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The only MP to oppose 19A welcomes 20A for restoring people’s sovereignty

Published

5 years ago

2020/10/22

By Saman Indrajith

Local government and Provincial Council Minister Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera told Parliament yesterday (21) that the 20th Amendment to the Constitution would restore people’s sovereignty that had been diminished by the 19th Amendment.

Participating in the second round of the 20th amendment bill debate, the minister said that as per the constitutional provisions, sovereignty in the country was in the people and inalienable. Sovereignty included the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise. Within the powers of the government came the executive power of the people. That executive power of the people was exercised by the President. The 19th Amendment had reduced the powers of the executive and thereby diminished the people’s sovereignty. The 20th amendment would rectify that and restore people’s sovereignty by unshackling the executive, the Minister said.

“The 19th amendment weakened the executive power. For example, 6.9 million people voted for the incumbent president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Now nearly one year has passed but he still cannot appoint an IGP he thinks fit for the job because of the 19th Amendment. Before the 19th amendment was brought in appointments to all the key positions including the Chief Justice, Attorney General, IGP etc., were made by the President elected by a majority of people. The 19th Amendment vested that power in a constitutional council which had nine members. Of those nine votes, seven were in the hands of persons appointed by the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader. That means two MPs elected from two districts exercising executive powers of an entire population. What happened in practice? Opposition leader was R Sampanthan, an LTTE proxy. The prime minister was Ranil Wickremesinghe and we know his attitude. It was those two who made all important appointments. In other words Sampanthan from Trincomalee district and Wickremesinghe form Colombo district exercised the sovereign powers of an entire nation. Is it justifiable?” the Minister queried.

“The Constitutional Council had three civil society members who were not responsible to parliament or people. They were representatives of NGOs. Is it justifiable?”

Minister Weerasekera said that as the one and only MP who had opposed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in Parliament, he was happy to see that the day had come to replace it with the 20th Amendment.

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Public will not be served as Computer system failure at Department of Registration of Persons

Published

31 mins ago

2026/03/23

Priyan

The Acting Commissioner General of Registration of Persons has announced that due to an unexpected failure of the computer system of the Department of Registration of Persons, all services, including the one day service will not be held on Tuesday (24th March) at the Head Office and all Provincial offices.

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar and Vavuniya districts

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/23

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 22 March 2026, valid for 23 March 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

Fuel price hikes trigger transport disruptions and calls for fare increases

Published

14 hours ago

2026/03/23

Thilina Walpola

The latest fuel price increases have sparked widespread concern among transport operators and raised questions about the government’s supportive measures. Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr Nalinda Jayathissa told a media briefing yesterday that the government was incurring a monthly loss of Rs. 20 billion by maintaining subsidies on fuel. According to the Minister, the state loses Rs. 100 per litre of diesel and Rs. 20 per litre of petrol under the current pricing system, a burden that the Treasury continues to absorb as part of a “supportive mechanism.”

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) revised fuel prices from midnight on March 21, raising the price of a litre of Lanka Auto Diesel by Rs. 79 to Rs. 382, Super Diesel by Rs. 90 to Rs. 443, Octane 95 petrol by Rs. 90 to Rs. 455, and Octane 92 petrol by Rs. 81 to Rs. 398. Lanka Kerosene was increased by Rs. 60,bringing the price to Rs. 255 per litre. Other suppliers, including Sinopec and Lanka IOC, also implemented similar hikes, with Sinopec’s Super Diesel rising sharply by Rs. 219 to Rs. 572 per litre.

The surge in fuel prices has had an immediate impact on public transport. The Chairman of the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association, Gamunu Wijerathne, told The Island that 90% of private buses were off the road yesterday (22). He called for a 15% increase in bus fares, raising the minimum fare from Rs. 27 to Rs. 35, warning that services could be suspended if fare adjustments are not approved.

Three-wheeler operators have also pressed for immediate fare revisions. L. Rohana Perera, General Secretary of the National Joint Three-Wheeler and Industrialists’ Association, said the rising fuel costs have made it difficult for drivers to continue operating. The Association has proposed a Rs. 20 increase for the first kilometre fare for all meter-operated three-wheelers and plans to present its concerns to the Presidential Secretariat.

Fuel price monitoring has also intensified amid concerns over potential smuggling. A senior police officer told The Island that intelligence units have been deployed near fuel stations to prevent hoarding. The police suspect that certain fuel station employees and owners could be facilitating stockpiling.

Political leaders have warned that the hikes will ripple across the economy. SJB MP S.M. Marikkar said transport cost increases will drive up the prices of essential goods such as rice and fish, leaving consumers struggling under rising costs.

Import and export container transportation charges will be increased by 20% from midnight yesterday (22) due to the recent fuel price hike, according to the Container Transport Vehicle Owners’ Association.

The latest increases follow two rounds of price hikes since March 9, driven by surging global oil prices amid the Middle East conflict. Since then, Lanka Petrol 92 Octane has risen by Rs. 105 to Rs. 398, Petrol 95 Octane by Rs. 115 to Rs. 455, Auto Diesel by Rs. 101 to Rs. 382, and Super Diesel by Rs. 114 to Rs. 443 representing an overall increase of around 35% across key fuel categories.

by Norman Palihawadane and Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon