Country can be proud of President - Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said as far as the SLFP is concerned, President Mahinda Rajapaksa should be given a few more terms of office as he has rendered much service to the nation. The Minister told the Sunday Observer that the President is an exemplary leader whom the country could be proud of. The SLFP firmly believes that the President should be its future Presidential Candidate.

Q: What is the main purpose of the 18th Amendment?

A: The purpose is twofold. One was to bring political stability to Sri Lanka for rapid economic development. After eradicating terrorism, President Rajapaksa addressed the nation and said that we need to deliver the peace dividends to the people of this country.

To achieve that goal, we need a very stable Government which could attract investments and create stability in the country. The President has emerged as a great statesman who could give vibrant leadership to eradicate terrorism and ensure economic development of the country.

The other was to bring in Amendments to the 17th Amendment to make it a more effective piece of legislation. It did not bring us the desired results, because we wanted to establish the Constitutional Council through a certain process where the President and the Opposition Leader could appoint some members.

The Prime Minister too has to agree on another member. Smaller political parties in Parliament have to nominate certain names to the Constitutional Council. But this did not work out well during the past so many years. As a result, the Constitutional Council could not be constituted properly.

The President had to appoint members to the commissions. Everybody criticised the process. Even the UNP Executive Committee members said they could not deal with about 1800 files on promotions, transfers and disciplinary action relating to public servants. Because those Commissions could not be properly constituted. Having considered these issues, our Government decided that we must close all loopholes in the 17th Amendment to ensure an effective and practical process. Therefore, we have introduced the Parliamentary Council consisting of the Speaker and the Prime Minister. The Speaker's and the Prime Minister's nominees have to be Parliamentarians and the names proposed to the Commission could come even from Members of Parliament to the Speaker.

We have given a wider democratic choice and option to the Members of Parliament and further strengthen Parliament. The Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe did not agree with then Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and he did not appoint anybody to the Constitutional Council. The Opposition Leader cannot do that now. If he fails to appoint, then we have given the power to the Speaker to appoint the other person. Therefore, we have closed all loopholes and brought about a piece of legislation which is very practical in approach.

Q: Why did the Government take it up as an 'Urgent Bill in the national interest' when the next Presidential Election is six years away?

A: This was mainly due to the importance of the Presidential Election and introduce Amendments to the 17th Amendment. Hence we brought both these together. According to the 17th Amendment, we have to establish these commissions immediately. The present Commissioner of Election is seeking permission to retire. Then who will conduct future elections? The Local Government Elections which is now due has to be held. There must be a speedy process.

Q: The 18th Amendment was passed with a record majority in Parliament. How do you see this victory?

A: It is a historic event, because such a thing has never happened in the history of Sri Lanka's politics earlier. This record majority was not only from the Government ranks alone. Several UNPers also joined us. The SLMC and one TNA MP voted with us. The Communist Party, Lanka Sama Samaja Party and MP Vasudewa Nanayakkara also voted in favour of the 18th Amendment. If you take a cross section of the political parties in Sri Lanka, almost all parties have contributed to this landslide victory-the UNP 20 to 30 percent and the SLMC hundred percent. This shows that it is a very popular Amendment. Generally certain Amendments and legislations which are brought before Parliament are not popular and political parties are scared to support it. Almost all political parties extended their support to the 18th Amendment without hesitation. This is a great victory for the Government.

There is a misconception in the minds of some people and even in the media. They say that the President got his term extended. That is completely wrong. The President's term will never get extended because he has been elected for a particular period of time. At the end of that period, the President has to face an election. The President has now been given the right to contest any number of times in future. Even former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga can also contest now as she was deprived earlier. The Executive Prime Ministership has no restrictions on the terms of election.

There is more democracy now. We have brought a very important Amendment whereby the President participates in parliamentary proceedings once in three months. It is mandatory for him to come to Parliament. Therefore, we have really diluted the powers of the Executive Presidency to some extent by this Amendment.

