Concentration of power in Executive led to abuse: Ranawaka
Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday said the government had put an end to the system followed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime to obtain court orders via telephone calls.
Minister Ranawaka, who is contesting the general election from the Colombo District under the elephant symbol of the UNFGG, was addressing an election propaganda rally at Bandaranayakapura. He said the root cause of the abuse of power by former president Rajapaksa, was the excessive concentration of power in the Executive.
‘That is why we introduced the19th Amendment to the Constitution that pruned much of the power of the Executive President. Today, the President cannot appoint more than 30 ministers to the cabinet and directly nominate judges to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. This election will go down in history as the most peaceful and incident free Parliamentary Election after the independence because we have given more power to the Elections Commissioner,” he said.
Commenting on the colossal losses incurred by the CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation) under the Rajapaksa regime, Minister Ranawaka said the Rajapaksas had utilised an entire fleet of 7,000 vehicles of the CPC for election work while a large number of politicians and Rajapaksa associates were given fuel free of charge.
Minister Ranawaka said no country could go forward today without creating a knowledge based society and therefore, one of the priorities of the new UNFGG government to be formed after August 17
‘That is why we introduced the19th Amendment to the Constitution that pruned much of the power of the Executive President.
would be to promote the concept of a knowledge based society. “Companies will not be able to sell what they want or the goods that bring them the biggest profits to consumers in a knowledge based society. For instance a food product must be extremely healthy, low cost and must not compromise health guidelines and regulations. It has to be produced in an environment friendly atmosphere. I had a major fight on my hands when I exposed the contamination of imported milk powder with DCD (Dicyandiamide). I did it to protect our children and our relentless effort against the importation of DCD contaminated milk powder finally paid dividends after which the government started to subject all imported infant milk powder for laboratory tests before they were released to the market,” Minister Ranawaka added.
In a knowledge based society, a government cannot implement policies, laws or development schemes in a haphazard manner. Each and every government project must first come up for public debate and analysis after which they could be put into action. This system will minimize waste, corruption and mismanagement in the public sector, Minister Ranawaka stressed.
Meanwhile, in a separate campaign meeting held at Battaramulla yesterday, UPFA
In a knowledge based society, a government cannot implement policies, laws or development schemes in a haphazard manner. Each and every government project must first come up for public debate and analysis
member of the Sri Jayawardenepura – Kotte Municipal Council, Ranjan Ponnamperuma, resigned from his post and pledged his support to Minister Ranawaka. Mr. Ponnamperuma said the main reason for him to take the decision to support Minister Ranawaka was his straightforwardness, clean politics and patriotism and added Minister Ranawaka represents a honest and dignified political culture that intellectuals and the young generation of the country could look up to.