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CPC muddle worsens despite AG's advice
By Shane Seneviratne
The Central Provincial Council and some 50,000 employees under it were plunged into further chaos and controversy as the President and the government continued to clash over it while the Attorney General gave a clear direction. Attorney General K.C. Kamalasabayson has advised that the crisis-ridden Council should be handed over to the party which commands the support of the majority.

The Attorney General's advice came in response to a clarification sought by the Ministry of Provincial Councils about the status of the PA-administered CPC after the annual budget was defeated when CWC and UPF members crossed over. The AG said that as the Chief Minister no longer commanded the support of the majority members of the council, as seen by the rejection of the annual financial statement of the council, "there is a duty cast upon the Governor in terms of Article 154 (F) to call upon the member who now commands such support" to form the administration.

In a related development Public Administration Minister Alick Aluvihare has refused to follow instructions of President Chandrika Kumaratunga over a financial issue pertaining to the CPC, citing the advice given by the Attorney General. President Kumaratunga in a letter to Minister Aluvihare requested him to make arrangements to pay the salaries of some 50,000 employees coming under the purview of the Central Provincial Council before the New Year.

The President told the minister that the employees who were to be paid on April 10 were deprived of their salaries and he should make arrangements to pay them.
The president noted that despite the Governor issuing an order to release funds from the Central Province Fund the employees were not paid. However, Minister Aluvihare in a letter to President Kumaratunga said that although the employees were not paid before the New Year he could not go against advise of the Attorney General even if the Governor of the Central Province had issued an order.

The crisis in the CPC began when the budget presented by the PA was defeated by a majority of eight votes. Following the budget defeat, the staff of the CPC have been unable to collect their salaries before the New Year. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse who visited Kandy on Friday told journalist that the party which holds the majority should be given the power to rule.

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