PHU Leader proposes to set up National Review Council

By Lahiru Pothmulla 

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday proposed a ‘National Review Council’ to keep track of the implementation of the pledges made in the Presidential election manifesto.  

He said that it was a well-known complaint made throughout the history that the pledges and promises made by political parties in their manifestos often were abandoned once gaining  power.  

“Most of the time, it is the Opposition and not the Government that brings these pledges to people’s notice. The duty of a National Review Council will be to delegate all pledges and projects proposed in the President’s manifesto among the ministries and monitor the execution of these pledges. The council should supervise whether the targets are achieved by the respective ministries within the fixed time frame  and provide guidance when ministries’ performances fall short of targets,” Mr. Gammanpila said speaking at a news briefing held at the party head office.  
He proposed that the President  should chair the council and the Prime Minister to act as the Deputy Chair. “It could consist of professionals, academics, intellectuals and retired government officials. A selected officer could be appointed at each ministry to coordinate these efforts in implementing and reviewing pledges,” he said.  
He said the Council will review the progress achieved by each ministry twice a year and provide guidance. “A report with the performances of the ministries including shortcomings, will be published annually,” he said.  

Last week, Mr. Gammanpila proposed to set up an index to rate the performance of ministers. Yesterday, he once again reminded his proposal and said there was no method to evaluate whether the ministers executed their duties properly.  

He proposed 15 criteria to evaluate the ministers inclusive of efficiency in finding solutions to people’s problems, Parliamentary attendance, providing answers to questions raised in Parliament, filling out vacancies, holding of the public day, taking part in Parliament debates, providing details for Right To Information, applications and the performance achieved in implementing pledges made by the President in his manifesto.   

He said the index could be published twice a year and  ministers not performing well should be made to resign or be replaced by the President.  
“Within the next 10 days, I expect to bring these proposals to the notice of both the President and the Prime Minister in person,” Mr. Gammanpila said.