FSP says 21A marriage of convenience

By Rathindra Kuruwita 

The MoU between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would be made the supreme law of the land through the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Education Secretary, Pubudu Jagoda said yesterday.

“The two men are from two different parties. There needs to be an MoU for their deal to be feasible. This is what happened with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution too. Then President was from the SLFP and the Prime Minister from the UNP. Instead of signing a MoU they came up with the 19A. The same thing is happening now,” Jagoda said.

Jagoda said that one of the main demands of recent protests was that public be allowed to have a say in policy formulation.

“The Constitutional Council established by the 17th Amendment had five members from outside parliament. This was reduced to three with the 19th Amendment. The 21A sticks to the same number.”

Jagoda said that given the 21A still concentrated great deal of power in the executive presidency, did not meet the demands of the people, it was not acceptable.