(UTV|COLOMBO) – Leader of the United National Party ((UNP), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that the UNP stands for abolishing the Executive Presidency as promised in 2014.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing party supporters at Temple Trees yesterday (22).
Speaking about the Special Cabinet Meeting held to discuss the abolishing of the Executive Presidency, Wickremesinghe claimed that civil society activists, who met him recently, had handed over a draft to be presented to the Cabinet, aiming to support the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
“They handed over a draft to me on last 16th to present in Cabinet, aiming at assisting the 20th amendment. I informed them that the 20th Amendment cannot be passed without the assistance of other political parties,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that TNA MP A. Sumanthiran has told him that they discussed with the JVP regarding the abolishing of the Executive Presidency. Further, Sumanthiran has said that even President Maithripala Sirisena wants to bring the 20th Amendment.
Then the Prime Minister had told Sumanthiran that SLPP support was also needed to pass the 20th Amendment in parliament.
Speaking further about last week’s controversial Special Cabinet Meeting, Wickremesinghe said that the President called him in the morning on 16th, regarding summoning a Special Cabinet Meeting to discuss abolishing the Executive Presidency. He said that he expressed his approval for summoning a Special Cabinet Meeting on Thursday or Friday.
He added that Minister Ravi Karunanayake didn’t call to him on that day. According to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Secretary has informed his secretary that a Special Cabinet Meeting would be scheduled for 3 p.m. on 16th. Then my Secretary sent the draft handed over by Civil Society Movements to the Cabinet Secretary to be used if it was needed.
“I discussed this issue with Cabinet Ministers at 2 p.m. but it was difficult to come to a conclusion regarding 20th Amendment,” he said.
“Therefore, at the Cabinet meeting, I informed the Cabinet Secretary that there is no use of presenting Cabinet Paper since the ministers have not reached an agreement in this regard. “I summarised the ideas of Ministers at the Cabinet meeting and decided to come to a conclusion at party level,” he said.
He further added that if there are any issues with the decisions and statements of Cabinet Ministers, those issues should be discussed within the Cabinet.
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