Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

04 August  2020

UNP Had 96% Approval

It is voting time in Sri Lanka for Parliamentary positions. Does our Democratic Duty cease there? What do we need to identify with the success or failure of our recruitment? At what level do we so identify? Those who operate close to the Parliamentarians would usually identify with their returns through money and status benefits. What about majority who are physically far away from Parliament? Is there a parallel of this democratic voting system in nature?

The closest common natural example that comes to mind is the solar system. Each planet is independent of the other planets and all of them revolve around the Star- the Sun. Every electorate is like a planet and the Parliament is the Star.

As per Financial Times report ‘President and PM should hold similar ideologies: MR’:

[Renewing his pledges to form a strong Government to address the adverse economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated a two-thirds majority would be needed to fully implement President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s policy statement]

Policy confirms the essence of a law. A two thirds majority would therefore change the structure of the executive power as it exists today.

The above report confirms also the following:

[The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) prime ministerial candidate expressed these views at a rally held in Kalawana. Rajapaksa noted both the President and the Prime Minister should hold similar ideologies to address challenges that arose after the COVID-19 outbreak.

He noted the understanding between the President and the Cabinet was a key element for a government to be successful and he noted that was the shortcoming of the previous administration. According to Rajapaksa, that had created issues which affected all sectors of the country.

“We have seen what has happened during the past five years. The tussle between former President Maithripala Sirisena and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Their continuous disagreements affected the entire country. I hope the public is well aware of that and they will vote for the SLPP to form a strong Government,” he said]

During the rule of the immediate past government When successful changes were made to the Constitution – the UNP did not have even simple majority. But it had the confidence of the Parliament to achieve the change. The 19^th Amendment was passed by 96% of the Parliament. This is 29% more than the two thirds that Mr Rajapaksa is asking for.

The Independent Parliament would use belief  in itself. One who asks is a dependent. This morning I responded to a question on belief:

[I inherited my belief in Yoga Swami from my father. In the case of Sai Swami – I developed it through my discoveries and  it is my Thediya Thettam/Acquired wealth. My juniors will inherit this as  Muthusum/inheritance]

The existing laws are our inherited intelligence. The new laws we make are our acquired intelligence.   The change to the position of Executive Presidency was effected due to experience that adversely affected leaders closely connected to Parliamentarians. The new President did not come to power with two thirds majority and this confirms the acceptance of the People of the current structure of that position.

Whether it is Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims the investment made by our ancestors in the Parliamentary system will continue to support all those who inherited those values including by practice of the laws made by Parliament. Whenever there is a true need by majority – that inheritance will surface itself to support its heirs – including in Opposition to maintain the Balance of Equality through diversity and its independence.  A weak Opposition in Parliament is only temporary in Sri Lanka as per our rich history. Most of us identify with the successful operation of our belief not because of a victory in election but our own successful invocation  of belief during the reign of a particular ruler.