Proposed constitutional amendments:

Minister confident of UPFA constituent parties support

Rasika Somarathna

United People’s Freedom Alliance General Secretary cum Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha yesterday expressed confidence that the proposed constitutional amendments would be supported by all UPFA constituent partners. The Minister said all forces supportive of the UPFA would back President Mahinda Rajapaksa to go ahead with the Constitutional amendments.

The Minister referring to the pre-1978 Constitution pointed out that it did not curtail the number of terms of the Prime Minister who was the Executive according to the former Constitution. Although the 1978 Constitution which introduced the present Presidential system curtailed the number of terms of the President, the Minister said that as the President is appointed according to the people’s wishes, the decision to appoint or not to appoint should vest with the people and limiting the number of terms should not come in between.

The Minister while identifying Presidency as a key tool which helped the nation in its battle to defeat terrorism, said doing away with the two term clause to ensure continuity of the incumbent is a need of the era.

Minister Premajayantha said President Rajapaksa had to face many challenges during his first term such as terrorism, world economic recession, natural disasters etc.

However, the Minister said Sri Lanka successfully emerged from this period of transition by defeating terrorism, uniting the country and ushering an era of peace.

Even in the face of such odds , Minister Premajayantha said the country’s economy grew with foreign reserves crossing the US $ 6 billion mark.

In addition tourist arrivals recorded an unprecedented boom. Development initiatives which could not be enacted during the last 30 years such as airports, harbours, roads etc got off the ground.

The people would reap development projects benefits in the next few years, he said.

The Minister pointed out that the remnants of the elements who tried to divide the country are still at large scheming to distabilise the country from both within and outside.

He pointed out that for the greater good of the nation it is imperative to give continuity to a leadership which stood and would continue to stay upright in the face of challenges.

He pointed out that the core of the success behind countries like Malaysia and Singapore has been the continuity of such brave, prudent and unwavering political leadership.

The Minister pointed out that increasing the number of terms of the Presidency to ensure continuity would be pivotal to strengthen democracy and ensure greater stability of the nation.