Investigations fast-tracked, results soon:

Govt will deliver the goods as pledged

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene said that the current political culture where a SLFP President and UNP Prime Minister and the Cabinet work in unison is a new political experience whereby they will deliver the goods to the people as pledged.

The Government has already achieved some of the targets pledged to the people. The new political culture has been brought in with a President from the SLFP and a Prime Minister from the UNP and there is a National Unity Government of UNPers, SLFPers, SLMC and some parliamentarians from minority parties, the Minister told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

“At present, the National Unity Government is going ahead well. The Government is fully committed to the 100-day program. I am confident that we could fulfil the promises that we had given the people and the 100-day program will be a success. We are on the right path and we don’t want to be the same as previous Governments.”

About the alleged dissatisfaction among the people that the Government is dragging its feet on large scale corruption charges against UPFA parliamentarians, the Minister said that President Maithripala Sirisena has already set up a special Presidential Committee to probe these charges and speed up the investigation.

At present the CID is conducting investigations on the issues related to some of the UPFA parliamentarians. We hope that with the Presidential Committee, the investigations will be fast- tracked and we would see the results early. Minister Wijewardene said that clipping the wings of the Executive Presidency will also be done during the 100-day program.

The Executive powers will be shared among the President, Prime Minister and the Cabinet. However, all the Executive powers will not be taken away from the President. He will also be vested with powers while the Prime Minister and the Cabinet will have certain powers. The Executive powers will be exercised by a group rather than one person. This will be fulfilled before the Government’s 100-day program ends.