‘Only President’s policy statement in Parliament on November 14’ | Daily News

‘Only President’s policy statement in Parliament on November 14’

Parliamentarian Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena speaks at the media briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday. Picture by Wimal Karunathilaka
Parliamentarian Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena speaks at the media briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday. Picture by Wimal Karunathilaka

There won’t be any vote for a no-confidence motion in Parliament or an opportunity to show the majority on November 14, on the day Parliament is to be reconvened, Parliamentarian Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

He was speaking at a media briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday.

Abeywardena added that in accordance with the order paper of Parliament, there is no probability of any member bringing a no-confidence motion before Parliament or an opportunity to show the majority on the day Parliament is reconvened.

“The Parliamentary order paper has only the policy statement of the President Maithripala Sirisena. The President will deliver the policy statement on November 14 before Parliament is prorogued again,” he said.

After proroguing Parliament, the party leaders will prepare the order paper for the next day of Parliament, he added.

Asked why both leading political parties are making a big noise about showing a majority in Parliament, he said that there is no need of showing a majority as the Prime Minister has been appointed by the President under the powers vested in him by the Constitution.

However, there is a provision for a referendum to ascertain if the step taken by the President is constitutional. The power of voters is supreme and the voters can express their views at the referendum, he said.

When he was asked whether the government is hoping to seek a referendum after dissolving Parliament, he said that the government does not have such an intention, but there is a democratic provision to seek a referendum to ascertain whether the action of the President to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister is legal and constitutional, Abeywardena said.

“The opinion of people was seen on November 5 at the Parliament Roundabout. But if one needs to test the people’s power anymore, it can be tested by a referendum. However after two weeks from November 14, the situation will return to normal” he said.

Parliamentarian Abeywardena added that added that Parliament will not be reconvened before the scheduled day on November 14, since only the President can reconvene Parliament.

Speaking on the present political situation in the country, he said Parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara who resigned from his portfolio has been resting with his family in a luxury hotel in Singapore spending a huge sum of money.

“It can be imagined how and why a huge sum of money is being drained in this manner” he added.

Abeywardena added that the activities of the government are in full swing now. Accordingly, all the sectors are functioning properly, he said.

Speaking on the behaviour of the Speaker, Abeywardena said they do not need a Speaker from Sirikotha. He added that the Speaker’s comments have to be regretted as previous Speakers never questioned the powers of the Executive Presidents. The Speaker as well as the international forces should understand that Sri Lanka has the Executive Powers and there is a Presidential system of government in our country.

“When former Presidents such as the late R. Premadasa and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga prorogued Parliament, the then Speakers did not question the powers of the President. Even when Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the Prime Minister in 2015 without any majority, then Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa did not question the decision, even though his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa lost his Prime Ministerial post. He acted impartially unlike this Speaker,” he said.

He added that however, the government has no intention to change the posts of the Speaker and the Opposition Leader at this juncture.


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