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President's inaction delays Constitutional Council

by our Parliamentary correspondents

Minister Professor G. L. Peiris revealed in Parliament yesterday that although the completed list of the Government and Opposition sponsored nominees to the Constitutional Council had been sent to the President on the 21st of February, the Government was still awaiting her formal approval of this list plus the appointment of the President's own nominee to this Council that would establish the Independent Commissions.

"This is inexplicable and beyond comprehension. The President has been in possession of this document for 12 days. The country should know the truth. These Independent Commissions are in the interest of the Opposition more than the Government which is in power, Prof. Peiris said winding up the debate on three Bills introduced to strengthen the 17th Amendment.

Minister Peiris was apprised of this lapse on the part of the President by Parliamentary Affairs Minister A. H .M. Azwer. Minister Azwer said that nine names of the Constitutional Council jointly appointed by the Government and the Opposition had been dispatched to the President on the 21st of February.

"She had only to nominate the 10th member herself and complete the process, Minister Azwer said waving a document in support of his argument that the President had in fact received this list on the 21st of February and requesting permission of the Chair to table it.

Earlier in the day opening the debate for the Government, Minister Peiris said that the Government was awaiting the appointment of the Presidential nominee to the Constitutional Council and also for the President's approval of the nine members already appointed.

"The ball is in the President's court. The moment she finalises this, the Constitutional Council will be in place," Prof. Peiris added.

One of the three Bills provide for the appointment of a competent authority for the SLBC and SLRC during an election campaign. This was in order to ensure that these institutions comply with the directives of the Elections Commissioner.

Failure to comply after such directives had been issued by the Commissioner would now give him powers to appoint a competent authority to these institutions for the duration of the elections.

Prof. Peiris recalled his own bitter experience during the last General Election campaign where repeated requests by him and also the Commissioner of Elections to the state media to carry corrections of defamatory statements against him fell on deaf ears.

"The state media (SLBC/SLRC) would now have to toe the line following the powers now vested with the Commissioner under the new law, he stated.

The Bill is titled Competent Authority (Powers and Functions) Bill. Two other Bills, Removal of Officers (Procedure) Bill and Administrative Appeals Tribunal Bill was also introduced and debated in the House.

Prof. Peiris stated that the new legislation was primarily aimed at strengthening the 17th Amendment to ensure its full authority runs on the ground.

It also opens the phase of depoliticisation of the public service and the Police, he said.

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