All-Party Government will strengthen parliamentary democracy – Dr. Susil Premajayantha – By UDITHA KUMARASINGHE

Source : sundayobserver

Leader of the House and Education Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha said that forming an All-Party Government would pave the way to strengthen parliamentary democracy. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said at present the whole world is looking at us so that it would be a very good message for the international community and the financial institutions such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and donor countries to reconsider their stance towards Sri Lanka. He said the ulterior motive of certain groups is to capture power outside the Constitution.

However, most of the people who participated in those protests are not in that line. First we should restore the law and order in the country and guarantee the supply of essential items such as foods and implement a better mechanism to distribute petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Excerpts of the interview

Q: Do you think the new interim Government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe would be able to address the current burning issues and provide some sort of relief to the people who have faced immense hardships?

A: At the moment it is being addressed. For example, a few weeks ago the supply of LP gas was a question but gradually the situation is getting better now. According to the information from Litro Gas, there won’t be any gas queues within the next couple of weeks. So, it is guaranteed the continuous supply of LP gas. Earlier, there was a huge problem with regard to fertiliser.

The Government managed to import 44,000 metric tonnes of urea fertiliser and it is being distributed at the moment. Now we are in the latter part of the Yala season. With the beginning of the Maha season, the Government has already called tenders to supply urea fertiliser for the Maha season, not only for paddy but also for tea, vegetables and other crops such as maize.

I think within the next few months after the Maha season, the food supply will come to a better situation than now. The import of fuel has become an issue at the moment due to the shortage of foreign exchange. Even with these challenges and restricting the quantity of fuel issued from August 1, the Ministry of Power and Energy has made arrangements to issue fuel to vehicles by using the QR code. We will have to wait and see how we are going to achieve targets once that process is started. We are exploring the possibilities of getting more fuel and crude oil from oil producing countries. So, it will take a few weeks. I think we will be able to achieve this target in September.

Q: At present a lot of Opposition parties and some of the Government lawmakers who sit in the Opposition are asking to form an All-Party Government to get rid from the current crisis situation. Your views?

A: It is on the agenda of the President. The President clearly explained at the Government parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday (July 26) that the Parliament will be prorogued and reconvened in accordance with the Constitution. By that time, the President is planning to speak to all the political party leaders from both the Government and Opposition and also to activate the parliamentary committee system to get more participation of the Members of Parliament. Apart from that the President is also making arrangements to listen to the voice of the genuine youth at the Galle Face protest site (Aragala boomiya) and not to those who are politically motivated. The Government is ready to do that. We want to get their opinions and ideas in governance.

Q: Do you think forming an All-Party Government is the only way out to overcome the current crisis situation?

A: It would pave the way to strengthen parliamentary democracy by forming an All-Party Government. At present the whole world is looking at us. Therefore, it would be a very good message for the international community and the financial institutions such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and donor countries to reconsider their stance towards Sri Lanka.

Q: The main Opposition, SJB has raised concern on the recent incidents pertaining to the attack on protesters at the Galle Face Green. Will the Government conduct an investigation in this regard?

A: According to the information and the video clips shown in the media, the security forces didn’t attack the peaceful protesters. What they have done is to liberate the Presidential Secretariat. First the Police asked the protesters twice to vacate the place but they didn’t listen to that. The President doesn’t have a place to perform his duties without the Presidential Secretariat. Therefore, the security forces pushed the protesters out of the premises by using the minimum power. That is what really happened there. They didn’t go to the protest site. They were limited up to that bridge where the access of the Presidential Secretariat is blocked and disturbed. As a result of the July 9 incidents, the fence of the Presidential Secretariat was also broken. It was in a very bad condition and it was difficult to start an office there. In order to liberate the Presidential Secretariat, the Security Forces took steps to remove the protesters from the premises.

Q: Has any decision been taken to amend the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution at the Committee Stage to apply all its provisions also to the incumbent President as reported by the media?

A: What we are going to do is to bring the same 19th Amendment to the Constitution. There is some lacuna in the earlier 19th Amendment and we are addressing to fill that gap as well.

Q: TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran has said that a General Election should be held immediately and a new Government should be established as soon as possible. Would you like to comment?

A: That is his personal opinion. There are so many political parties. The SLPP managed to get a nearly two-thirds majority at the last parliamentary election. It is obvious some political parties have different objectives to be achieved. First of all, we should establish law and order in the country and guarantee the supply of essential items such as foods and implement a better mechanism to distribute petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Without fulfilling these requirements, we just can’t have an election. On the other hand, according to the constitutional provisions, Parliament cannot be dissolved before two and half years unless we pass a resolution in Parliament. It means we have to wait until March next year. Even that of course, it is the discretion of the President to dissolve the Parliament. What we want to do is first to establish law and order in the country and guarantee the supply of essential items to the people.

Q: What were the decisions taken at the Government parliamentary group meeting which was held at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday?

A: We all agreed to support the emergency regulations.

