Views on the new constitution were expressed at two separate media briefings held on Tuesday, November 22.
UNP Parliamentarian Jayampathy Wickramaratne expressed his at a Lanka Sama Samaja Party media briefing.
He said that they remind the government in particular that it is essential that we go for a public referendum over this constitution. And that to go for a public referendum it is mandatory that a massive public awareness campaign is initiated.
“Politicians in the government, and connected to the government, must get on to the streets and educate the public on the new constitution”, he added, “If a public referendum is to be won, it could, as the two thirds majority they have is more than sufficient”.
He went on to note that the budget proposal was passed last Friday, November 18, by 162 seats – and that it means that they have 12 seats more than a two thirds majority.
“We are seeing racist factions propagating absolute lies in a bid to divide the country and arouse racism”, he said.
Leader of the National Freedom Front MP Wimal Weerawansa speaking at the National Freedom Front media briefing said that they have appointed a committee headed by Lal Wijenayake and have issued a report with the views of all the NGOs included in it. And secondly, they labelled Parliament as a Constituent Assembly and formed sub-committees and appointed their henchmen to those committees.
“All of this is being prepared as per the interests of the Tamil National Alliance”, he added, “This Wickremesinghe and Sampanthan partnership is to hide the ugliness of these budget proposals. They are paying an MP Rs.700,000 each to pay the tax for a vehicle with the VAT.
He went on to note that the MPs who support the government get Rs.700,000 a month, inclusive of all the benefits a parliamentarian has – and that all this is being done to take the upper hand for crime.
“If you look at this draft, it clearly says that the powers at the top will be weakened and the powers at the bottom will be strengthened”, MP Weerawansa said. “They want to create the provincial police and to hand over land powers to the provincial councils. This is a trap” he said.
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