PRESIDENT INFORMS WIJEYADASA OF DECISION TO REMOVE HIM
He violated the Cabinet’s collective responsibility He assured the UNP he would clarify his position on Monday but did not do so
President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday informed Justice and Budhasasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe about the UNP’S decision to remove him from his Cabinet portfolio, Cabinet spokesman and Minister, Gayantha Karunatilaka said.
He said Minister Rajakapakshe had assured the UNP working committee that he would make a statement on Monday clarifying his position but had not done so and this had resulted in the President informing him of the UNP request to remove the minister from his portfolios.
The spokesman said Minister Rajapakshe had publicly criticized government policy violating the party’s constitution and the collective responsibility of Cabinet and that was why party leader, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was compelled to take action against the minister on the request of the UNP parliamentary group and conveyed the decision to the President.
The UNP gave Minister Rajapakshe several opportunities to mend his ways and stop violating the party constitution and collective Cabinet responsibility and refrain from criticizing government policy. But he continued with his obstructionist and hostile behaviour has left us with no other option but to remove him from the Cabinet
“The UNP gave Minister Rajapakshe several opportunities to mend his ways and stop violating the party constitution and collective Cabinet responsibility and refrain from criticizing government policy. But he continued with his obstructionist and hostile behaviour has left us with no other option but to remove him from the Cabinet,” the spokesman said and added that he had failed to submit his resignation as urged by the party leadership and the parliamentary group.
Co-cabinet spokesman and Minister, Rajitha Senaratne responding to a journalist said the government will have to revisit the Avant-garde case to determine why its Chairman has been charged under the illegal weapons ordinance despite the fact that there was enough evidence to charge him under the more serious Money Laundering Act. “We must go to the bottom of this case to see who was behind efforts to mitigate the charges,” he said.
The President is expected to fill the vacancy by naming one of the UNP MPS by Friday on the advice of the Prime Minister.
There was speculation that Foreign Employment Minister Talatha Atukorale will be appointed as the Minister of Justice.
Joint Cabinet spokesman and Minister, Dayasiri Jayasekara said though the SLFP considered the Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe episode as a matter for the UNP, collective Cabinet responsibility is a vital aspect in a parliamentary democracy.
He said therefore, if a Cabinet Minister could not agree with a Cabinet decision, he must leave the Cabinet without criticising Cabinet decisions publicly.