JR and MR beaten by 19A, Maithri the most powerful: Rajitha

Thursday, 30 April 2015 01:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratna - Pic by Lahiru Harshana

By Chamodi Gunawardana Cabinet spokesman and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said that former presidents J.R Jayewardene and Mahinda Rajapaksa were both defeated on Tuesday as a result of the 19th Amendment being enacted. Addressing a media briefing, Senaratne said that President Maithripala Sirisena fulfilled the promise he made to the public by trimming the executive powers of the President and by doing so had created a social revolution in the country. “President Sirisena is the most powerful personality our country came across after former Prime Minister S.W.R.D Bandaranaike. Some people said President Sirisena had no personality because of his slim figure. However, President Sirisena won the game and he proved that a person’s personality can only be judged by what is in his heart and mind and not through a moustache or person’s size or figure,” he said. He added that although certain Sri Lankan presidents who were in power before the current president made promises to abolish the executive presidency they did not succeed to execute what they promised. “Our people waited for almost 30 years to see this change but nothing happened. However, now Sri Lankans can feel and experience the differences between the present Government and the previous regimes,” Senaratne added. Speaking about the Government’s future plans, Senaratne stated that they had already prepared reforms for the new electoral system and were planning to get the 20th Amendment passed in Parliament as soon as possible.