Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Last Updated : 2024-03-29 17:03:00
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today called on the government not to proceed with the signing of the MCC Pact and urged the President to inform the MCC and the US Government that it will be rescinded with immediate effect.
In a statement, BASL President Kalinga Indatisssa, PC said they have been reliably informed that the Finance Ministry is in the process of making arrangements to sign the MCC today.
“In our opinion, the Finance Ministry has no legal authority to sign the MCC Agreement which contains many more matters other than a simple agreement to borrow money from the lender. As explained to the Prime Minister by the BASL in August 2019, the proposed agreement goes much beyond a simple loan/ grant and contains many clauses dealing with land and jurisdiction. These are matters clearly outside the purview of the Finance Ministry and the Cabinet could not have authorised the Finance Minister to proceed with the MCC,” he said in the statement.
The BASL said it was rather unfortunate that the basic concepts of governance such as collective responsibility and constitutional assignment of subjects are not considered at all in arriving at such decisions which have a serious impact on the sovereignty of the nation.
“The BASL vehemently opposes such a move by the Finance Ministry and call upon the Prime Minister to honour the undertaking given to us in July/August 2019 that the MCC would not be signed without taking into consideration the observations of the Bar. It is totally misleading for certain persons holding responsible positions to maintain that the MCC will be placed before parliament after it is signed. Such a course of action is meaningless and once signed the agreement will have a binding effect,” it said.
“We call upon the Prime Minister who is a very senior politician on this country to refrain from proceeding with this move unless sufficient discussion takes place. We also urge the President to immediately inform the MCC and the US Government that even if the agreement is signed it would be rescinded with immediate effect if the signing is done without placing the agreement before parliament,” it said.
saliya Tuesday, 05 November 2019 04:55 PM
if signing MCC with US is dangerous for SL, why allow GR an US citizen to stand for SL election
Samson Tuesday, 05 November 2019 08:53 PM
This will be signed by the former citizen
Sofia Tuesday, 05 November 2019 09:02 PM
This Prez was always a SLPP stooge.
Yehiya Wednesday, 06 November 2019 09:26 AM
Aiyooo bar association.
Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.
Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e
Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c
In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R
As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H
2 hours ago - 0 - 1556
28 Mar 2024