Parliament

Surviving without a majority in Parliament is becoming a difficult task for the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government, as was evident last week when an attempt to pass four important finance bills was abandoned after both the JVP and the UNP opposed them.

The Government could have survived with opposition from the UNP but once the JVP said it would oppose the bills, the Government meekly backed out of putting them to a vote and instead referred the bills to a consultative committee of Parliament for further discussion as advocated by the JVP.

The Bills included legislation to recover non performing assets of state banks by setting up a National Asset Management Authority as well as a special provisions bill, for recovery of loans by banks, the approval of which would have helped replenish the dilapidated state coffers.Last week’s developments do not auger well for the long term survival of the two year and three month old UPFA government, given the fact that it has already back tracked on its attempts to present an electricity reform bill, again due to JVP opposition it failed to obtain the two thirds vote required to pass the 18th Amendment to the Constitution which has been in stagnation since February last year.

With the four finance bills also now in limbo, it is difficult to see how the government can carry on if it cannot win the support of the majority members of the House. The JHU which backed the election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is not making the government’s ride any easier, being particularly disturbed over the “Daya Master” issue and the government’s failure to take decisive actions against the LTTE. Leader of the House, Nimal Siripala De Silva said the bills would not be put to a vote and instead would be allowed for discussion, dampening enthusiasm among UNP members who had earlier sensed defeat of the bills with the help of the JVP. “I know you (the UNP) are in a hurry to come. Be patient because you have already missed the bus,” the Minister said. The UNP however, agreed to support a motion to set up a select committee of Parliament, that would look into the operation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and make suggestions to resolve its shortcomings and further strengthen it.

On Wednesday TNA Parliamentary group leader R.Sampanthan, moved an adjournment debate on the peace process and in the course of his more than an hour long speech, referred to statements made by the European Union (EU), the Co-Chairs and a US Statement Department official in which they not only blamed the LTTE but the Government as well for the breakdown in the peace process. “The LTTE can be excessive but the hands of the Government are not clean either. There can be no solution under the present constitution or by tinkering with it. Radical changes are needed to it,” he said. Minister Maithripala Sirisena said the government was committed to the devolution of power and challenged the LTTE to lay down arms and join the democratic process. “If the LTTE really has the support of the people of the north and east, let them prove it in democratic manner by seeking a mandate from the people,” he said. JVP MP Vijitha Herath said the north and east provinces needed to be de-merged as the people in the east did not want to live under the dictatorial clutches of the LTTE saying, “The people in the east are against the LTTE dictates and that is why Karuna broke away from the group.” Thursday saw the JVP turning the heat on the government once again by moving an adjournment motion on the work to rule campaign by port workers, the motion was seconded by one of their harshest critics- UNP MP Rajitha Senaratne.