Former Speaker and Chairman of the National Movement for a Just Society (NMJS) Karu Jayasuriya said in Colombo that the present government had committed suicide by passing the 20th Amendment based on greed for power.
Mr. Jayasuriya said the government’s focus on the 20th Amendment had made the country more vulnerable to the spread of the corona epidemic.
Addressing a media briefing held at the Janaki Hotel in Colombo yesterday (13) Jayasuriya said that the government which had secured its power by passing the 20th amendment had not even been able to provide food items at controlled prices.
Speaking further Mr. Karu Jayasuriya said,
“The people of this country have given a clear mandate to the President and the current government for a specific period of time. We trust that the present government, including the President and the Prime Minister, will act on that mandate based on the aspirations of the people.
It is also evident that the President and the Prime Minister are making some efforts to control the COVID epidemic which is a serious disaster today. We fully bless it.
We also pay tribute to all the members of the health staff in this country, including the doctors, and to the unwavering commitment of all members of the public service, including the Armed Forces and the Police.
Some talked for a long time about a mandate of 69 lakhs. They then talked about the need for a 2/3 mandate and then introduced the 20th Amendment to our Constitution and passed it.
As words, it is clear that those were all empty words today. Because if those words had been given a real meaning, this country would have been better off today.
From the moment the 20th Amendment was introduced there was a great deal of debate in this country. It was not approved by the intelligentsia of various religions, including the Maha Sangha, Catholic, Christian clergy. Also, many opinion polls conducted in this country show that even today the people of this country do not respect the 20th Amendment. It seems that the people are clearly rejecting it.
As a group that follows the “just society philosophy” of Ven. Sobitha Thera, we hope to express our views directly.
After the last election, we continued to appeal to the authorities to bring in a new constitution that would unite the country instead of bringing in the 20th Amendment. The government did not listen to that voice. Improperly obtained 2/3 power.
Although the policies pursued for that are not just, fair and clean, we acknowledge that the government has 2/3 power today.
We have a question to ask the intellectuals who raised their voices about the 20th Amendment. Can the government, which has gained unlimited powers not seen anywhere else in the world, give rice at a controlled price today? Can they give a coconut, sugar, salmon, B Onions, salt, lentils??
We pointed out at that time that the government would take the first steps towards suicide by bringing in the 20th amendment. As the National Movement for a Just Society, we said that not in the hope it would be so. Because we understand very well that this is not the aspiration of the people of this country.
In fact, the 20th Amendment caused serious damage to the reputation that the President earned during the election period. Even at this moment we point it out not in the negative. With the utmost sincerity.
What is the current situation facing the country? This can be understood by looking at a number of gazette notifications in force today.
According to the gazette notification dated 17th March 2167/9 dhal should be Rs.65. But how much is it today? Dhal in the market today is over Rs. 156. According to the gazette notification salmon is Rs. 100. Current price Rs. 340. The current price of a kilo of B onion is Rs. 150. The current price is much higher and it is increasing day by day.
According to the gazette notification dated 21st April 2172/05 the price of a kilo of turmeric is Rs.750. The current price is Rs. 15,000. According to the gazette notification dated 25th September 2194/73 the maximum price of coconut is 70. Today you can’t find any coconut for even 100 rupees.
According to the gazette notification dated November 04 22000/3, a kilo of Samba is 94. The current price is 118. Nadu kilo is 92. The current price is 100. According to the gazette notification dated November 10, 2201/8, the price of a packet of sugar is 90 rupees. You can’t buy sugar in the market at that price.
It is clear that the people will not be treated fairly by the relentless imposition of laws intoxicated with power.
Creating a dictatorial constitution that turns justice upside down did no good to the people. In fact, all of that has messed up the whole country.
We need to find solutions to this problem not only by looking at the present but also by thinking about the unborn future generations as to whether the country can be saved from this catastrophe.
Now as a country, we got ourselves wounded. We must decide whether we will continue to perish or whether the government will draft a new constitution as promised and implement it with good conscience to create a prosperous country.
That decision is in the hands of the government authorities.
If you look at a newspaper today and listen to the media announcements, what we hear is the attempt to hunt down political opponents of the government.
We have seen similar situations in the past. We do not approve of it at all.
This vicious political culture must be eradicated from this country. In addition to politicians, various public servants have been subjected to political retaliation. It includes talented and honest secretaries and senior officials.
Many respected religious leaders have drawn our attention to the misconduct committed on police officers, especially senior police officers like SSP Shani Abeysekara.
His wife has appealed to the President to protect her husband’s life. The emergence of such views in society damages the reputation of the government. Shani Abeysekara has been recognized by many as a talented officer.
When you look at some of the recent newspaper reports, different types of new headlines are added many years later.
These present problems to intelligent people. It is also being revealed that there is a powerful group demanding his blood.
We mention these facts to request the government not to allow incidents that could tarnish the country’s reputation and the reputation of the police. Do not misunderstand our ideas.
Also, there are reports of irregularities in state tenders these days.
Whatever the truth or falsity of these, the abolition of the Procurement Commission has created opportunities in the country to embezzle billions of trillions.
The Minister of Justice stated in Parliament recently that the Procurement Committee had done nothing in the last four and half years.
That is a complete lie, it must be said even though it’s sad to say. Even when Parliament was finally dissolved it had not been presented to Parliament for approval.
Although the Procurement Commission had received the consent of the Attorney General after being stuck in various departments, it did not submit to Parliament for approval.
Therefore, the destruction of an institution that can be used for the welfare of the people and the benefit of the country by making hateful statements can never be forgiven.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister is well aware of the efforts we have made in this regard in the Legislative Council. We have explained to him its value.
If this institution had functioned properly, there would have been no tender scams these days.
We stand on behalf of the Procurement Committees.
I intend to clarify an important point before concluding the discussion. Today we speak as a responsible organization of patriotic citizens who stand for social justice.
We have no political objectives. Therefore, do not consider us as enemies,” he said.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
