Kiriella lambasts executive presidency as total failure, wants Parliament given its powers

By Saman Indrajith

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday told Parliament that the prevailing situation showed that the executive presidency had failed.

“This crisis has shown us enough that the executive presidency cannot find solutions. While finding solutions we must bring about changes to vest the powers of the executive president in Parliament. We must find means to abolish this failed system of governance,” MP Kiriella said.

Kiriella said that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had, during a special party leaders’ meeting held on Monday (18), promised submit a proposal for the abolition of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and the restoration of the 19th Amendment. “The Speaker said that the 20th Amendment to the Constitution would be abolished. He said that the 19th Amendment would be brought back. Today, the Speaker says something else. We saw the President addressing the newly appointed Cabinet and that address was shown on TV last evening. At the end of that speech, the viewers were fully convinced that the executive presidential system was a failure. We demand that when whatever proposals are brought in as solutions to the present crisis, also bring the proposal to abolish the executive presidency.

“The country is beset with numerous crises and Parliament is not responsible for any of them. Some of the crises are due to the 20th Amendment that vested parliamentary powers in the executive presidency. Powers of the Prime Minister and Parliament were transferred to the executive presidency. Now, the decisions are made by the executive president and not by Parliament. We are under the impression that Parliament has the supreme power over public finances. Yet, we do not have such power. This Parliament does not know how terminals of the harbour and Trinco oil tank farm were given to India. Yesterday, the President expressed his regret over making some wrong decisions. The country is in the present plight because he made arbitrary decisions and was adamant to carry them on. So, it indicates that the executive presidency has failed. It should be abolished and powers should be re-vested in Parliament.”