JJB MP questions voters’ responsibility in deterioration of parliamentary system

…the Executive bane of the country

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) lawmaker Dr. Harini Amarasuriya says the Parliament has to be reformed. The Parliament is necessary and the urgent need is to make it stronger, the civil society activist asserts.

Dr. Amarasuriya said so in response to The Island query how she felt about the failure on the part of the Parliament to guarantee financial discipline, as a first time entrant into parliamentary politics and a member of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).

Dr. Amarasuriya recently chaired COPA proceedings temporarily in the absence of its Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitharana.

Whatever the inadequacies, the country couldn’t do away with the Parliamentary system, Dr. Amarasuriya said, underscoring the need to reform the Parliament with a view to meeting the aspirations of the people.

The JVP contested the last general election in August 2000 under JJB symbol. The JJB secured three seats, including one National List seat. The JVP deviated from the controversial practice of appointing wholesale its defeated candidates through the National List, by accommodating Dr. Amarasuriya on the single NL seat it won.

When The Island sought Dr. Amarasuriya views on the bleak picture depicted by statements issued as regards proceedings of three watchdog committees, namely COPA, COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and PFC (Public Finance Committee), the academic said the electorate couldn’t under any circumstance absolve themselves of the responsibility for the current turmoil caused by those who exercised political power.

Was it fair to parliament when the electorate repeatedly elected the same lot? Dr. Amarasuriya asked. Those who exercised their franchise to elect questionable members should accept the consequences, too, the lawmaker said, pointing out the responsibility on the part of the print and electronic media to educate the public.

When The Island pointed out that the electorate first picked a political party before choosing candidates, Dr. Amarasuriya reiterated the fact that voters should accept the responsibility for their choices.

Of the 225-member Parliament, 196 are elected whereas 29 entered on the National Lists of various parties. Of the 29 NL members in the current parliament, the ruling SLPP  and the SJB won 17 and 07, respectively, and the remaining six were shared one each by the ITAK, JJB, AITC (Ahila Illankai Thamil Congress), UNP and OPPP( Our Power of People Party).

Dr. Amarasuriya pointed out the absurdity in those complaining about successive governments they themselves voted in. She emphasized that her stand as regards the issue at hand applied for those who raised the issue on behalf of the media. The JJB lawmaker asserted that the Parliament would have been in a much better position to address the grievances of the public if the electorate voted prudently.

MP Amarasuriya warned of dire consequences in depicting the Parliament as a useless and failed institution at a time when efforts were being made to weaken the parliamentary democracy.

In addition to the electorate irresponsibly voting for the same lot over and over again, the weakening of the Parliament by way of such despicable Amendments as the 20th, too, contributed to the overall deterioration of the systems in place.

The SLPP enacted the 20th Amendment last October at the expense of the 19th brought in early 2015 with over 200 lawmakers voting for it, MP Amarasuriya said. The 20th received a two-thirds majority with over a half a dozen Opposition MPs voting with the SLPP. All JJB lawmakers voted against the 20th Amendment which JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake called a dictatorial project.

MP Amarasuriya said that the electorate should take their responsibilities seriously. They should recognize the danger in repeatedly empowering the same political parties and their representatives. The Island pointed out the people today blamed the executive, legislature and the judiciary for the current state of affairs. The Island also raised the confusion caused by those who represented the parliament as accusations and counter-accusations as regards negligence and the responsibility pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks and the father of two Easter Sunday suicide cadres ending up in the JVP National List for the 2015 general elections. And after having got elected many more members, the JVP shamelessly cavorted with the UNP in abusing political opponents using the law enforcers and particularly the police for the purpose even after two bond robberies staged in broad daylight by the yahapalana government.

 Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized the need to strengthen the parliament and stop efforts to dilute the parliamentary powers for the benefit of the executive. The MP claimed that the executive presidency was the bane of the democracy. Reforming the parliament would be the remedial measure, the country needed now, the MP said.