SLFP slams Karu’s efforts to hold a vote

Friday, 9 November 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says Speaker’s action giving detrimental impressions of SL’s democracy to in’tl community
Believes Welgama should keep his opinions within party ears

By Nuwan Senarathna

Sri Lank Freedom Party (SLFP) MP W. D. J. Senewiratne yesterday criticised Speaker Karu Jayasuriya as having exceeded his powers while emphasising it is unlikely that a vote to decide the majority of the House would be taken on 14 November with the possibility of Parliament being postponed after the ceremonial address by President Sirisena still present.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s effort to call for a vote on 14 November, ignoring the customary practice of limiting the session to a ceremonial address, was going beyond the powers given to the Speaker, he told reporters at a press conference.

Senewiratne said the SLFP had been monitoring the behaviour of the Speaker and hinted proper action might be taken in due course.

He pointed out that the Speaker’s statement on the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament had hindered the democratic rights of people and created a negative picture among the international community. “The Speaker is the person who holds a neutral position in Parliament. Therefore, when he issued a statement stating that democratic rights of Sri Lanka had been violated, the international community took it seriously and acted upon it.”

He said President Maithripala Sirisena had to explain to the international community and heads of diplomatic missions based in Colombo the statement of the Speaker and to point out that his decision to prorogue Parliament had not violated the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

Responding to speculation on SLFP MP Kumara Welgama’s statement that the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena had paralysed the Government, he said that SLFP could not be in agreement with Welgama’s statement.

“It was his personal opinion. He might have thought that appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister should have been done at another time. His statement does not reflect the party’s opinion. ”

He also said that Welgama had chosen the wrong place to express his opinion on the decisions taken by the party. “If he has criticism, he should do it during a party meeting, not in public places.”