(Lanka-e-News - 24.Aug.2017, 11.45AM) ‘I am becoming the president not to trim the presidential powers but to completely abolish the executive presidential powers within 100 days . I shall not go even to the presidential palace.’ This was the announcement made loudly and proudly by the common presidential candidate in December 2014 during his election rallies. The president even at the funeral ceremony of late most Ven. Maduluwawe Thera vowed before the latter’s remains in public to abolish the executive presidency.
Now , the time has arrived to decide whether the same president who made such solemn promises to the public is in fact playing a dubious role and double acting to the detriment of the entire country ? The final date to decide this is 31 st August .
This is because when the steering committee that was appointed by the constitution formulation board of the entire parliament pertaining to the new constitution met 22nd informed all the political parties that 31 st of August is the final date before which the final proposals of the parties shall be forwarded.
It is noteworthy , only the SLFP has still not forwarded its party proposals pertaining to the constitution . The president in regard to this delay said , he has no personal involvement in respect of the new constitution proposals , and it is the committee appointed for that which prepares those, and Nimal Siripala De Silva is its head . Anyway , the SLFP committee which met yesterday , has at last finalized the draft proposals .
However , this draft’s content is most rudely shocking ! What it says is , the executive presidency shall not be abolished !! and though as a matter of policy it was agreed there shall be a devolution of power, there are no proposals to make that a reality. The most ludicrous and worst part ? In 1978 when Late JR Jayawardena was introducing the executive presidency in 1978 , it was the SLFP which staged protests vehemently under the Pettah Bodhi tree against it . Besides , it was the SLFP which loudly announced that if they come to power they would definitely abolish the executive presidency while also including that as a policy in all their election manifestos in the past. Yet unbelievably it is the same SLFP which is confirming wittingly or unwittingly they cannot be believed by now saying the executive presidency shall be continued .
Most political analysts view this as a knot of Maithripala nursing the hope it will not be untied, because if he is honestly to abolish the executive presidency as promised by him at the presidential elections , he cannot have one stance as leader of the SLFP while allowing the party to take another stance. Moreover , since those who come before the media including S.B. , to make loud announcements and pronouncements against the abolition of the executive presidency are direct lackeys and lickspittles of Maithripala Sirisena, these views are those of the president , and they are his ventriloquist dummies, the political analysts pinpoint.
No matter what , the crucial time has now arrived for Maithripala to end his double role and play acting , and display his true colors. This is because the proposals prepared by the SLFP committee led by Nimal Siripala De Silva has been sent to the president again for his final ratification.
Now the president has the opportunity to prove his credibility by rejecting the proposals against abolition of executive presidency , and standing by the solemn promises he made to the masses as common presidential candidate , and on which manifesto he won. Or , by accepting the proposals of the Nimal Siripala committee and demonstrate that Committee is in fact his own arm, and the promises he made that he would abolish the executive presidency are false and fake.
Under the circumstances , by 31 st August the people can know definitely whether Sirisena is a double role villain or hero ?
The final proposal made on 31 st August will be discussed on 6th and 7 th September , with a view to prepare the final draft of the new constitution .
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by (2017-08-24 06:27:59)
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