Adding to the squabbles last Thursday were reported remarks by Mangala Samaraweera at a news conference that the abolition of the executive presidency after Sirisena’s victory would not see Ranil Wickremesinghe as an “executive Prime Minister.” The remarks were to cause concern at the highest levels of the UNP leadership.

Raising issue with Samaraweera was Wickremesinghe confidant Malik Samarawickrema who is calling the shots on behalf of the UNP. He was to note that the UNP leader was not happy with the way the remarks had been reported. Samaraweera was later compelled to clarify his remarks.

This is what he said: “In a Parliamentary democracy executive powers are vested in Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers. The Prime Minister is, as the term implies the ‘first among equals’.

“In the proposed constitutional reforms of the joint opposition, supremacy of Parliament will be restored and an all-party cabinet led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramesinghe will deal with the day to day affairs of government and the PM would be head of government like in all Parliamentary democracies.
Although the executive powers of the President will be abolished within 100 days, certain duties and functions will be allocated to the President.

“It is also the view of the leaders of the joint Opposition, that it would be beneficial to the country if a government of National Unity could be formed even after the General Elections for a minimum of two years bringing to an end the era of confrontational politics which has plagued our political culture since independence.”

The UNP national leader is under pressure from different quarters who are vying for positions under the proposed new grouping. He has ruled that UNPers, who are members of the Working Committee, cannot serve in another party. The move has effectively stymied efforts by UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake to become the General Secretary of the same outfit too. Attanayake has complained to confidants of his displeasure over what he perceives as his powers being passed on to his deputy, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the Deputy General Secretary. Attanayake did not hide his feelings when he delivered the welcome speech to Sirisena on his first visit to Siri Kotha on Wednesday.

Tears poured from his eyes as he complained that different ‘websites and nasty media’ have turned against him. Complaining that they were attacking him (some of the sites alleged he was crossing over to the Government for a tidy sum of money), he pledged that he would not leave the UNP ‘under any circumstances.’ It was Attanayake who declared at a UNP Working Committee meeting that he had ‘ushered unity’ in the party and declared that some ‘electronic and print media’ critical of the UNP leadership would no longer attack them. The remarks came after Sajith Premadasa was elected Deputy Leader. It was Attanayake and Tiran Alles, a Democratic Party MP, who had jointly pushed the move.

Courtesy: Sunday Times