Govt. assures that constitutional proposals debated are not final

Seeking to dispel misconceptions in the public, the Government yesterday assured that the proposals debated by the Constitutional Assembly this week were not the final draft of the new Constitution. 

“This report is a set of proposals given by different political parties. All this will be considered and we will then have to develop a draft taking what is acceptable to all. Then we will present it to the Parliament, where it should be passed with a two-thirds majority, and then it will go to a referendum,” Cabinet Co-spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said while speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing. 

Flanked by the SLFP senior and Cabinet Co-spokesperson Dayasiri Jayasekara, Senaratne said the SLFP favoured abolishing the execrative presidency only to be contradicted by Jayasekara later. Senaratne, recalling incidents from the eras of Sirimavo Bandar-anayake and Chandrika Kumaratunga, claimed that the SLFP had always been opposed to the executive presidency. 

Displaying the vast difference of opinion on constitutional reforms, Jayasekara said that the SLFP maintained that the executive presidency should be retained, but stressed that the parties could reach a compromise after discussion.  

“At present the SLFP position is that we should retain the executive presidency. We can discuss this position as the process goes on. However, we are not ready to support an executive Prime Minister either. If they are abolishing the executive presidency then we should switch to the Westminster system,” he said. 

“We have represented our opinion in the interim report. This is not the final report. We can discuss and arrive at a compromise. At present we say that there should be considerable power retained at the centre. Our opinion is that if the power is devolved, the Central Government should retain the power vested in the President. But if there is an alternative we are ready to discuss. If the President maintains that he does not want the power, then we will take his position forward as he is the party leader.” 

Stressing the need for constitutional reforms in the country, the minister said that all leaders would have to set aside their private agenda to give priority to establishing a Constitution where all communities were able to live in harmony and with dignity. 

“We will all have to make sacrifices. We should not misunderstand the process. At present it is only a discussion to formulate the draft Constitution. The issue is that everyone is taking it as if this is the final draft of the Constitution. There are discussions to follow; we will come to a compromise then,” an irate Jayasekara said. (DB)