Mangala violated collective Cabinet responsibility: JO

The joint opposition today urged President Maithripala Sirisena to take action against Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera whom it accused of violating the collective responsibility of the Cabinet.

Joint opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardane told a media briefing held at parliamentary complex that Mr Samaraweera had challenged the President through his recent statement that the non-inclusion of foreign judges in the judicial mechanism to probe human rights violations was an opinion expressed by the President.

“President is the head of the government and therefore has the power to appoint the cabinet. He announced the stand of the government with regard to foreign judges. However, the Minister expressed a different opinion and therefore it is a violation of collective responsibility of the Cabinet," he said.

MP Dallas Alhaperuma who spoke about the shadow cabinet said its purpose of was to monitor the work of the minister. “Shadow cabinet is a common concept in politics but the shadow cabinet of ours is different as we will be monitoring the work of the ministers" he said.

MP Bandula Gunawardhane who revealed the latest plans of the joint opposition with regard to VAT said a petition will be filled in courts against the VAT Amendment Bill which was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake last morning.

"The government had actually bulldozed Parliament by increasing VAT even before the Bill was passed" he said. (Yohan Perera and Kelum Bandara)