brand logo

Wijeyadasa urges MPs to pass 22A  

21 Oct 2022

By Safrah Fazal While seeking the support of all MPs to pass the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill, Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms President’s Counsel (PC) Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe reflected on the majority support that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution garnered despite heavy criticism against it. Dr. Rajapakshe made these remarks during his opening speech at the second reading of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill in Parliament yesterday (20). “We need the support of everyone in Parliament to use lessons from our past as a roadmap and to appropriately prepare the fundamental law of the country. There are those with varying views, which can occur within a democracy, and which we don’t perceive as a negative factor. You have the right to have opposing views.  “However, in the end, when we have to arrive at a decision, we have to consider this: Do the people of the country agree to these amendments? Will these amendments benefit the people? Is the public requesting these amendments? There is no doubt that the vast majority of the people have been asking for this. We can stay divided as parties in Parliament and we can have and voice opposing views and opinions, but when a decision is being made, the public will be vigilant about who honours the public opinion and who disregards it.” Speaking further, Dr. Rajapakshe reminded the House of the Parliament debate held in April 2015, regarding the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, where the majority of those who initially opposed it chose to vote in favour.  “MPs Lakshman Kiriella, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, and former President Maithripala Sirisena will remember that even at 5 p.m. on the second day of the reading of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution Bill, there were only 47 votes in favour. We were very flexible, honest, and spoke openly. Finally, when we proceeded to the vote, with the exception of one MP, all those who spoke against the amendment voted in favour. There were 215 votes in favour, and that’s how we passed it. MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara is one person who actively opposed it, but in the end, he said that he would vote in favour.” Dr. Rajapakshe added that despite heavy opposition from himself and other MPs, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was put forward, resulting in a “state of anarchy”.  “With the new Government that came to power in 2019, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in October 2020. As MPs, we informed our party leaders to not go ahead with this. We said that we would not be able to govern this country for more than two years and that we would not remain in power and that if we do this, the country will result in chaos. We are now required to make the law again because they didn’t heed our advice.  “By May of this year, the country was in a state of chaos. As a result, a new Government had to be formed, and then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa invited me to correct the wrongs made by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe became the Prime Minister. For weeks, the duo invited me to join the Government and make the necessary amendments to the Constitution.  “Accordingly, we drafted the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill and Rajapaksa approved it. There were some shortcomings which we looked into. Another former President and incumbent MP Mahinda Rajapaksa also made a statement in Parliament in April and said that we needed to go back to a Constitutional Amendment similar to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. As a result, with their blessings, we invited all party leaders representing Parliament to draft it.  “So I believe that we will be able to form a new culture through this amendment. We accept your right to oppose it. We will not limit your rights. We must respect democracy. We must protect our Constitution by all means. Everyone, from the Speaker of the Parliament to the President and State officials, has taken an oath to protect the Constitution of the country. Only by protecting this Constitution can we safeguard the rights of the people. Media freedom is protected when we protect the Constitution of this country. Therefore, for the country’s democracy and the welfare of the people, I respectfully invite you to support this for the progress of Parliamentary democracy.”  


More News..