New Ministers are not corrupt, claims Rajitha

Wednesday, 25 March 2015 00:58 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratane – Pic by Lasantha Kumara By Jayashika Padmasiri Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratane yesterday claimed that the no person accused of fraud or corruption had been appointed as a minister on Sunday and hinted there was room for more appointments as well. Senaratne added: “No person accused of fraud or corruption has been appointed as ministers under this Government,” Senaratne said, referring to the addition of 26 SLFP MPs to the National Government. He also noted that under the National Government more Parliamentarians could be appointed as Ministers as there was room for 45 Cabinet ministers and 55 other ministers to exist. “However, I do admit that these appointments have not been made according to a scientific method. After the next election we will make these appointments according to a scientific method. After the next general election with the support of the United National Party (UNP) we will form another National Government, so there will be no injustice for the UNP,” Senaratne said. He said that following Sunday’s appointments, the Government had now attained a two-thirds majority in Parliament, leading to the passing of the 19th Amendment yesterday. Commenting about the 19th Amendment, the Cabinet Spokesman said that everybody in the Cabinet consented to passing the 19th Amendment except Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka. “In the 19th Amendment it is said that the Head of the State and the Commander-of-Chief will be the President, but it has not mentioned anything about the Head of the Government. Minister Ranawaka insisted that the Head of the Government should be the President and therefore he was against it, because in the 19th Amendment it has not been said who should be the Head of the Government. But according to the 19th Amendment, the immunity of the President has been removed and it says that the President should be responsible to Parliament and this is what we have been campaigning for,” Senaratne added.

Govt. cancels NEC meeting; JVP furious yet undecided on quitting

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday expressed its displeasure over the Government’s sudden decision to cancel the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which was scheduled to be held yesterday. Issuing a press release, JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said that the JVP had intended to raise issues concerning the appointment of the 26 new ministerial portfolios at the Council yesterday. “We missed this opportunity due to the sudden cancellation of the meeting. The Council should convene as soon as possible. However, considering the recent political developments in the country, we will take a decision soon concerning whether or not to continue in the NEC. This decision will be taken after discussions with representatives of civil society organisations,” Herath added.

JHU slams 19 Amendment as a coup

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday said that the 19th Amendment presented in Parliament was a result of a ‘Constitutional coup’ to permit a person who is not capable of winning elections to hang on to power. JHU General Secretary and Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka addressing a press conference in Colombo yesterday said that the objective behind the presented Constitutional amendments was to clip the powers of the Executive President and make the Prime Minister powerful. “People elected President Maithripala Sirisena with a mandate to curb the arbitrary powers of the presidency and not to make the Prime Minister the Head of the Government or to allow Parliament to overrule the Executive. The Prime Minister can be made the Head of the Government only if it is approved via a referendum,” Ranawaka said.