Dr Sudath Gunasekara (SLASS) Permanent Secretary; To Mrs Sirimavo Bndaranayaka and Ex-President Sri Lanka State Administrative Services Association (1991-1994)

Comments on the Press release by the Speakers Office (19^th Nov) on the present political situation.

Mahanuwara 20.11. 2019.

The Press release by the Speakers Office

1 Parliament to be dissolved on March 1, 2020, as required by the constitution, to make way for a parliamentary election in April

2 Members of Parliament voluntarily to give a 2/3 majority to dissolve the Parliament and hold a general election immediately

3 The Prime Minister to voluntarily resign and allow the new President to form an interim Government until the next General election is held in terms of the Constitutional provisions.

Of these three alternatives the last in my opinion is the best solution both for pragmatic and practical reasons.

Obviously in the first place neither Ranil nor his team including the UNP and SLMS or any other three wheeler Party in the UNF including the UNP Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has any legitimate right or moral right to decide as to when and how the Parliament should be dissolved under the present situation, as the whole set of these politicians has been decisively defeated and rejected by the people at the election just concluded.  It is true that the Constitution has stipulated the conditions on the dissolution of Parliament. But an illegitimately constituted Parliament which also has functioned illegitimately for the past four and half years and ruined the country, as it did, has no legal or moral right to decide on matters involving the sovereignty of the people. Therefore it is high time they understand at least now that the sovereignty lies with the people and it is inalienable and the Parliament is only one body out of the three, the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary together are empowered to exercise people’s Sovereignty.  The executive powers of the people including the Defense of Sri Lanka shall be exercised by the President of the Republic elected by the people by virtue of constitutional powers vested in him to exercise his powers to fulfill his duty by the people in order to protect their sovereignty. Now that the President was elected almost by 70 % of the people in the country and it is their wish and will that should prevail. Therefore the President has the legitimate power to decide as to what he should do next. Therefore obviously Ranil and his bunch of treacherous political rejects should immediately allow the President to form an interim Government of his own until the Parliament is dissolved (for the good of the people) on the 2^nd of March in terms of the Constitution.

This in my opinion would be the best solution as that exactly was the wish of the people’s mandate given to the President at this election and also the view of the right thinking people of this country.  Actually not only Ranil and his failed Cabinet, If they have an iota of shame and self-respect (which of cause they don’t have as we all know), as all of them have been rejected wholesale by the people in their seats and districts. But since there is a need for Parliament to function until let them wait as MPP until the Parliament dissolved in March for the following reasons.

1 For the people to see an immediate change and feel some relief and be happy over their decision  taken to elect Gotabhay Rajapaksa as their President without allowing them to wait for another six months counting their fingers in frustration and disgust.

11 To reduce the pressure on the Government coffers and the inconvenience to general public.

111 Even those MPP who have not completed 5 years to qualify for the pension will like it and they will support the new government

1V what is more is even Ranil also can continue till next elections at least as the Leader of the Opposition as it is his life ambition and birth right.

V It will motivate UNP MPP to support the new Government at least in their own interest of getting the personal benefits which are their only interests, under the guise of service to people.

In this backdrop all patriotic people must demand the illegitimate government of Ranil to resign immediately hand over the Government to Opposition to make democracy meaningful though it is unduly belated.

V1 Lastly they also can see their War Hero, their idol, Mahinda Rajapaksa back in his seat as their Prime Minister

Option 1.

The first option suggested by Ranil and Co.  has to be definitely ruled out as the whole country has rejected Ranil’s Government he should not be allowed to continue even for one day as Prime Minister playing his dirty tricks any more as he did in 2018 and also as he and his entire outfit also has been right royally rejected by the people.  And as it also goes against the will of the people since almost all his Ministers and MPP have lost their seats none of them has a legitimate right to remain in power any more. Even his MPP, almost all have demanded him to resign and allow Gotabhaya to form an interim government until election are held in April or early May hand over the government to the newly elected President respecting the people’s landslide verdict. Already about 12 of his Cabinet Ministers have resigned by this time. So what moral right has he got to stick on to the PM chair like leach? He should desist from any more dirty coups lest he is pulled out with his legs by the mobs. The UNP supporters might do it before any other as he has ruined the UNP without leaving any room to recover again. Does he think the colossal damage, destruction and betrayals he has done to this country and the Sinhala Nation is not yet enough? May be why he wants to stick on

Option 2

2 Members of Parliament voluntarily to give a 2/3 majority to dissolve the Parliament and hold a general election immediately

Perhaps seemingly the best, for the people to get a new Government elected. But again in view of the

1 Difficulties of finding the money again for another election immediately after having spent nearly 800 billion for a Presidential election and the inconvenience it will cause to the general public and the Public Servants  

11 the cumulative ill effects that it will have on the already ailing economy by dragging anarchy and political instability for another six months, this suggestion should also be rejected.