GOVT. RESOLUTION TO URGE PREZ TO CONVENE CABINET MEETINGS

PRESIDENT NOT CONVENING CABINET MEETINGS; GOVT. NOT WILLING TO SCRAP PSC PM MAY BE EMPOWERED TO CONVENE CABINET MEETINGS

The Executive and the Legislature are heading towards another conflict with the government reportedly planning to adopt a parliamentary resolution calling for President Maithripala Sirisena to convene Cabinet meetings.

The President warned last Friday that he would not convene the weekly Cabinet meeting as a mark of protest over the government’s refusal to accede to his request to scrap the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) which is probing the bomb attacks on April 21.

He faulted the PSC last Friday for summing intelligence officers to testify before it in the wake of revelations made by IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando. Their revelations implicated the President in the dereliction of duty by failing to take preemptive action based on the intelligence alerts made available.

However, despite the President’s request, the ruling United National Party (UNP) has decided to proceed with the PSC sittings.

The President was equally adamant and had not convened the Cabinet meeting yesterday while the Daily Mirror learns that the government is planning to pass a resolution in the House urging the President to convene Cabibet meetings. The government hoping to do so on the constitutional basis that the President is responsible to Parliament.

In the event the President disregards the resolution if adopted, the government is considering whether to empower the Prime Minister to do so.