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GL: Under 19A President has responsibility sans authority

Published

5 years ago

2020/10/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

20A does not dilute powers of Parliament

By Saman Indrajith

The main issue with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was that while it delegated responsibilities; it did not assign the necessary powers to ensure that those responsibilities could be fulfilled, Education Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris told Parliament yesterday.

Speaking during the second day of the two-day debate on the 20th Amendment, the Minister elaborated that the best example was with regard to defence. “Under Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution, a key responsibility of the President is to safeguard national security. Yet, under the 19A, though the President was elected by 6.9 million voters, he can’t be the Minister of Defence. In fact, he can’t hold any ministries. He is the Commander of the armed forces and police, but he can’t command them.”

Prof. Peiris said that a lot of responsibilities had been heaped upon the President, but he had not been given the necessary powers to carry out those responsibilities. “There is responsibility without authority; that is the basic flaw in the structural framework of the 19th Amendment,” the one time top law academic said.

Prof. Peiris also asked whether the framework established by the 19th Amendment was really in line with democracy. “The Constitutional Council was the centrepiece of 19A. All appointments to the so-called independent commissions are made by the CC. Take for example, the civil society members in the CC. They can’t be removed, though a new President and government is in power. They will be in power for another year until their term ends, and no one can do anything about it.”

“We don’t fear the independent commissions, but their conduct is unjust. They have become totally politicised,” he said.

While there must be checks and balances on those in power if those checks and balances went beyond a certain limit and became excessive, the end result was that nothing would get done, he argued. “Those who hold positions of power would not be able to do anything. There will be a gridlock situation.”

The minister also dismissed claims made by the Opposition that the 20A would considerably reduce Parliament’s powers. “Under Article 148 of the Constitution, it is Parliament that is responsible for public finance. No matter how powerful a President is, he must still come before Parliament to obtain the necessary funds for the function of the governance mechanism. This cannot be done through any other entity. That is why the Finance Minister is due to present the Budget to Parliament in November; a Budget you all have every right to pass or defeat. As such, 20A will not reduce the powers of Parliament by one bit.”

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.