Opinion

The 100-day deadline was a political faux pas

17 Mar 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

It is now apparent that the government cannot in a mere one-hundred days or whatever is left of it now, for no fault of its own, keep to its promise and deliver what we wanted.

Let us set set out our requests and what was promised.

The FIRST was to commence operations and to expose the corruption that has taken place in our country in the past ten years and to take action against the corrupt. Now can this be done within one hundred days? Let us hope that the government has set in motion the process; we are also hopeful that all those who abused their office will be severely punished. What has the government done up to now? The next demand of the people has been either to scrap the executive presidential form of government or to reduce its arbitrary powers. The SECOND was to bring back the 17th Amendment, correcting certain shortcomings such as the president’s sole power to make appointments to high offices of the State; THIRD, that we enthrone the Rule of Law; FOURTH, make the president accountable to Parliament, remove the immunity a president presently enjoys, FIFTH to have the electoral system changed and the Dinesh Gunawardena report implemented. This in particular is not something that can be done even in a hundred days, for we would need to have a Delimitation Commission first. SIXTH, we most definitely need to have the Right to Information to curb corruption. Some of us have been campaigning for this for years but successive governments have not passed the legislation although bills were indeed prepared (perhaps because they could fleece us with secrecy). As a part of our demands, we seek to have all those who come forward as candidates for either the Presidential, Parliamentary or Provincial Council elections to declare their assets and those of their families. Another important inclusion in any proposed new Constitution we seek (or as an amendment to the present one) is the inclusion of Article 29 from the Soulbury Constitution to protect the rights of minorities. This is also extremely important. So Mr. President let us face it; all this cannot be accomplished in one- hundred days and what is left of it. This Parliament should not be dissolved before these changes to our Constitution are effected--no political party will have a two third majority (this came about this time only because MPs could cross over with impunity.) It is another loophole that needs to be plugged.

So the PRESENT government with its two third majority must pass the necessary legislation --- this is not only the responsibility of President Sirisena but is equally the responsibility of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. They must know that no excuse will satisfy the people if they do not deliver on their promises. So we hope that Ranil will cooperate and not push his demand for a dissolution of Parliament until the House is put into order. At a subsequent election if he thinks he will win a two third majority, so be it, but for the present we need constitutional amendments passed NOW. Yes, share with us the proposed 19th Amendment before it is adopted by Parliament. Appamado amatha padam.

Opinion

The 100-day deadline was a political faux pas

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