20A will make Parliament an ineffective institution: UNP

UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan  Wijewardene  addressing the press yesterday  

By Asiri Fernando

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday warned that if the proposed 20th Amendment is carried through, the Parliament would cease to be an effective institution, calling on the Government to put aside the pursuit of consolidating power and focus on the COVID-19 public health crisis. 

UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena speaking at a press conference yesterday stated that the proposed 20th Amendment is a threat to the country’s democracy.  He argued that the amendment was interdicted to help consolidate the position of the Rajapaksa family. 

Wijewardena questioned why the Government opted to proceed with the debate on the 20th Amendment while many parts of the country were slowly being locked down, in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.   

He charged that the Government was trying to whitewash the public by telling that the 20th Amendment would aid in developing the country. “After the 20th Amendment is adopted the Parliament would cease to be an effective institution as the parliamentarians had chosen to empower a dictator,” he charged. 

The former State Minister for Defence said that allowing dual citizens to enter the Parliament would pose a danger to the country’s national security, explaining that in the event a dual citizen is elected to Parliament the public would find their representative’s loyalty torn between their country of birth and their adopted country.

Wijewardena urged all Members of Parliament to give up their privileges and stand for democracy by not supporting the amendment. The UNP Deputy Leader accused the Government of conspiring with the Speaker of the House to ensure the passage of the 20th Amendment.