7 August 2020 08:07 pm Views - 6011
While expressing his heartfelt thanks to those who voted for him, Sarath Weerasekara, who topped in the Colombo District at General Election said the 19th amendment to the Constitution should be abolished soon.
Addressing a news briefing, he said today that they were ready to abolish the 19th amendment when necessary.
He asked whether independence had been ensured from those independent commissions, which were established under the 19th amendment
“These commissions only crippled the powers of public sector employees. It also curtailed the powers of the President,” he said.
It was the President who appointed individuals to some prominent positions in the country prior to the 19th Amendment. However, now it is done by a Constitutional Council.
“We are still experiencing the adverse effects of the 19th amendment, which created much complexity in many sectors in the country.
“Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to abolish this amendment. I anticipate the Cabinet, which will be appointed soon, to take this matter into consideration on priority.
Weerasekara became the first SLFP MP to vote against the 19th Amendment in 2015
Meanwhile, responding to a query raised by a journalist on what sort of ministerial portfolio he would expect from the Government, Weerasekara said that his first preference would be the Ministry of Megapolis.
“This ministry would pave the way for us to commence on a drive for fresh and unprecedented developments to the city of Colombo, which was the original initiative of the incumbent President Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” he added.
However, he stressed that he was prepared to work in any ministry that is assigned to him by the President.