News

SLPP constituent proposes recognition of dissidents, stricter controls on lawmakers et al

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/6

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The civil society group Yuthukama, represented in parliament, having been elected on the SLPP ticket, has proposed that dissident lawmakers be constitutionally empowered to function independently.

The Speaker’s recognition should recognise them if 25 per cent of members elected from a particular party or over 5 per cent of the 225-member parliament take a common stand contrary to that of the position taken by a political party.

This is one of the constitutional proposals, Yuthukama recently handed over to the 9-member Expert Committee tasked with formulating a new Constitution subject to parliamentary approval. Eminent President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva heads the committee formed by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC.

Yuthukama Chairman and SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga told The Island that they initially handed over their proposals to the Maha Sangha and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in February last year. “We subsequently, developed the proposals, in consultations with those interested in the formulation of a new constitution and handed them over recently,” lawmaker Cumaratunga said.

In addition to the prominent civil society activist Cumaratunga, Anupa Pasquel (Kalutara district) represents Yuthukama in parliament. Responding to another query, MP Cumaratunga said that they would like an opportunity to make further representations before the Expert Committee.

Yuthukama made a spate of proposals meant to improve what Cumaratunga called genuine public representation in parliament. Main among them were (1) 70 elected on first past the post system, 20 per cent elected from among the best losers in proportional representation and 10 per cent through the National List on the basis of countrywide votes (2) Elected members will lose parliamentary seats in case the party removed them or they themselves quit. In such a scenario, Yuthukama has proposed holding of a by-election whereas those accommodated on the National List or categorized as best losers enjoy an opportunity to move the court on the basis they adhered to party manifestos (3) a member should at least serve two terms to earn the pension right (4) The candidate securing the largest block of electoral seats should be elected the President instead of the highest number of votes (5) Local Government system should be revamped with 75 per cent of members elected directly and the rest picked from the best losers in terms of the proportional representation and (6) Transformation of Provincial Councils to efficient mechanisms with the participation of members of parliament.

Of political parties and civil society groups represented in the SLPP only the National Freedom Party and Yuthukama submitted constitutional proposals before the expiry of the deadline on Dec 31, 2020.

The two major parties in the parliament the SLPP (145 seats) and the SJB (54 seats) and the JVP (3) refrained from handing over their proposals. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella told The Island that the SJB was of the view that the Expert Committee should examine the constitutional proposals on which consensus was reached during the previous administration.

The Expert Committee is expected to finalize the process before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Referring to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s speech delivered at the last Independence Day, lawmaker Cumaratunga pointed out the need to ensure equality among the Office of the President, the Legislature and the Judiciary. Recollecting the crises caused due to inequality during previous presidencies, Cumaratunga proposed the (1) restriction of the number of cabinet ministers to 30, including the PM who should earn the support of the majority of members and the appointment of ministers on the agreement/recommendation of the PM (2) the number of Deputy Ministers 50 also on the agreement/recommendation of the PM (3) The President should be empowered to remove any minister or deputy minister on the completion of one year since the last election (4) constitutional provision to prevent the appointment of State Ministers, a move Yuthukama alleged is meant to allow them to enjoy ministerial perks at the taxpayers’ expense.

Yuthukama also proposed a wider Constitutional Council instead of the five-member Parliamentary Council established in terms of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. In a move that may raise eyebrows of government members, Yuthukama endorsed the appointment of five members of the previous Constitutional Council in agreement between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.

However, Yuthukama found fault with the way the previous administration accommodated the TNA leader as the Opposition Leader at the expense of the Joint Opposition thereby undermining the very basis of the Constitutional Council. Taking into consideration how the yahapalana administration manipulated the parliamentary process, Yuthukama proposed (1) Opposition Leader should be elected on the basis of majority support among Opposition members. Those who represented political parties that received cabinet or Deputy portfolios shouldn’t be considered Opposition members under any circumstances (2) Speaker, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader should be ex-officio members of the Constitutional Council (3) Civil society should be represented by four persons.

Yuthukama also reiterated its commitment for unitary status of the country.

In another proposal contrary to the 20th Amendment, Yuthukama proposed that the appointment of judges to higher courts, Attorney General, IGP and members of Independent Commissions by the President should be subjected to the approval of the Constitutional Council.

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News

Financial contributions received for ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

22 hours ago

2025/12/22

Priyan

The Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief and support to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, continues to receive financial contributions on a daily basis.

