The UNP Working Committee at a meeting held at the Sirikotha party headquarters yesterday approved two important resolutions to honour the mandate received by the government in formulating a new constitution to devolve power to the maximum within a unitary state, retain President Maithripala Sirisena’s present Executive Powers and conduct future elections under a mixture of proportional and electoral system.
The first resolution said since the government has already begun the process of formulating a new constitution in consultation with all parties represented in Parliament while strengthening local representation and human rights and devolve power to the maximum possible level in common agreement of all within a unitary state.
Maintain the present executive powers of President Maithripala Sirisena while maintaining the supremacy of Parliament by acting according to the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers responsible to President we agree to abolish the preferential system of election and introduce a mixture of proportional and electoral representation system in accordance with the popular mandate by taking into cognizance the reports of the six sub committees and the report submitted with the approval of the steering committee.
The second resolution said the working committee while expressing its gratitude to all sectors of the society which supported the January revolution which supported the challenge of rescuing the country from family dictatorship which subdued democracy human rights people sovereignty and powers of Parliament we resolve to assist the national government in its effort to transform the nation into an economically strong nation rich in knowledge through the approval of the Right to Information Act, setting up of Independent Commissions, Parliamentary oversight communities, strengthening the powers and independence of COPE and other Parliamentary committees and making Sri Lanka the business and commercial hub of the Indian Ocean and creating a house running society through the 500,000 houses, and resettlement programmes.
The working committee also appreciated the steps taken by the national government to strengthen national harmony and re-consultation, re-establish the country’s image abroad, strengthening of democratic rights and Parliament and taking steps to revive the economy which had crashed and introduce various other reforms.