Need for a new Constitution
24 April 2017Lanka Sama Samaja Party Leader Prof. Tissa Vitharana has emphasized the need of going for a new Constitution with the abolition of the Executive Presidency.
Being a reputed academic and always having sensible views acceptable to the right thinking citizens of the country, veteran Leftist politician Prof. Tissa Vitharana making a brief press comment despite being a member of the Joint Opposition (JO) has pointed out the necessity of bringing out a new Constitution with the abolition of the Executive Presidency.
The need of abolishing the Executive Presidency and the introduction of a new Constitution revamping a healthy Parliamentary system was felt long ago. The first Executive President J. R. Jayewardene's introductory comment of the Executive Presidency saying that he could do everything except to change a man into a woman and a woman into a man had highlighted the 'iron fist' nature of the Executive Presidency in the island and how far it has been executed from its inception ridiculing the refined Parliamentary system which had existed prior to 1978.
Prof. Tissa Vitharana as the Head of the All-Party Representatives Committee (APRC) in the previous regime had submitted the Committee's report after three years of extensive interactive sessions with various political parties in 2009.
The APRC report presented by Prof. Vitharana with several progressive suggestions was also considered as a basis for a new Constitution. However, the APRC report was also shelved without any positive outcome in the manner various reports of several other Commissions and Committees were shelved.
The LSSP Leader has mentioned that he would meet President Maithripala Sirisena and emphasize the necessity of abolition of the Executive Presidency, introducing a new electoral system and devolution of power.
Despite being a member of the JO, Prof. Vitharana has expressed his views in a sensible manner in contrast to the Joint Opposition rejecting the new Constitution.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party in the National Unity Government is of the view that reforms could be brought to the existing Constitution instead of bringing a new Constitution.
However, the United National Party, Tamil National Alliance and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress are for a new Constitution and they believe that through the new Constitution a stable solution could be reached for the ethnic question in the country.
In the past three decades when the civil strife was there, there were several new developments occurring in the political scene with the emergence of new political parties. Changes also occurred in the electoral system with the Provincial Council system coming into existence in the country.
So, with the new developments in the political scene in the island, bringing out a progressive and a constructive new Constitution is inevitable.
As the country's sovereignty and integrity were threatened to a great extent in the past, the present National Unity Government which is formed with the alliance of two major political parties with their past experience and with the lessons learnt during the turbulent periods should now get into action with their new-found unity to bring out a new Constitution.
As the Chairman of the APRC a few years ago, Prof. Tissa Vitharana was in a better position to read the pulse of various political forces and their expectations.
Unlike in the past the sovereignty of the island also faces challenges in various forms from external political elements.
Despite bringing an end to terrorism which had led to a three decades of war with untold misery, peace and reconciliation, is yet to be stabilized for the prosperous future of the country.
Therefore, as it has been emphasized by the LSSP think tank Prof. Tissa Vitharana, abolition of the Executive Presidency with a new Constitution could only ensure the stability of the country with peace and prosperity in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment