By Shamindra Ferdinando

There shouldn’t be an issue as regards the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Cabinet of ministers accepted the responsibility for the proposed law, Cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

The President heads the cabinet of ministers.

Kandy District lawmaker, who is also the Media Minister said contrary to various claims the project to abolish the 19th Amendment was on track. The minister defended Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, over a recent comment he made as regard who had drafted the 20th Amendment.

Minister Rambukwella denied any rift in the government parliamentary group or the cabinet of ministers over the 20th Amendment. The cabinet spokesman was flanked by co-cabinet spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana and Director General, Information Department Nalaka Kaluwewa.

 The fate of the 20th Amendment dominated yesterday’s post-cabinet media briefing at the Government Information Department with the media repeatedly seeking clarification whether the SLPP government followed proper procedures in the process leading to the gazetting of it.

The ministers strongly denied assertions by the media that the SLPP handled the 20th Amendment the way the previous yahapalana government bungled the 19th Amendment et al.

The crux of the matter repeatedly raised by the media was the appointment of a 9-member committee headed by SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris to examine the 20th Amendment after the issuance of the relevant gazette by the Government Printer.

Asked why the committee report was not taken up by the cabinet of ministers as announced earlier, the ministers insisted the issue was taken up. Minister Rambukwella explained how the government moved the matter.

Asked whether the 20th Amendment had been reversed in the wake of protests and objections by various parties, including a section of the government, Minister Rambukwella pointed out the difference between reversal and the cancellation of the process.

Among those who expressed concerns over the 20th Amendment were Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera and Manohara de Silva PC, on behalf of the Federation of National Organizations (FNO) and the National Joint Committee (NJC), respectively. In addition to them, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Myanmar Prof. Nalin de Silva and SLPP lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga underscored the need for alterations to the Amendment.

The Attorney General recently asserted that the proposed 20th Amendment in its present form could be approved by a two thirds majority.

The media was told now that two weeks had lapsed since the issuance of the gazette; it could be accommodated in the Order Paper of parliament. The ministers explained how they expected to proceed regardless of issues. There could be political issues, the media was told adding that they agreed on a policy framework relating to the 20th Amendment.

Asked whether the proposed 20th Amendment would hinder the Independent Commissions, the ministers said that the SLPP envisaged a far better system. The 20th Amendment proposed a five member Parliamentary Council instead of 10-member Constitutional Council.

Minister Rambukwella strongly defended the procedures the previous Rajapaksa administration adopted in the removal of the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake.

 Declaring that the government would be transparent in its effort to bring in 20th Amendment, there was provision for moving the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, SLPP Colombo District MP and attorney-at-law Premanath Dolawatte appearing on Derana ‘Aluth Parlimenthuwa’ on Wednesday expressed confidence that the proposals made by the Committee headed by prof. Peiris would be taken into consideration in finalizing the proposed law. Dolawatte was a member of the Committee that was appointed by Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa.