News
President to swear in 30-member Cabinet; address the nation
President Maithripala Sirisena will swear-in a thirty member Cabinet of Ministers tomorrow and address the nation this morning to give details of why he formed a new government with his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, as Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters moved into take control of key state institutions on Friday night and yesterday.
Friday evening’s move to appoint a new Prime Minister has given rise to a constitutional crisis and been challenged by United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who insists that he is still the Prime Minister and that his successor has been appointed unconstitutionally.
He told a news conference at Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister, and where he has his office, that he has been removed by the President outside the provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which governs the manner in which a Prime Minister can be removed from office. He said the new Prime Minister had to prove he had a majority in Parliament; but yesterday President Sirisena prorogued Parliament till November 16. UNP supporters from the outstations trooped in and gathered outside Temple Trees yesterday to secure the area. Mr. Wickremesinghe was in consultation with partners of his United National Front (UNF) over the next move. UNF leaders held a joint news conference last morning to express solidarity with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and condemn the President’s surprise move on Friday evening.
Later, also at Temple Trees, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe briefed envoys of Colombo-based diplomatic missions. President Sirisena and the newly appointed Prime Minister Rajapaksa are due to meet today to finalise the new list of ministers. A source close to the President said a delay in formulating the composition could push back the swearing-in process by a “day or two.” The Cabinet, which needs to be limited to 30 unless by special resolution of Parliament is to comprise members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the SLPP-led ‘Joint Opposition’ and those from the United National Front (including the UNP) who are being persuaded to cross over.
The name of one-time Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena, MP, is being mentioned as the likely Finance Minister. He is to present an ‘On Account’ budget in place of the regular budget the UNP-led Government was preparing to present next month.
These developments came as President Sirisena issued a proclamation for the prorogation of Parliament. It took effect from noon yesterday and will remain in force till 10 a.m. on November 16. This appears to be a move to buy time for the new Prime Minister to get the majority numbers ready in Parliament. While UNP Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told the Sunday Times yesterday that he had already shown that he commands the support of the majority of Parliament when he defeated a vote of no-confidence against him not long ago, SLPP Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times the main reason why he took over the responsibility is because of the suffering the people are undergoing. “Investors are shying away. The rupee is fast depreciating against the dollar pushing living costs sky high. The economy is in a terrible mess. Never has the country faced such a situation before,” he said.
The UNP urged Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to summon Parliament – a request he had agreed to by holding sittings on Monday. However, last afternoon President Sirisena prorogued Parliament till November 16. Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera told the SundayTimes, “We want to prove our majority in Parliament but we learn it has been prorogued. This is a constitutional coup. President Sirisena has betrayed us and the people of this country. We will go to courts, raise issue in Parliament and protest on the streets.”
President Sirisena is expected to take over the Law and Order Ministry, under which the Police Department functions. He is also expected to take over the Attorney General’s Department. Yesterday, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was assured the support of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress led by Rauff Hakeem. A similar assurance has also been given by Rishad Bathiudeen, the All Ceylon People’s Party leader.
The Opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said it was still studying the political developments of last Friday, while the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday condemned the President’s move to appoint former President Rajapaksa as Prime Minister. In the 225-member Parliament, the UNF has 106 MPs (including eight MPs of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, six MPs of Mano Ganesan’s Tamil Progressive Alliance and five MPs of Rishard Bathiuddin’s All Ceylon Makkal Congress). The TNA has 16 seats and the JVP 06.