• We were surprised to see this provision in 22A presented to the House recently
• MP Kumaratunga proposed that the national council which is to be  appointed should be made a decision-making body and the cabinet, a small one 

 By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

MP Gevindu Kumaratunga called for shedding of the section within the 22nd Amendment which provides provisions for appointing any number of cabinet Ministers in the event of forming a national government.  

“We were surprised to see this provision in the 22nd Amendment which was presented to the House recently,” the MP said.  

“Is it possible for a government which is formed to resolve the nation’s crisis to have a jumbo cabinet? Churchill’s war cabinet formed in Britain during World War 2 was originally limited to five and then increased up to 8,” he added.  

“Does this provision in the 22nd amendment on national government, aimed at winning over certain persons by giving them perks? The country will be pushed to a dark period as a result of such an act. President Wickremesinghe will be criticized like late President J. R. Jayawardene’s Darmishta Samajaya policy during the 1980s if he goes on with this policy of winning people by providing them perks,” he also said.   MP Kumaratunga proposed that the national council which is to be appointed should be made a decision-making body while the cabinet should be a small one. 

“We are happy that the President has decided to consider this seriously. We are also happy that the incumbent President is prepared to give up some of his power under the 22nd amendment. He had decided to hand over the power of making some of the appointments to an independent commission. We also have a positive view on the President’s policy statement,” the MP said.