Q: Why did so many Opposition MPs support the Government on this issue?

A: I think the Opposition MPs understood the need for such an Amendment as a matter of national interest. We are very happy about it because we always had partisan politics.

Whenever the Government did something, the Opposition disagreed. When the Opposition does something, the Government disagree. However it was not there when this Amendment was moved because everybody thought that this Amendment would help the country to go forward. We are in a special era today. After the eradication of terrorism, the economy is growing faster, tourists arrivals is increasing and investments are flowing in. We should therefore facilitate the political process to accelerate growth.

Q: The Opposition alleges that the 18th Amendment was made for a sitting President to be in power for as long as he wished. Any comments?

A: If the Opposition says so that shows their weakness. What can we do if they don't have a candidate who could match President Rajapaksa. It is not our fault. The Opposition should have a leader who could give a good competition. If they don't have a suitable Leader, I mean they can't ask that our Leader should not be allowed to participate in an election. As far as the SLFP is concerned, we feel that the President must be given a few more terms of office, because he has performed very well in the political arena.

He is an exemplary leader whom our nation could be proud of. The SLFP feels that he should be our future Presidential candidate as well. What is wrong in it? It is for our party to decide who will be our Presidential Candidate? The UNP or the Opposition can't decide as to who should be the SLFP candidate?

Q: How is Parliament strengthened by the 18th Amendment?

A: As I said earlier, the commissions which were defunct have been restored and the President's accountability to Parliament has been enhanced by his participating in Parliamentary sessions once in every three months.

With the proper function of the Commissions, the administrative structure should also be strengthened. For example, the Police Commission was only dealing with promotions and transfers of Police officers. Now that is being handled by the Public Service Commission.

At present, the Police Commission inquires into public grievances as well. If an OIC or a PC of a Police station has illtreated or harassed a person, such incident would be brought before the Police Commission. We have to strengthen human rights as well as law and order situation in the country for the purpose of building a very healthy nation.

Q: Will the Parliamentary Council be a more effective institution than the Constitutional Council?

A: I am sure it will be a very effective body.

Q: How will these measures strengthen democracy?

A: There is a wider consultative process at present. The President can now appoint various people to the commissions. A wide consultative process which has been established. It is a great improvement of the democratic process.

The President will sit in Parliament once in every three months and the Police Commission will deal with public complaints against the Police. It is an opportunity for the people to seek redress for their grievances.

Q: Will the new electoral system solve the problems associated with the PR system such as inter-party rivalry and violence?

A: As you are aware, this is only the first phase of the Amendments. The second phase will come later. The President has very clearly indicated this is only the beginning of the Constitutional Amendments. We would move the other Amendments about the electoral process.

Q: The Opposition seems to be on the wane. This is not a healthy trend in a democracy?

A: Certainly it is not a healthy trend in a democracy. We would like to have a strong Opposition. As we are in the Government, I don't think we should advise Opposition how to set about it. The Opposition should find its own advisors and the reasons for this situation. It is up to them to resolve their differences.

It is up to them to change their leadership or not. I don't think the Government should advise how the Opposition should reform itself. It is up to them entirely to have a more in depth discussion and formulate their strategies.

Q: Do you think the UNP will pose a challenge to the Government even under a new leadership?

A: I don't think so because the Government is not making any mistakes. We have done so much to the nation and we have embarked on an aggressive development program. Our leader is very popular. He is a caring Leader for the nation. Therefore, we have no problem at all.

Q: While the Government was busy with the 18th Amendment and other related issues, there are allegations that the resolution of the ethnic problem and reconciliation have been neglected. Is there any truth in this?

A: I categorically deny it. We have already appointed a fact-finding Commission. The Government would definitely go into all these issues in time to come.

Q: Will there be more crossovers from the Opposition to the Government?

A: When the Government is doing well, certainly there can be more crossovers.