Sep 04, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena says that in accordance with the 19th amendment to the constitution, the next President will be powerless.
Addressing the SLFP Convention to mark the 68th anniversary of the Party yesterday he said that the Defence Ministry too will be with the Prime Minister.
“SLFP therefore, more than thinking of the next Presidential Election, should pay attention to the next Prime Minister,” Sirisena said.
“During my tenure, I was able to ensure maximum freedom and democracy in the country. Not a single civilian was targeted by the guns of state apparatus. I am proud to state that no media institute or a house was burnt down, no journalists were threatened.
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President Sirisena, however, explained the problems he had to face within the government.
“I fought within the government to prevent corruption, robberies, and malpractices and to safeguard the interests of the people.
Bank robbers and the corrupt should leave politics," he said.
"All the documents are ready for the extradition of Arjuna Mahendran. Documents are also ready to punish the leaders responsible for the bank scam.
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The President said it is unfortunate that the Provincial Councils have become ineffective.
“PM Wickremesinghe is the key respondent for preventing Provincial Council polls from being held,” he said and pointed out that the Prime Minister failed to present the Review Committee Report for reactivation of the PCS after the Bill was defeated in Parliament.
The President said that the government and opposition leaders hold discussions with the Northern leaders purely to get their votes.
“But nobody has a genuine plan. They are only thinking about the number of votes in the North of the country.
It’s a tragedy.”
SLFP Senior Vice President Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa, UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera and SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera also addressed the gathering.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former Prime Minister D M Jayaratne, Ministers, Parliamentarians, leaders of political parties, ambassadors and SLFP members and supporters were present on this occasion.