News
Karu J slams 20A, sugar scam and Elections Commission
In remarks made at a media briefing held in Colombo last week, Mr. Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) said that intelligent people of the country did not approve of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution rejected by 80% of the people according to the report of a survey. The president, who himself had said that he did not receive the blessings of the Sangha for this legislation, should therefore reconsider this.
The former speaker said that the new constitution, promised within the first year of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa presidency, must ensure that the new constitution would strengthen democracy, protect the freedom of the people and the country’s sovereignty removing dictatorial powers created by 20A.
Jayasuriya also made reference to the so-called sugar scam saying the government owed the people an explanation for this “daylight robbery.” The whole business was a disgrace to the president as it has been reported that he approved the deal.
People involved in this racket held various positions in the government. If a proper investigation is conducted, several heads will roll. Some of them may even be allies of the powerful. Bringing disrepute to the Head of State is a great misfortune for the country.
He also said that the independence of the Elections Commission must be ensured to enable free and fair elections. This must precede the provincial council elections or any election. Free and fair elections cannot be expected from the present Elections Commission comprising persons who had connections with the political machinery of government whose allegiance would be to their political masters and not the people.
Jayasuriya was sharply critical of the Political Victimization Commission saying its report should be trashed. No matter how weak the government was, it should not make itself a butt of ridicule of the people. He also focused on the destruction of the environment and the human – elephant conflict.
(Excerpts of NMSJ statement on Jayasuriya’s remarks on Page 3)
Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 22.07.2024 to publish the draft bill of State Assets Management Act in the government gazette notification and thereby present it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
However, the draft bill couldn’t be passed in Parliament as a result of the Parliament being dissolved in the month of October 2024.
Thereafter, the draft bill was subject to further inspection by a
committee appointed which comprised of officials and authorities on the subject.
The said Committee has recognized the amendments to be made and a fundamental draft has been prepared including the proposed amendments.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to suspend further activities regarding the draft bill of State Assets Management Act published in the extraordinary gazette of 02.08.2024, and to direct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill based on the fundamental draft prepared by the subject specialists’ committee.
Considering the compliance of the Cooperative Societies’ operations with the concurrent socio – economic circumstances as well as the changes in the common law, the requirement of amending the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 of 1972 has been recognized.
A fundamental draft including proposed amendments based on the experience gained by that Commission as well as the opinions and proposals of Cooperative societies, their director board members, cooperative employees and other interested parties has been prepared.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative development to provide instructions to the Legal draftsman to prepare a draft bill to amend the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 0f 1972, based on the said fundamental draft.
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