Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Friday, 16 November 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday refuted the allegations levelled at him by President Maithripala Sirisena and accused him of causing “an unnecessary conflict” between the Executive and the Legislature by his actions.
“The country has plunged into serious disorder owing to the decision taken by you on 26 October. The economy of the country, living conditions of the people, arrival of tourists, the goodwill earned by Sri Lanka in the international arena and the reputation you earned during your long political career are in the process of rapidly diminishing at the moment. An unnecessary conflict between the Executive and the Legislature has been created as a result,” the Speaker said in his letter sent in response to the one sent to him by the President on Wednesday night.
Here is the full text of the Speaker’s reply:
I acknowledge the receipt of the letter dated 14.11.2018 addressed to me by you. It is obvious that the Resolution passed by 122 Members of Parliament yesterday (14.11.2018) has been challenged by you. Those 122 Members of Parliament included Members of Parliament of the United National Party, Sri Lanka Freedom party, Tamil National Alliance and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and a few Members of Parliament and Ministers of the new Government.
It is regrettable that you have forgotten that you ascended to the post of President and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe to the post of Prime Minister on 8 January 2015 upon the mandate of the people given thence. I consider it my duty to remind to you that I went around the country with you addressing over 140 public rallies in order to seek a mandate from the people to make you the President and Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe the Prime Minister. I also wish to remind to you that conferring the Premiership occurred on the agreement of everybody in the then Government.
On this particular occasion, the change of premiership was not effected with such concurrence or having regard for the majority of Parliament. I wish to thank you for reminding me of the responsibility of acting independently as the Speaker. It is the stand of the democratic, civilised society that standing up for 122 Members of Parliament is heeding the voice of the majority which should not be construed as being biased.
After assuming duties as the Speaker I can, true to my conscience, state that I have not stepped in to Sirikotha, the Headquarters of the United National Party. Further, I have not participated, even at a minor level, in any political activity of the party.
I wish to remind you that allegations were levelled against me by the ruling party members led by the United National Party for allocating more time for the Members of Parliament of the Opposition and it was also suggested that I should be replaced as the Speaker.
I was astonished by comments made by you as a seasoned Parliamentarian and a matured representative of people who referred to the way I conducted affairs in Parliament yesterday as being inconsistent with the Constitution, the Standing Orders and the Parliamentary traditions.
The Ministers of the new Government, having realised that they do not have the capability of demonstrating the majority of Parliament, gathered at the well of the House denigrating democratic and Parliamentary traditions with absolute disregard for the Standing Orders, hurling most vituperative and abusive words while trying to grab the mace was a far cry from the term “Honourable” Members of Parliament. By watching the compact discs of the proceedings of the House yesterday, you may well be able to understand how some Members of Parliament deliberately tried to prevent a vote by their ugly conduct.
I also wish to state with responsibility that all 122 Members of Parliament who voted for the motion were present at the House yesterday. Amongst them were some Ministers and Members of Parliament of the Government.
Though I made a respectful request thrice appealing for their support to duly take the vote, I was not given any opportunity for taking such a vote and accordingly, in terms of the Standing Order 47(1) I had to take the vote by voices and declare that it had been passed by the majority.
The country has plunged into a serious disorder owing to the decision taken by you on 26 October. The economy of the country, living conditions of the people, arrival of tourists, the goodwill earned by Sri Lanka in the international arena and the reputation you earned during your long political career are in the process of rapidly diminishing at the moment. An unnecessary conflict between the Executive and the Legislature has been created as a result.
It is with great respect that I urge you on behalf of all the citizens of the country and the future generations to come, that expeditious measures be taken to save the nation from this catastrophe by lending your ears to the majority view of Parliament without further delay.
I will send you a response explaining the Constitutional perspective and the other matters stated in your letter, after having obtained the instructions of the legal experts.
Although we had an appointment today (Thursday) at 8:30 a.m. it is the opinion of the party leaders that such a meeting would serve no purpose, given the attitudes that are explicit in your letter.
In conclusion, it is with a patriotic gesture that I emphasise the fact that, I firmly believe that this dilemma can be unravelled through negotiations ,for the sake of the august good governance objectives for which we all appear for and as a State which possess a legacy of matured democracy throughout seven decades.
Arrangements will be made to release this letter to media, since your letter too had been released thus.
Yours Sincerely,
Karu Jayasuriya
Speaker
