Executive Presidency: How long can we continue with this system?
It is high time we, the people, began a dialogue on the “Executive Presidency” (EP). J.R. Jayewardene, the first President and the then “kingpin” of Sri Lanka politics brewed a persuasive ferment called the “Executive Presidency”. He had drawn from the USA, France, some even from Hitler, Stalin and Hirohito, Napoleon, also a minute bit from Idi Amin models; merged them together and created an inimitable brand of Executive Presidency muscle. He boasted that his presidential supremacy could do anything with impunity, except to change one’s sex.
He made all those in the Cabinet sign undated resignation letters. All barring Gamini Jayasuriya who left the government gave in. JR made historical mistakes like allowing the 1983 communal riots to get out of hand; signing the Peace-Accord with Rajiv Gandhi and imposing the irrelevant ‘white elephants’ of Provincial Councils on the country, the reckless preferential voting system, creating the frog-jumping, side-changing MPs etc. We as a consequence are still reaping the sour yields.
How long can we stomach this Constitution that is corroding and obliterating our country from within? As a result of the Executive Presidency the country is infested with the bug of nepotism which is at the highest ebb. All politicians are ladling out goodies and jobs to their own. Most politicians are fully committed to establishing their dynasties, even members at Pradeshiya Sabha level.
Who could be trusted with the EP? Everybody wants it to be abolished. But whom can we rely on to do it? We, the people, must make up our minds soon about who is reliable, who is honest and who will be able to resist the temptation to grasp and keep the EP for one’s own benefit. On the one hand the EP must be abolished; all agree and nobody will hesitate to agree to it. On the other hand will we need the powers of the EP to curb the underworld? Could a parliament of gentlemen put the underworld where it belongs to given that all the armed forces, the police, the judiciary and the administration are so weakened? Do we need the EP for a short while to clean up the legislative and administrative sectors of the country?
I am of the opinion, that a truly upright person must be chosen who has an authoritarian and sturdy individuality with the familiarity of getting almost unfeasible things done in very difficult circumstances. While the Constitutional Council is at work drawing up a draft of a new Constitution for the country that will abolish the EP and bring back the independent commissions, he must clean up the country. All stolen wealth of the country must be recovered from all over the world. After getting expert advice he must call a cessation on the grand scale infrastructure development like roads, harbours, airports etc. and save the country from drought by undertaking the massive national programme of repairing, rehabilitating and desilting of all the big and small tanks in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Retain all the water from rain to flow down to the dry zone. Making the country self sufficient in rice must be one of his priorities. The staples, rice, fish, milk and vegetables must be available to all even the poorest person in the country.
The rest like the national education policies that will safeguard and enhance free education, a tamper proof and unadulterated national policy on medical drugs that will protect the free health system in the country and cleaning up the Treasury can be brought about after the abolishing of the EP. Of course, the parliamentary elections need to be held like in the good old days with the winner being the first past the post, with MPs who are responsible to the people who voted for them.
There are two things he cannot afford to forget or neglect when handing over his nomination papers, a public declaration of his assets and a solemn oath to abolish the Executive Presidency in one year.