would be available next week for the perusal of political parties.

In a brief interview with The Island yesterday (24), Speaker Abeywardena, who held several portfolios, including agriculture in the previous PA, and UPFA administrations, said the two proposals received from the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and the SLPP rebel group had already been sent to the Secretary to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration. The Cabinet is expected to meet today (25).

According to the Speaker, those proposals would be considered, along with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proposal for the restoration of the provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The Cabinet of Ministers following deliberations among members of the Cabinet, would submit the proposals to the AG, the Speaker said.

The Speaker acknowledged the dispute over the continuation of the executive presidency as the main difference between the proposals submitted by the SJB and the SLPP rebel group.

The SJB wants to abolish the executive presidency; the SLPP rebels want to retain it; they have demanded that the Prime Minister and the Cabinet resign immediately, paving the way for the appointment of an interim administration.

SJB leader Sajith Premadasa told The Island that his party would push for the abolition of the executive presidency, and it would not compromise that stand under any circumstances.

Referring to the recent talks between the IMF and Pakistan and the advice given by the former as regards the need for an end to political turmoil, Speaker Abeywardena said that Sri Lanka couldn’t ignore the need for political stability to obtain IMF assistance.

Spokesperson for the SLPP rebel group, MP Gevindu Cumaratunga, said that as the newly-appointed Cabinet of ministers was not acceptable to the public, all the ministers including the PM should quit.

Speaker Abeywardena stressed the need to take the public into confidence. “We must apprise them of the actual situation. They should know the financial crisis, as well as the current situation in Ukraine and Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the invasion of the former Soviet territory, has caused serious disruptions to the global wheat flour supply. Faced with an unprecedented forex crisis, we will find it difficult to provide even the basic requirements. We are heading for a food shortage, Speaker Abeywardena said.

There was no point in denying the fact that both food and energy security had been threatened and the country faced the danger of the national economy collapsing unless the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary took tangible measures now, Speaker Abeywardena said. The former Minister warned of dire consequences unless grievances of the public were addressed. The government couldn’t turn a blind eye to those protesting opposite the Presidential Secretariat, the Speaker said.

Responding to another query, the Speaker said that perhaps the vast majority of protesters including those involved in the Galle Face campaign weren’t aware of the pathetic situation the country was facing.

The Speaker said that the country has had to seek urgent financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank (WB) to procure medicine, medical equipment. “Have you ever heard of Sri Lanka experiencing such difficulties at even the most difficult phases of the war when out ports were under threat of terrorist attacks?”