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Mahinda warns country at risk four years since change
09 Jan, 2019
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today warned that the country was at risk as a result of the change?of Government on 9 January 2015.
In a statement issued today, Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka faces three major dangers as it completes four years since the change.
The first among them is the danger of the economy collapsing at any moment. He said that while the total outstanding debt as at the end of 2014 has remained as it is, a sum equivalent to more than 50% of that total has been added on to the national debt in the past four years.
The other danger, he says, is that of the entire Governmental mechanism breaking down due to the 19th Amendment. He said that under the provisions of the 19th Amendment, Parliament cannot be dissolved under any circumstances, even in the event of a Government repeatedly losing votes on the budget, the statement of Government policy or no confidence motions.
Rajapaksa said that the third danger facing the country is the proposed new draft constitution which is to be presented to the Constitutional Assembly.
“If the new constitution drafted by the same people is passed, Sri Lanka as we know it, will cease to exist. We now hear that attempts are being made to buy MPs to get this new constitution passed. Thus, Sri Lanka now is confronted with three deadly dangers,” he said.
In these circumstances, Rajapaksa says the only political force capable of preventing these dangers from becoming a reality is the opposition alliance that he leads. (Colombo Gazette)
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