Joint Opposition alleges NPC appointments violate 19A

From left: Raja Kollure, Prof. G.L. Pieris,  MP Prof. Tissa Vitarana, MP Dinesh Gunawardena, MP Dullas Alahapperuma and MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara, MP Udaya Gammanpila and Jayantha Samaraweera at the yesterday media briefing – Pic by Romesh Danushka Silva

By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Government has violated the 19th Amendment by appointing unsuitable members to the National Police Commission (NPC) via the Constitutional Council (CC), the Joint Opposition claimed yesterday.

Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) Leader MP Dinesh Gunawardena charged the CC had lost its independency due to interference by its ministerial members.

“The CC has appointed a former Inspector General of Police who has been found guilty by the Supreme Court as a member of the NPC. This will negatively impact the trustworthiness of the CC and the NPC. We refuse such appointments,” he alleged.

Gunawardena further said a Joint Opposition group comprising 16 MPs had handed over a letter to the Speaker regarding the matter.

“We have requested the Speaker to review the accuracy of the CC appointments to the Independent Commissions,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader MP Udaya Gammanpila said the Joint Opposition had formed a separate Parliamentary group to carry out the responsibilities of a real Opposition. 

The group was formed last week by United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MPs and MP Gunawardena was appointed as its leader upon recommendation by MP Kumara Welgama. MP Prasanna Ranatunga has been appointed as Convener and MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage as the Treasurer. 

“The so-called Opposition has been silenced by the Government and has neglected its main duties. We formed a separate one to fulfil the shortage of a powerful Opposition,” he stated.

PM’s economic policy recalls regaining Sri Lanka program: Tissa

​Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Secretary Prof. Tissa Vitarana yesterday claimed that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was attempting to reintroduce his once-rejected ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ policies and pass them off as new economic policies.

“The statement made by Wickremesinghe is similar to the rejected ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ program he presented in 2004. The then United National Party (UNP) Government tried to implement it without people’s collective agreement, but failed,” charged Vitarana, who was a Senior Minister in the former Government.

Vitarana also claimed Wickremesinghe’s statement was full of flights of imagination and not in the least realistic. 

“While the Premier aims to obtain Foreign Direct Investments, how will they obtain investments with their weak foreign policy?” he queried.

“It will not be the golden era of prosperity which we had under the administrations of King Manawamma or King Maha Parakramabahu, which Wickremesinghe is pledging,” Vitarana charged. 

Meanwhile, Democratic Left Front (DLF) General Secretary MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara charged that Wickremesinghe’s expectation of empowering exports via foreign investments would be limited to a daydream. 

“Due to the economic crisis of the international market, we can’t just focus on foreign investments to strengthen the exports sector. The Government should find better alternatives,” Nanayakkara emphasised.