Yuthukama appreciates Wimal pushing for US style-prez poll, other reforms

SLPP National List MP and Convenor of Yuthukama  civil society group Gevindu Cumaratunga yesterday (10) appreciated National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa’s backing for some of the constitutional reforms proposed by them.

Cumaratunga was commenting on Minister Weerawansa’s recent call for far reaching constitutional reforms, including complete overhauling of the presidential system with proposal to adopt US style presidential poll. “We are really thankful to Minister Weerawansa for accepting and propagating some of our proposals,” Cumaratunga said, calling for a wider discussion among political parties on the contentious issue.

Both NFF and Yuthukama are fielding candidates on the SLPP ticket at the August 5 polls.

Minister Weerawansa called for a new Constitution in an interview with Hiru last Monday (8). Responding to NFF leader’s comments carried in The Island, Cumaratunga said that a key priority for the new parliament would be a new Constitution. Referring to what he called treacherous attempts to introduce a new Constitution meant to divide the country during the UNP-SLFP administration, Cumaratunga emphasized the need for a genuine effort with national interest at heart.

Cumaratunga said that the proposed new Constitution should be able to restore the real power with the people by bringing in necessary constitutional changes /reforms which would enable the electorate to elect genuine people’s representatives at every level. Asked whether Yuthukama would campaign for a new Constitution in the run-up to the forthcoming parliamentary polls, Cumaratunga said that it should be one of the most important issues for all contesting political parties whatever their agendas might be.

Cumaratunga pointed out that overhauling the system would be quite a challenge against the backdrop of the 19th Amendment enacted in early 2015.

Comprehensive Yuthukama constitutional proposals were handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa early this year. Cumaratunga pointed out how unfair it was for a President elected with 6.9mn votes with an overwhelming majority of 1.3 mn votes to be deprived the opportunity to hold the defence portfolio.

The 19th Amendment portrayed by its promoters as a panacea for Sri Lanka’s ills caused unprecedented setbacks, the civil society activist alleged. Cumaratunga said that the country certainly deserved an explanation as to why Gotabaya Rajapaksa having received a staggering 6.9 mn votes couldn’t take charge of the defence portfolio.

The Nov 16 triumph of nationalist forces over the treacherous UNP led coalition was meant to reverse the course of action pursued by the yahapalana lot, Cumaratunga said. He said the previous government betrayed the military in Geneva between robbing the Central Bank twice in Feb 2015 and March 2016, signed various controversial international agreements and kept on the back burner the proposed controversial Constitution. Declaring that in spite of the defeat of those who had threatened unitary status of the country, Cumaratunga said that the country should beware of continuing clandestine efforts to undermine the post-war stability.