Rohana Hettiarachchi, executive director of Pafferal, says that the people’s representatives who are appointed by the people to the parliament are misusing the parliament to maintain their political power against the public opinion. Sri Lanka Latest News
He said that it seems that the executive is manipulating the parliament as needed and as the executive has got the power to dissolve the parliament, the president is manipulating the parliament as he wants through that power.
The executive director stated this yesterday (05) while addressing the Kandy district conference of the March 12 movement. Addressing the conference held at Sarvodaya Hall, Kandy, he further said:
“Legislation against public opinion is taking place in Parliament. The President, who acknowledges that the power of this country lies with the Parliament and the financial power lies with the Constitution, did not give the opportunity as the Finance Minister to spend the money even though he had allocated money for the local government elections in the last budget. He talks about the supremacy of the parliament and financial power whenever he wants, but in practice, he is handling the legislature in a way that is necessary for his political power structure. The citizens of this country should go to a place where they are questioned about these. “
“Our aim is to create a citizen who goes beyond the role of voting as a voter and stands up for his rights by questioning the politician and the government machinery. The President announced two days ago that people’s power is the main thing. He also said that the legislature of this country is the most important. It is the citizen of this country who gives power to this leading legislature. Therefore, it is our responsibility to strengthen the citizen. On the one hand, the president is giving the powerful saw to the parliament, which exercises the rights of the citizen, and on the other hand, he is taking away the vote that gives them that power from the citizen. Not only the provincial council and local government elections, but even the presidential and parliamentary elections have become uncertain today. “
“Even though the country has fallen into such an economic abyss due to bribery, corruption and waste, bribery, corruption and waste are still rampant at this moment. The media had reported recently that Kandy National Hospital bought the pill which was supposed to cost five hundred rupees for 5000 rupees. It is a serious situation if the politicians and officials of this country are still taking bribes and commissions from the foreign loan assistance we receive. They have been able to do these things because the public does not question them. “
“A country’s elections should not be held at the time the ruler wants, but according to the electoral map. That is the situation seen in the developed countries of the world. Unfortunately in our country elections are held whenever the ruler wants. The Election Commission has no independent power to conduct elections. Currently, only three members have been appointed to the Election Commission. The administrators have not yet acted to appoint the remaining members. This commission has not been given the financial independence it needs to conduct elections. “
“It is not democracy to hold elections whenever the ruler in power wants. Right now we can see that the election calendar of this country is being manipulated by a single person rather than the party in power. Like the local government election, the provincial council election is canceled and final. We do not believe that the parliamentary election or the presidential election will be held on time. If the citizens of this country rally, the rulers cannot change the electoral map as they want. The fact that the ruler does not hold an election until an election in his favor is a great threat to democracy. “
“The government, which has no money for the election, is spending about 300 crore rupees on the census. What they want is to keep the people of this country from voting until the election. The vast majority of MPs currently representing the Parliament should be responsible for the situation the country is in today. “
More than 50% of people in this parliament are those who have represented the parliament for more than 15 years. 40 years to the parliamentary career of the current President. The Leader of the Opposition has also been representing Parliament for several decades. These people should be held accountable for the country’s economic collapse.”
