Responsibilities on constitutional positions of unitary status, Buddhism will be upheld: President

President Maithripala Sirisena has emphasised that the responsibilities vested in the Government, according to the Constitution regarding the unitary status of the country and the place given to Buddhism should never be abandoned under any circumstances. 

He made these observations at the ceremony to present the scroll to the newly elected Chief Sanganayaka of the Eastern Province and Thamankaduwa, Egodapattu, Venerable Makuruppe Pannasekara Nayaka Thero at the Mahaweli Shalika Hall Dehiattakandiya, on Monday.

The President further said that even a draft of the new Constitution is not yet ready and, if the draft Constitution has to be prepared, it will be presented to the Parliament and to the country, and after considering all the suggestions and criticisms and with relevant amendments, that draft will be prepared, the President added. 

The President emphasised that any changes will not be made to the clauses of the Constitution regarding the unitary status of the country in the Constitution as well as to the provisions regarding Buddhism in the 1972 Constitution. 

President Sirisena further said that the expectation of the people regarding the new Constitution is to see that their request to change the existing electoral system and to introduce Proportional Representation System and said that in the process of building national reconciliation, and devolving power, a scientific political mechanism, which would, under any circumstance not divide the country or change the unitary system should be evolved. 

The Anunayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, Ven. Anamaduwe Sri Dhammadassi thero presented the scroll to the newly elected Chief Sanganayaka and the President presented the Vijinipatha (the traditional fan) to the new Sanganayaka Thero.  

The Maha Sangha including Secretary General of Asgiriya Chapter Venerable Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Mahiyangana temple, Urulawatte Dhammarakkitha Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya, Ven. Dr. Godagama Sri Mangala Thera, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Daya Gamage, Deputy Minister Anoma Gamage, North Central Province Chief Minister Peshala Jayaratne, Chief Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanayake, Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Nazeer Ahmed and many others participated on this occasion. 

Later, the President opened the Mahaweli Hela Bojun Hala at Dehiattakandiya.

The President also opened the new Zonal Education Office, Dimbulagala and the ICT Education Centre. 

After unveiling the new Zonal Education Office the President symbolically handed over the official identity cards to the teachers marking the event to present the official identity cards to the teachers in the North Central Province. 

Addressing the gathering, the President said that the resources needed for the education sector, were not given in any era, like this period.  

The President said that although some are talking about a major development, if there are no desks and chairs in schools and if there is no drinking water for the children, question arises if the major development we are talking about is impractical. The present Government’s development policy is to remove the basic inadequacies of the country before taking up massive development projects.

The President vested the newly built Technology Laboratory at the Medagama Secondary School with the students.  President Sirisena after opening the newly built technology laboratory made an inspection tour of it and promised to construct a new building comprising of eight classrooms for the school.

The President also presented many creations of the school children and appreciated Dhanushka Abangala, a Grade 13 student of the school for his innovation of a hand tractor. 

The staff of the school, including the Principal R.M. Shantha and parents participated in this event.