Reforms must be implemented, not merely accepted - UNP reformists

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

COLOMBO: Three UNP members who went to Courts to get a Stay Order against the holding of the UNP Annual Convention, which was held yesterday at Town Hall, announced that they want the decisions taken by the party's Working Committee implemented, not accepted as mere fundamentals.

Senior UNP member Dharmadasa Banda said that their proposals to reform the party's Constitution had been accepted by Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and by 87 members of the UNP's Working Committee, out of which 50 members are appointees of Wickremesinghe.

He was speaking at a press conference held yesterday at Hotel Nippon to explain their position on the matter. UNP members Wijayapala Mendis and Imthiyaz Markar were present.

Banda said that proposed reforms to the Party's constitution would reduce the number of appointees by party's leader to Working Committee to 15.

These proposals had been made to broaden the party's democratic horizons so that the party's image will get a boost.

Wickremesinghe appointed three committees, one headed by John Amaratunga, one by Roy Amarasinghe and one by Ravi Samarathunga, to make necessary reforms to the UNP constitution, said Banda.

"We did not go to the Courts against Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, nor are we against his leadership. We had to ensure there was no legal impediment preventing implementation of these proposals, which had already agreed upon by the executive Committee. We were so told by the leader," he said.

According to proposals made by the Committee headed by John Amaratunga, the number of persons that may be appointed to the Working Committee was 10, he said.

The non-implementation of the party's committee decisions means an obstruction to the party's democratic march. The non- implementation means that the leader Wickremesinghe will appoint his share of 50 associates to the Working Committee again for the next year, he pointed out.

In line with the reforms, the UNP Working Committee should comprise representatives from farmer organisations, Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, District Secretariats, student Associations and other organisations and communities.

UNP member Wijayapala Mendis said that the UNP had faced 14 defeats and the decision to reform the party's Constitution was aimed at putting the party on a winning platform.

"The way things are going, one can expect another defeat in another six years," he said.

"We had many discussions on this issue and the decision was made accordingly to reform the party's constitution to establish more democracy in the party," he added. This has nothing to do with party's leadership, it has everything to do with the welfare of the party, he remarked.