UNP highlights quality over quantity in legislative agendas of Presidents Sirisena and Dissanayake

The United National Party (UNP) has questioned the accuracy of a recent report produced by a local think tank comparing the number of pieces of legislation passed between the Maithripala Sirisena Government and the Anura Kumara Dissanayake Government in the first 18 months.

In what appears to be an effort to present an image of the current Government working to a legislative agenda, the UNP said the report by Verité Research (https://www.ft.lk/front-page/AKD-overtakes-Sirisena-in-legislative-output-after-slower-start-Verit%C3%A9-finds/44-792850) has focused solely on the quantity rather than the quality of the legislative efforts by the two Governments. 

During the Maithripala Sirisena (or Yahapalanaya) Government’s first 18 months, several essential pieces of legislation were enacted. These laws included the ‘19th Amendment to the Constitution’ which reduced the powers of the Executive President, which was a key promise during the Presidential Election. The ‘National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act’ was introduced which ensured the safety, quality, efficacy, and affordability of medicines and medical devices consumed by the public.

The ‘Right to Information Act’ was passed by the then Government, which empowered citizens to ensure accountability and transparency over the public sector through providing access to official information.

As part of efforts to protect workers, the ‘National Minimum Wage of Workers Act’ was enacted during this period that introduced a statutory minimum wage for workers across sectors in the country. The ‘Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Agreement (Ratification) Act’ was passed, which allowed the country to officially join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

To prevent impunity and ensure greater accountability in the country, the ‘Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act’ was introduced, which provided a framework to ensure the protection of victims and witnesses of criminal offences. Going further, the ‘Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act’ was also enacted, which codified the right of suspects arrested by Police to have access to legal counsel.

In comparison, the UNP said during the first 18 months of the Anura Kumara Dissanayake Presidency, the public has witnessed a significant decline in the quality of legislation enacted. 

Having campaigned on a platform of system change, the Government has failed to uphold its electoral pledges. Aside from legislation to remove entitlements of former Presidents and MPs, this Government has failed to present any impactful legislation as compared to former President Sirisena’s first 18 months.

“It warrants mentioning that during the 26 months of governance by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, as many as 75 laws were passed. These pieces of legislation were essential to the country’s economic recovery and growth. They included the ‘22nd Amendment to the Constitution,’ which once again strengthened the role of Parliament, the ‘Economic Transformation Act’ outlining measures to prevent future mismanagement of the economy, the ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act,’ which ensured the independence of this key financial institution, as well and several other key pieces of financial legislation, including the ‘Public Finance Management Act,’” the UNP said. 

“The public has awakened to the inefficiency of this Government, and reports such as the one mentioned above serve only to whitewash a Government which has stagnated since assuming office,” the UNP alleged.