Updated May 29th, 2022 at 23:23 IST
Sri Lanka PM announces huge Parliament rejig; amendments made to curb Presidential powers
Sri Lanka's PM Ranil Wickremesinghe proposed changing the Parliamentary structure to curb the powers of the President and hold the cabinet accountable.
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Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, on May 29, proposed changing the structure of the Parliament through reforms that would clutter the unlimited powers of the President and hold the cabinet accountable. In a thread of tweets, the PM flagged two major political issues including the need for the 21st Amendment to annul the 20the Amendment and the abolition of the Executive Presidency.
He even underscored that the 20th Amendment brought by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa paralysed the Parliament's functioning which resulted in the Parliament's failure to prevent the ongoing financial crisis.
Apart from the economic issues, there are also 2 major issues in the political sphere we are facing.
— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 29, 2022
1.21st Amendment: We, as party leaders, are now finalizing this.
2.The abolition of the Executive Presidency: The timing and methodology must be decided by the Party Leaders.
"Taking some learnings from the past; I propose we change the structure of Parliament and create a new system by combining the existing system of Parliament (Westminster system) and the system of State Councils as we had before the independence of Sri Lanka from 1921 to 1947", Wickremesinghe said in his statement.
Sri Lanka to follow India's example; forms 12 new committees
In order to strengthen the powers of the Parliament, Wickremesinghe said that the new laws will follow the examples of countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and India. The PM said that the new laws would strengthen Parliament to exercise monetary powers. Currently, Sri Lanka has three committees on Government Finance at present - The Public Finance Committee, The Accounts Committee and The Committee on Public Enterprises.
2. Strengthening powers of committees:
— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 29, 2022
•There are 3 Committees on Government Finance at present; The Public Finance Committee, The Accounts Committee and The Committee on Public Enterprises.
•There have been many proposals to strengthen the powers of these 3 Committees.
Wickremesinghe proposed to strengthen the powers of these committees and introduced two new ones - Legal and Methodological Committees. The PM also announced ten oversight committees, the Chairperson of which would be appointed by "backbencher MPs" and not by ministers.
Wickremesinghe invites Sri Lankan youth to the cabinet
To ensure sufficient and equal participation of youth into the administration and end the trend of dynasty politics, Wickremesinghe proposed that each of the 15 committees would have four youth representatives.
Out of these four, one will be appointed by the Youth Cabinet and the rest three from the groups of protestors and activists. The methodology for selection would be decided by youth organisations. He said that experts from specific fields will also be invited if needed and added that the youth will be able to provide solutions to the ongoing problem and contest elections too if they wish.
4. Youth representatives for 15 committees
— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 29, 2022
•I propose 4 youth reps to each of these 15 committees. 1 to be appointed by the Youth Parliament. The other 3 from the protesting and other activist groups.
•The methodology for this can be decided by the youth organizations.
In his statement, Wickremesinghe also underscored the importance of the national council which includes the Speaker, Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and the leaders of the major parties and has the power to summon the Cabinet and the Chairmen of the said Committees.
"According to the new system we have proposed The President, The Cabinet of Ministers, The National Council and the 15 Committees including the Oversight Committees are accountable to Parliament", the PM said in a statement.
He further said that this system is being devised to "control the Government through the Cabinet, to examine the work of the President, to oversee the work of the political affairs through the National Council and to oversee the financial affairs and other matters of the other fifteen committees".
According to the new system we have proposed The President, The Cabinet of Ministers, The National Council and the 15 Committees including the Oversight Committees are accountable to Parliament.
— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 29, 2022
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Published May 29th, 2022 at 23:23 IST
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