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Cabinet powers to chairpersons?

21 Aug 2022

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is exploring the possibility of vesting Cabinet powers with the chairpersons of the newly-proposed parliamentary sectoral oversight committees, it is learnt. The President, it is also learnt, believes that the heads of the proposed sectoral oversight committees can participate in governance activities if they are vested with the powers of a cabinet minister. A highly-placed Government source told The Sunday Morning that the President’s decision to provide Cabinet powers to the heads of the sectoral oversight committees was made in order to enable senior members of the Opposition, especially members of the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), to play a role in the Government while remaining in the Opposition and not accepting portfolios. While there were 17 sectoral oversight committees earlier, the President’s new proposal will see the number of committees being increased to 19. Each new sectoral oversight committee is to also have an advisory committee, each consisting of a minimum of five members from the public. “This will enable the youth and the public, especially members of the Aragalaya, to also be part of the governance process,” the source added. It is further learnt that the President is also facing issues in accommodating requests for a large number of ministerial portfolios for its members by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). The SJB and several other Opposition parties have already stated that they will support the Government, but will not join it and accept portfolios. While there have been several rounds of discussions between members of the Government and several senior members of the SJB about Opposition MPs joining the Government individually without their parties, no final decisions have been reached on the matter. During a recent discussion between President Wickremesinghe and a delegation of the SJB led by its Leader, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, the President pointed out that in the early 1940s, the Opposition in the British Parliament had accepted portfolios while remaining in the Opposition in order to resolve the crisis faced by the country at the time. Wickremesinghe noted that a similar formula could be adopted in Sri Lanka. Premadasa has also maintained that the SJB will not join the Government but will extend its support and help in the economic recovery programme through its participation in the parliamentary committee process. The announcement on the setting up of the sectoral oversight committees is expected to be made in the House during the next parliamentary sessions.  – By Our Political Editor


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