SLFP says it is not against 19th Amendment

Thursday, 9 April 2015 02:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: MP Athuraliye Rathana Thero, Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, former Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva at the SLFP youth front event at the BMICH yesterday – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara By Jayashika Padmasiri The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday emphasised that they were not against the 19th Amendment to the Constitution as some people were claiming but instead wanted constitutional amendments and electoral reforms to be implemented together. They also revealed that the party was presently having discussions about the 19th Amendment. Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva, at a forum organised by the SLFP Youth Front dealing with the 19th Amendment and ways to put it on the correct track, said that they had questions regarding the method the 19th Amendment Draft Bill was presented. “A debate was conducted within our party about the 12 pages filled with amendments that were later presented through the 19th Amendment Draft Bill. These amendments in the 12 pages had been presented without being presented to Parliament which is illegal. Constitutional amendments should take place exactly according to the standing orders in the Parliament. There are also instances where the Government has contradicted what they were saying in the draft bill such as regarding the leader of the Cabinet. Therefore the United National Party (UNP) is trying to deceive through such steps,” Silva said. Speaking further, De Silva explained that they could not allow constitutional amendments to take place due to the hastiness of the UNP and said that the SLFP could not sign a blank cheque. “We invite the UNP to hold more discussions with us regarding this situation and with constitutional amendments electoral reforms should also be implemented. Therefore we ask the Government to correct the shortcoming in this draft bill and include electoral reforms to the Constitution. What is needed right now in the country is not an election. We need to use this opportunity and get these changes implemented,” Silva added. He also revealed that all the political parties within the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) were also of the opinion that electoral reforms and constitutional amendments should be implemented together. Meanwhile SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa addressing a news conference earlier in the day said that the party was having discussions amongst its members regarding how to support the draft bill. “We are against the Government bringing more amendments to the 19th Amendment. We have been informed that the Elections Commissioner too has submitted his report on this, so now it is up to the political parties. We are holding discussions about how to support the draft bill and we need to discuss this further. However, we will not consent to anything that will be bad for the country. We haven’t taken any decision regarding this matter. Nevertheless, we are of the opinion that before the Parliament is dissolved constitutional amendments and electoral reforms should be implemented,” Yapa added. When asked how they would act in Parliament during the vote on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, Yapa said “the river will only flow if it rains.”

Speaker expresses his views on 19th Amendment

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa yesterday, while commenting about the 19th Amendment Draft Bill, said that a good Constitution should not be hastily created. “Though in the past there were instances for making constitutional amendments, it wasn’t to be as it was difficult to make up one’s mind to make this change as a result of the problems in the country. I’m not saying that this was not done due to a fault of somebody but it wasn’t done. However, in the past I did say publicly that this change should be made because I didn’t have a ministerial position to be taken away or anything, and the Speaker’s position cannot be changed by the request of one person as everybody in the Parliament has to support it. Anyway now that we are in a situation where everybody has a common objective this change should be implemented as we will not get such an opportunity again,” Rajapaksa said. “The promises that were given should be kept. However, to make this come true things should not be moved from one place to another and it would also be great if the decision about the Opposition Leader’s appointment could also be given through the constitutional amendments as then there wouldn’t be any issues,” Rajapaksa concluded.