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The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) issuing a statement on Thursday welcomed the commitment by the PA to curb bribery, corruption and related matters such as money laundering and embezzlement of State property.

The release said: "Despite its pressing problems including an on-going war that need the closest attention the country is faced with a parliamentary election full five years before it is due. The responsibility for this precipitate situation is that of the UNP. The end to a prolonged conspiracy was the purchase of MPs for cash to enable the UNP to form its government. By this the UNP at the head of the comparator capitalist class attempted to subvert the people's mandate given to the People's Alliance barely a year ago. The President refused to acquiesce in this outrageous and corrupt action and dissolved parliament. She has asked for the people's verdict in the election fixed for 5th December."

"Never before has it been possible for corruption to dominate parliament on this scale and with such impact on the even life of the people. This has discredited democracy, distorted it and reduced parliament to mockery.'

"The President's decision to dissolve parliament defeated the UNP's conspiracy. It gives to the people the opportunity to intervene and to make their own decision on these events. The LSSP welcomes this opportunity to go to the people to renew and strengthen the mandate."

"Dissanayake and Pieris, SLFP ministers in the PA government, made their contribution to the conspiracy. Their role was that of mere tools and instruments. The LSSP states that the country must not be content with the mere vilification of these scape goats. It is the UNP that bears the direct responsibility for the conspiracy and the corruption of parliament. By its corrupt and irresponsible conduct it has earned for itself the people's punishment which will be its decisive defeat at the election on the 5th December."

"A clear majority for the PA at this election is crucial to the orderly conduct of government for the next five years during which period President Kumaratunga will hold the mandate given to her by the people to be the head of the government. To deny to the PA its majority will result in the country being pushed to political crisis."

"The Constitution of 1978 which is what we have today provides for only one power center. That is the Executive President. A parliamentary election cannot result in another power center being created within parliament and independent of the President. The President appoints her ministers without the need to consult the Prime Minister. It is the President who chooses the Prime Minister and that is not necessarily from the party with the majority of members of Parliament. The government so made up is headed by the President. It is the government of the President. The Prime Minister chosen by the President is only one among the several other ministers that she appoints. Government can function only where President and parliament can function without conflict.

"It is as a reflection on this constitutional position that the late Dr. N. M. Perera, in his study of the present Constitution, has stated that in a situation of conflict where parliament cannot agree with the President, "the whole machinery of government would be deadlocked, and the Constitution and Parliament itself would be the butt of public ridicule." He warned that ridicule is the mildest reaction and that it is in such circumstances that people tire of democracy and turn to the questionable blessings of dictatorship."

"The LSSP sees the result of the forthcoming election as crucial to the continuance of democratic institutions, traditions and practices in Sri Lanka. It calls upon all democratic and progressive forces to mobilize the people for a vote that obtains for the PA a clear majority of members in Parliament. Any opportunity given to the UNP to form the majority in parliament will result in the disruption of the democratic parliamentary process as warned by Dr. N. M. Perera. The UNP has stated from public platforms that it will resort to extra constitutional means to get over the constitutional difficulty. It has threatened to use force on the incumbent President. This certainly is the thinking of political simpletons who do not understand the meaning of their threatened action. Such action if attempted would cause a blood bath in the country.

"Even as an opposition the UNP has during the last seven years demonstrated to the country that it has not the leadership with the needed political capacity or maturity to function in a responsible manner in parliament. It has persistently refused without reason to reach national consensus on the ethnic problem that urgently demands a political solution. Its only interest has been in seizing power from within parliament.

"The war has caused immeasurable loss, damage and destruction to the country. The LSSP is confident of the President's commitment to a political solution to the ethnic problem as is acceptable to all communities. The UNP's negative attitude to the political solution advanced by the government and finalized in negotiations with all political parties in parliament including the UNP has left moderate Tamil opinion in doubt as to whether the problems they face as a minority will ever be seriously addressed.

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