New Development Act exceeds President powers: JO

By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday charged that the recently Gazetted Development (Special Provisions) Act exceeds the executive powers of the President as it includes authority to formulate national policy on overarching sectors, including economic growth.

Speaking to media, Podujana Peramuna Chairman and former Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris alleged that the Development (Special Provisions) Act is aimed at curtailing the powers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Cabinet ministers.

“The United National Party (UNP) led Government is trying to create a ‘super-powered minister’, via this Gazette named the National Policies, and the Economic Development Minister would be given serious powers to control the entire process of establishing national policies and controlling economic affairs. This ministerial position was gazetted to cut down the powers of the rest of the SLFP ministers who are holding key ministerial portfolios in the Government,” he claimed.

He noted that according to the articles of the gazette, the Government will establish a special authority under a portfolio titled the National Policies and Economic Development Authority, which is mandated to control the process of other Government bodies such as the Board of Investment (BOI), Export Development Board (EDB) and Urban Development Authority (UDA). 

“Then the minister currently holding the powers of those institutions will lose his mandate,” he charged.

Prof. Peiris claimed the President’s powers, such as appointing ministers, handing over subjects to each minister, removing subjects from ministers and changing the subjects if needed, could be removed from the scope of the President’s authority if this Act is passed in Parliament.

According to Prof. Peiris the Act details that subject ministers would require pre-written approval from the ‘super minister’ before implementing policies. 

Prof. Peiris claimed that this could lead to a loss of independence among Government bodies.  

He also said that the Gazette would create another ‘super-powered minister’ called the Development Strategy and International Trade Minister, who would have powers to control tea, exports and tourism sectors. 

Prof. Peiris claimed that the Joint Opposition would take legal action against this Act before the Supreme Court, after it is presented in Parliament.