Q: However, the Opposition has raised concern on the imposition of the emergency regulations and they say this is an attempt to suppress the Opposition and peaceful protests. Your views?

A: That is not to suppress the Opposition. Without emergency regulations, you can’t control the conduct of certain elements. There are different groups at the Galle Face protest site and all other places.

We could see what happened to some private and public properties on May 9. One SLPP Parliamentarian was killed as a result of those May 9 riots. SJB Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama during the emergency debate on Wednesday also explained his own experience of what really happened to him on May 9. He had a narrow escape on that particular day.

This is the situation in the country. All the groups in Galle face protest sites are not in one line. There are some genuine youth groups that want to address their issues. However, there are some elements that have ulterior motives and political agendas. We could see following the July 9 incidents, some former Parliamentarians had come to Polduwa Junction and nearly 3000 to 4000 protesters were there.

They wanted to storm into the Parliament complex. How can you govern the country in such a manner? If you believe in democracy in the country, you have to wait until the election is held. At that time of course, you can capture power. So, the ulterior motive of certain groups is to capture power outside the Constitution. I think even most of the people who participated in those protests are not in that line. What we want to do is to restore the law and order in the country and supply essential items to the people.

Q: SJB Parliamentarian Dr.Rajitha Senaratne told the media recently the incumbent President doesn’t have the people’s blessings to form an All-Party Government adding that the SJB has no intention of joining hands with such a Government. Would you like to elaborate your views?

A: Do they have such a mandate, supposing that MP Dullas Alahapperuma won the vote held in Parliament recently to elect a new President? He also doesn’t have a mandate. Supposing JVP Leader Anura Dissanayake won that vote but he has only three seats in Parliament. They polled only around 315000 votes at the last parliamentary election. So, they also don’t have a mandate but they contested. We elected a new President in Parliament in accordance with the Constitution and Presidential Elections (special Provisions) Act No.2 of 1981. Not only that, the Presidents of China, Russia and the Prime Minister of India have already sent their greetings to the new President. So, we have done it legally according to the Constitution. The people of this country have to accept that.

Q: What led an Executive President who secured 6.9 million votes and a two-thirds majority in Parliament to step down?

A: He was not a politician but retired military personnel. In order to rule a country, you need some political background and experience in governance. I think that is what he lacked and that is what happened. I think as an experienced politician President Ranil Wickremesinghe will definitely handle the situation.

Q: Certain sections are under the impression that Ranil Wickremesinghe became the President as a result of the July 9 struggle and he should discuss with the genuine youth who have engaged in the Galle Face protest (Aragalaya). Your comments?

A: The President has already made some arrangements to meet the genuine youth who struggled for this change. Definitely, he will do that.

Q: Some say at present there is a huge disparity between people’s expectations and the conduct of Parliament. Do you agree?

A: Parliamentarians who represent their districts are well aware of the difficulties faced by the people. The issue is we are trapped with borrowings and shortage of foreign exchange. In addition, there are some effects of the global economic situation as well. Even in UK and European countries, inflation has gone up to nearly ten percent.

The people of those countries are also suffering up to a certain extent. We have a special case other than that they have faced.

As a result of Covid-19 pandemic, we couldn’t get export proceedings, foreign remittances and the export of garments for about two years. Actually, we don’t know what will really happen in the future, not only here but all over the world. That is the issue.

Q: At present there is a demand to abolish the Executive Presidency. Is there any need to do so at this juncture?

A: It is not possible at this juncture. We have to go for a referendum to abolish the Executive Presidency. At this stage, we are not in a position to go for a referendum. Once normalcy takes place, we can think of it. Then Parliament can appoint a select committee and record some evidence and call concerned parties to get their views, and then only we can draft a new Constitution.

Q: The SLPP during the last Presidential and General elections were highly critical about the conduct of the former Yahapalana Government. Under these circumstances what led the SLPP to nominate UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the SLPP Presidential candidate?

A: Actually, that was a decision taken by the SLPP and the former President. So, I can’t comment on that.

Q: Despite the decision taken by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down, still the Galle Face protesters continue their struggle. Would you like to air your views?

A: It shows the ulterior motives of certain groups involved in the struggle are different from the views of the genuine people. Definitely, there is political motivation. Those groups are not for that genuine objective and they have different agendas. Suppose the incumbent President steps down and somebody else takes over, then in another three months’ time, they will say you also have to go. So, they will do that until one of their leaders becomes the President of the country. You can’t do that when they don’t have a mandate. That is why we say first we have to normalise the country. Of course, then we have to go for an election and the people will decide.

Q: What is the position with regard to the Government obtaining the IMF credit facility?

A: Of course, we can continue that. That is why we say first we must have a stable Government. Otherwise, those financial institutions will ignore us. In that case, none of the leaders can rule the country, because we have a shortage of foreign exchange and investments. With all that, there are some movements and their ultimate objective is to destabilise the country.

What we want today is to stabilise the country and allow the Government to supply essential items to the people and then only we can go for an election.