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| Tuesday, 23 November 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| Constitution should suit country - Wijedasa Rajapakse, MP by L. B. Wijayasiri in Kandy Presidential Counsel Wijayadasa Rajapakse MP who called on Most Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapler, said that under the existing Constitution, opportunities were open for various powers to grab and control the government elected by the people. He called on the Prelate at the latter's Aramaya at Malwatte Viharaya on Saturday, November 20. The existing constitution of our country today is a document patched up with pieces picked up from various countries of the world. It was a deformed constitution, under which the office of the President was vested with heavy powers. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had refrained from misusing those powers and therefore no problems had arisen. But, the country had experienced powers being abused by some former Presidents causing hardships and creating problems to the people. The people's wish was not properly reflected in the Parliament under the Constitution. It was high time that the present Constitution was changed to proon Presidential powers and to create a system under which elected members are responsible for their constituencies, added President's Counsel Rajapakse. If the Constitution did not suit this country, all concerned must make united efforts to repeal it irrespective of their political party differences. We must forget personalities and think of the future generation, "he added. The government's objective was to create lasting peace through a political solution to the ethnic conflict. A change of Constitution might help us achieve that objective. It would take a little time. That had to be decided upon by the people after discussions in detail. Most. Ven Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte Chapter in reply said that many people were of the view that the Constitution should be changed to reduce the unlimited powers vested in the Presidency. All should unite to enact a constitution that suits the country. The electoral system should also be amended. |
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