The Catalonia effect on Sri Lanka
The situation in Spain vis-a-vis the breakaway bid by the province of Catalonia and the subsequent crackdown by the central Government in Madrid was not the ideal backdrop for the proponents of a new Constitution for Sri Lanka. On the eve of a Constitutional Assembly debate – a dry run as it were, the influential Buddhist clergy had already shot it down as being “unnecessary”.
The proposed new Constitution appears to mainly focus on four issues; 1) Nature of the State, 2) Status of Buddhism, 3) Devolution, and 4) Executive Presidency. The happenings in Catalonia had a direct bearing to the first three, and the JHU would say the fourth too. Catalonia has long demanded secession from Spain and it drew parallels to a time when a Chief Minister of the North and East provinces here in Sri Lanka also made a UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence).
While confusion reigns supreme over recasting of the words on a Unitary State and a ‘State religion’, the provisions on the Executive Presidency and Devolution ex-facie, are interlinked to political intricacies.
One of the problems of the current Constitution-making process seems to be that it is transitional by nature at least in parts; meant to serve the present-day political needs. The 19th Amendment that limits the size of the Cabinet only after the next election is a classic example.
There’s an argument trotted out that the Executive Presidency cannot be abolished without a new Constitution. This is bunkum. That was the same argument put forward in 2000 when the then Government introduced the ‘package’, resulting in the baby and the bathwater being thrown out.
The Executive Presidency was introduced through the 2nd Amendment to the 1972 Constitution on September 21, 1977. A new Constitution came only in 1978. So too can it be removed by a normal amendment – nowadays, however, with the will of the people at a Referendum. It really is, much ado about nothing, if there is a political will those who promised to abolish the Executive Presidency to keep to their promise. No. 08, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 02. P.O. Box 1136, Colombo editor@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2331276 news@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2479332, 2328889, 2331276 features@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2479312, 2328889,2331276 pictures@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2479323, 2479315 sports@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2479311 bt@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2479319 funtimes@sundaytimes.wnl.lk - 2479337, 2331276 2479540, 2479579, 2479725 2479629, 2477628, 2459725