PM proposes appointing a National Council

• Published date: 29 May 2022
• Publication title: Colombo Gazette

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed appointing a National Council consisting of the Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and leaders of the major political parties.The National Council will talk about the policies of the country, about the decisions taken by the Cabinet and about the reorganization of the Parliament of this country.

The National Council will also gave the right to summon the Cabinet of Ministers and the Chairmen of Committees.According to the new system we have proposed, the President will be held accountable to the Parliament.

The Cabinet of Ministers is also accountable to Parliament. The National Council is also accountable to Parliament.

Fifteen Committees and Oversight Committees are accountable to Parliament," the Prime Minister said in a special statement today.He said the main issues in the country are not limited to the economic sphere.

The Prime Minister said that there are two major issues in the political sphere. The re-introduction of the 19th Amendment is one of these issues.

We, as party leaders, are now preparing the 21st Amendment in this regard," he said.The second issue is to work towards the abolition of the Executive Presidency.

The Prime Minister said that the timing and methodology must be decided by the Party Leaders.The functioning of the Parliament has been paralyzed due to the weakening of the Parliamentary powers by the 20th Amendment.

The Executive has been given more powers. The main allegation today is that the Parliament has not acted to prevent the economic crisis.

There is an allegation that even though the ruling party had a majority in Parliament they neglected the work of the Parliament. Everything was systematically controlled by the Cabinet Ministers," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that they are working to establish two new Committees on Monetary Affairs. He said they will appoint a Legal and Methodological Committee to look into the matter.

(Colombo Gazette)Full statement:Today, the main issues in our country are not limited to the economic sphere. There are also two major issues in the political sphere.

The re-introduction of the 19th Amendment is one of these issues. We, as party leaders, are now preparing the 21st Amendment in this regard.

The second issue is to work towards the abolition of the Executive Presidency. The timing and methodology must be decided by the Party Leaders.

The functioning of the Parliament has been paralyzed due to the weakening of the...