Accordingly, the Containers Transport Owners Association made a financial contribution of Rs. 1.5 million, while the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers contributed Rs. 1.35 million to the Fund.

The respective cheques were formally presented to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday (19).

The occasion was attended by W. M. S. K. Manjula, Chairman of the Containers Transport Owners Association, together with Dilip Nihal Anslem Perera and Jayantha Karunadhipathi.

Representing the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers were Deshan Rajapaksa, Samudika Perera and Devshan Rodrigo handed over the cheque.

News

UNICEF representatives and PM discuss rebuilding schools affected by the Disaster

Published

22 hours ago

2025/12/22

Priyan

A meeting between Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and a delegation of UNICEF representatives was held on Saturday, (December 20) at the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister explained the measures taken by the Government to ensure the protection of the affected student community and to restore the damaged school system, as well as the challenges encountered in this process.

The Prime Minister stated that reopening schools located in landslide-prone areas would be extremely dangerous. Accordingly, the Government is focusing on identifying such schools and relocating them to suitable locations based on scientific assessments.

The Prime Minister further noted that financial assistance has been provided to students affected by the disaster, enabling parents to send their children back to school without an additional financial burden. Emphasizing that school is the safest place for children after their homes, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the school environment would help restore and improve students’ mental well-being

The Prime Minister also highlighted that attention has been given to several key areas, including the relocation of disaster-affected schools, restoration of school infrastructure, merging and operating certain schools jointly, facilitating teaching and learning through digital and technological strategies, and providing special transportation facilities. She emphasized that the Government is examining these issues and is committed to finding long-term solutions.

The UNICEF representatives commended the Government’s commitment and the initiatives undertaken to restore the education sector and assured their support to the Government. Both parties also discussed working together collaboratively on future initiatives.

The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives to Sri Lanka Emma Brigham, Lakshmi Sureshkumar, Nishantha Subash, and Yashinka Jayasinghe, along with Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Director of Education Dakshina Kasturiarachchi, Deputy Directors Kasun Gunarathne and Udara Dikkumbura.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

NMRA laboratory lacks SLAB accreditation

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/22

Thilina Walpola

Dr. Sanjeewa

Drug controversy:

“Setting up state-of-the-art drug testing facility will cost Rs 5 billion”

Activists call for legal action against politicians, bureaucrats

Serious questions have been raised over Sri Lanka’s drug regulatory system following revelations that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (NMRA) quality control laboratory is not accredited by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB), casting doubt on both the reliability of local test results and the adequacy of oversight of imported medicines.

Medical and civil rights groups warn that the issue points to a systemic regulatory failure rather than an isolated lapse, with potential political and financial consequences for the State.

Chairman of the Federation of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Associations, Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, said the controversy surrounding the Ondansetron injection, which was later found to be contaminated, had exposed deep weaknesses in drug regulation and quality assurance.

Dr. Sanjeewa said that the manufacturer had confirmed that the drug had been imported into Sri Lanka on four occasions this year, despite later being temporarily withdrawn from use. The drug was manufactured in India in November 2024 and in May and August 2025, and imported to Sri Lanka in February, July and September. On each occasion, 67,600 phials were procured.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the company had informed the NMRA that the drug was tested in Indian laboratories, prior to shipment, and passed all required quality checks. The manufacturer reportedly tested the injections against 10 parameters, including basic quality standards,

pH value, visual appearance, component composition, quantity per phial, sterility levels, presence of other substances, bacterial toxin levels and spectral variations.

According to documents submitted to the NMRA, no bacterial toxins were detected in the original samples, and the reported toxin levels were within European safety limits of less than 9.9 international units per milligram.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the credibility of local regulatory oversight had come under scrutiny, noting that the NMRA’s quality control laboratory was not SLAB-accredited. He said establishing a fully equipped, internationally accredited laboratory would cost nearly Rs. 5 billion.

He warned that the failure to invest in such a facility could have grave consequences, including continued loss of life due to substandard medicines and the inability of the State to recover large sums of public funds paid to pharmaceutical companies for defective drugs.

“If urgent steps are not taken, public money will continue to be lost and accountability will remain elusive,” Dr. Sanjeewa said.

He added that if it was ultimately confirmed that the drug did not contain bacterial toxins at the time it entered Sri Lanka, the fallout would be even more damaging, severely undermining the credibility of the country’s health system and exposing weaknesses in health administration.

Dr. Sanjeewa said public trust in the health sector had already been eroded and called for legal action against all politicians and public officials responsible for regulatory failures linked to the incident.

by Chaminda Silva ✍️