News
GL: Under 19A President has responsibility sans authority
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.”
Dr. (Ms.) Siri Walt, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Sri Lanka, met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (09).
During the meeting, Ambassador Walt extended her congratulations to President Dissanayake on his recent election victory, conveying best wishes on behalf of the Government and people of Switzerland.
Ambassador Walt reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka, particularly through the ongoing IMF program, and expressed Switzerland’s readiness to assist in President Dissanayake’s efforts to combat corruption. She also emphasized Switzerland’s expertise in foreign direct investments (FDI) and tourism, offering assistance to Sri Lanka in these sectors to promote economic growth.
Further areas of collaboration discussed included constitutional reforms and labour migration, with Ambassador
Business
President discusses enhancing revenue and efficiency with Sri Lanka Customs and Inland Revenue officials
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held a key meeting with senior officials from both the Sri Lanka Customs Department and the Inland Revenue Department at the Presidential Secretariat today (09). The discussions centered on strategies to enhance revenue generation and improve operational efficiency within both departments, in line with the government’s broader economic mandate.
During the meeting, officials from both departments presented the challenges they face in managing revenue and tackling tax evasion. They stressed the importance of strengthening coordination between the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and Customs to effectively combat these issues. It was highlighted that better collaboration would ensure more robust enforcement of tax laws and prevent tax leakage, further boosting the country’s revenue collection.
Representing the Sri Lanka Customs Department were P B S C Nonis, Director General of Customs; Mrs. H W S P Karunaratne, Additional Director General of Customs; . C S A Chandrasekara, Additional Director General of Customs; W S I Silva, Additional Director General of Customs; S P Arukgoda, Additional Director General of Customs; J M M G Wijeratna Bandara, Additional Director General of Customs; A. W. L. C. Weerakoon, Senior Deputy Director and M R G A B Muthukuda, Chief Financial Officer, among other officials.
From the Inland Revenue Department, Mrs. W S Chandrasekara, Commissioner General; B K S Shanta, Deputy Commissioner General; Mrs. J A D D B K Siriwardena, Deputy Commissioner General; Mrs. J D Ranasinghe, Deputy Commissioner General; D M N S B Dissanayake, Deputy Commissioner General; H H S Samantha Kumara; and Ms. T M S Thennakone, Senior Commissioner, participated in the discussions.
News
Vietnamese Ambassador meets President; explores possibility of enhancing direct flights between Vietnam and Sri Lanka
The Ambassador of Vietnam to Sri Lanka, Ms Trinh Thi Tam, paid a courtesy call on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (09).
During the meeting, Ambassador Tam conveyed her congratulations on behalf of the Government of Vietnam and expressed optimism for continued cooperation between the two nations.
Highlighting Vietnam’s achievements in foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade, President Dissanayake requested Vietnam’s assistance in fostering these sectors in Sri Lanka.
The discussion also explored the possibility of enhancing direct flights between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, with a focus on strengthening Buddhist ties and cultural connections. Ambassador Tam further pledged to explore opportunities to promote Sri Lanka as a key destination for Vietnamese tourists, thereby expanding people-to-people connections and boosting tourism.
Swiss ambassador meets President Dissanayake
President discusses enhancing revenue and efficiency with Sri Lanka Customs and Inland Revenue officials
Vietnamese Ambassador meets President; explores possibility of enhancing direct flights between Vietnam and Sri Lanka
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