SPEAKER’S REASON BEHAVIOUR FOR DISSOLUTION OF P’MENT
FOR DISSOLUTION OF P’MENT
MPS were attached with price tags of Rs.100-150 million Warns former ministers against the abuse of State resources Dissolution was done to avert country going into crisis Seeking people’s mandate is the highest form of democracy
President Maithripala Sirisena, in a special statement to the nation, said yesterday that the behaviour of former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, was among the reasons that propelled him to dissolve Parliament and declare a snap general election.
The President said he regretted the conduct of Mr. Jayasuriya.“he is a close friend of mine.according to parliamentary tradition starting from 1947, the successive Speakers maintained their balanced approach and impartiality. It is the conduct of the former Speaker, acting regardless of parliamentary traditions and Standing Orders, and making statements with regard to the appointment of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister, that compelled me to dissolve Parliament,” the President said.
The President said Parliament, which is supposed to uphold the people’s sovereignty, became a place where MPS were attached with a price tag of Rs.100-150 million each with some even being offered Rs. 500 million to cross over.“we have experienced a political crisis in Parliament before. I can recall the crisis triggered by the Act to take over Lake House by the government in 1964. However, I have never seen a Parliament which is so corrupt even after dissolution,” he said.
The President said the cash inducements amounting to millions of rupees as mentioned above were offered to tide over issues on occasions such as the Central Bank frauds and the appointment of Mr. Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister. He said it was behaviour unbecoming of an MP to be auctioned for money like that and on the contrary their role should be to serve the people better.
Referring to the appointment of Mr. Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister in 2015 immediately after the presidential elections, he said he removed then Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne from office despite him commanding the support of 162 MPS. Instead, he appointed Mr. Wickremesinghe commanding the support of only 42 MPS as the Prime Minister. He said those who crow over the parliamentary majority now did not utter a word then.
He said he had now formed a caretaker government in the run up to the elections, and warned former members of the Cabinet against abusing State resources.