Drafting New Constitution: Wijeyadasa wants PSC to handle the process

SLPP lawmaker, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, has questioned the appointment of an expert committee to formulate a new Constitution.

The former Justice Minister has, in a letter dated Oct 12 to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, alleged that the nine-member committee couldn’t fulfil the aspirations of the President and the country’s population.

Romesh de Silva, PC, heads the committee appointed by the Cabinet of ministers in the first week of Sept. 2020. The committee includes Gamini Marapana, PC, Manohara de Silva, Sanjeewa Jayawardena, PC, Prof. Naseema Kamurdeen, Dr. A. Sarveshwaran, Samantha Ratwatte, PC, Prof. Wasantha Seneviratne and Prof. G.H. Peiris.

SLPP Chairman and Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris recently said that the committee was engaged in the constitution making process. Prof. Peiris has said the draft proposal could be prepared in 2021.

Rajapakshe emphasised the MPs were responsible for formulation of new laws and ensuring financial discipline. Parliament couldn’t devolve its responsibilities, Dr. Rajapakse said. If the Justice Minister couldn’t undertake the constitution making process, a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) should be entrusted with the task. The PSC could secure the services of experts though the process couldn’t be handed over to them, under any circumstances.

Strongly countering accusations that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in 2015 undermined national security, lawmaker Rajapakse alleged the conduct of yahapalana leaders had caused the crisis. The former minister explained that the then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe had exercised the power to appoint ministers whereas President Maithripala Sirisena was constitutionally empowered to allocate subjects. Lawmaker Rajapakshe alleged that it was the primary reason for their clash. Pointing out that there couldn’t be any issue between the incumbent President and the Prime Minister, lawmaker Rajapakse questioned the undue haste to enact proposed 20th Amendment instead of taking tangible measures to introduce a new Constitution as promised in the run-up to 2019 presidential and 2020 general elections.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakse switched allegiance to Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the run-up to the 2019 presidential election, having entered parliament in 2015 on the UNP ticket.

In his letter copied to Mahanayaka Theras, Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Hindu and Muslim religious leaders, the Prime Minister, Leader of the House, Opposition Leader and leaders of all political parties, Dr. Rajapakshe made several suggestions as regards the proposed new Constitution. Among the suggestions are (1) uniformity in the conduct of parliamentary, provincial councils and local government polls (2) an alternate system for Provincial Councils, strengthening of Local Government system et al.

The Lawmaker warned of dire consequences in the event the US and China turned Sri Lanka into a battleground in the backdrop of rapid deterioration of the national economy. The former minister, while acknowledging the fallout caused by the corona epidemic, pointed out the catastrophe caused by massive loans obtained since 2005 in extremely unfavorable terms. Dr. Rajapakshe said that the foreign debt had surpassed Rs 13,000 bn.

MP Rajapakshe warned against a political battle over 20th Amendment at a time the country was in dire straits economically. He felt the need to issue a public statement as in spite of SLPP members calling for a meeting at Temple Trees last Friday, Oct 9, to discuss the current situation they were deprived of an opportunity to take up the 20th Amendment, the MP said.

Lawmaker Rajapakshe urged the President not to ignore growing protests against the 20th Amendment. Referring to a statement made by SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris at the onset of the meeting, lawmaker Rajapakse emphasized that there was no basis for the Education Minister’s claim that the 19th Amendment deprived the President of an opportunity to remove the IGP. Lawmaker Rajapakshe insisted that the removal of the IGP and the AG was dealt with the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act (No 5 of 2002). Therefore there was no connection between the 19th Amendment and the failure on the part of the President to remove the IGP, the former Minister said.

MP Rajapakshe also pointed out that contrary to the views expressed by Prof. Peiris with regard to Appointment of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Economic Management under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe following the 2015 general election was irrelevant as far as the 19th Amendment was concerned.

Former Minister Rajapakse, has again reminded the government of major faults in the proposed 20th Amendment with the focus on moves to cripple the state auditing process (SF)