Karu says presenting coalition agreement to P’ment unnecessary

Friday, 23 February 2018 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

JO demands to see UNP-SLFP agreement but will not demand to have it terminated
Karu insists no legal requirement to present document to House

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

– Our Lobby Correspondent

Presenting the agreement signed between the United National Party (UNP) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) was not mandatory for the establishing a national government, said Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday after he had obtained a legal opinion on 21 February.

“Both the UNP and the UPFA openly expressed their willingness to continue the agreement, which was identified by the House as a marriage. So there is no requirement for revisiting this issue,” he said.

Despite the fact that both the UPFA and the UNP informed Parliament on Wednesday (21) of their willingness to execute the agreement entered for the formation of a national government in September 2015, Joint Opposition parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardena tried revisiting the issue yesterday, demanding to see a copy of the agreement signed by the two political parties.

Explaining the intention of using the provisions of the Right to Information Act, MP Gunawardena said: “It is true that a resolution was moved in the Parliament stating that the parties have entered into an agreement to establish a national government. We are yet to see such a document in Parliament and the resolution is invalid in the absence of such an agreement. The resolution increasing the number of ministerial portfolios has deprived the other lawmakers of their rights. In case this agreement is confidential, the Speaker could show it to a select few MPs from each political party.”

Supporting the Joint Opposition’s demands, MP Dullas Alahapperuma, who was on his feet, stressed that his party would not request to terminate the agreement between the UNP and the UPFA on the national government but to revisit the constitutional aspect of the matter.

“Dinesh Gunawardena, who represents the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, is also a Vice President of the UPFA. It is clear there is an issue. It was Karu Jayasuriya who worked hard to bring the Right to Information Act. So now you are defending the agreement as the Speaker. Please table this agreement,” he said. UNP backbencher MP Nalin Badara Jayamaha said the Joint Opposition was now shedding crocodile tears since it had failed with its the coup to establish a new government.

“You have failed with your coup against the National Government and are now trying to justify your actions by bringing this national government issue in Parliament on a daily basis. Don’t worry, the National Government will continue for another two years,” said MP Jayamaha.