Passage of 18th Amendment:

Political barriers breached - Minister

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Parliament transcended political barriers in ensuring people’s wishes, Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said referring to the Government’s unprecedented achievement in Parliament Wednesday where it received 161 (more than two thirds) votes in favour of the proposed Constitution amendments with only 17 going against.

Addressing the Media alongside Mass Media and Communications Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister Samarasinghe said the amendments had further strengthened people’s sovereignty. He said the introduction of the 18th Amendment and changes to the 17th Amendment had ensured that there were no embargoes in the way of people’s wishes.

Samarasinghe said 15 political parties from a total of 17 in the House during the vote had voted in favour of the amendments.

The Minister said the changes to the 17th Amendment had made way for a workable and accountable Parliamentary Council comprising people’s representatives instead of the ineffective, highly politicized Constitutional Council.

The change had also lifted certain administrative barriers which were in the way of accelerated development, he added. He said the purpose of the 18th amendment was not to extend the term of the current President but to ensure there was no limiting of contesting opportunities.

This would stand in good stead by the people as now the public enjoyed the power to appoint a candidate of their choice without any barriers, he added. Ministers Samarasinghe and Rambukwella identified the amendments as a need of the era.