Speaker stands firm: No change to Opposition Leader post | Sunday Observer

Speaker stands firm: No change to Opposition Leader post

12 August, 2018

Despite sound and fury by the pro-Rajapaksa Joint Opposition demanding the position of Opposition leader for its faction of 70 MPs, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed the House last week that the UPFA cannot be recognised as the lawful Opposition in Parliament since a group of its MPs continue to act as constituents in the ruling alliance.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya giving his final ruling on the Joint Opposition’s (JO) demand for the Opposition Leader post told Parliament on Friday that he was not constitutionally or traditionally empowered to effect a change in the Opposition Leader’s post at this juncture.

The Speaker reiterated when one group of UPFA MPs holds ministerial portfolios and acts as a constituent party of the Government while the other group of UPFA MPs remains with the JO, they cannot be recognised as a separate political entity.

Both the Government and Opposition law makers on Tuesday advanced numerous arguments for and against the Opposition Leader’s post for nearly three and half hours in the well of the House. Despite the big hue and cry by the JO members who continuously demanded the Opposition Leader’s post as they have 70 members in their group, Speaker Jayasuriya listening to the views expressed by both the Government and the Opposition members promised to convey his determination to the House shortly after consulting Party Leaders and legal experts on this issue.

Internal issue

The UNP members in the Government who aired their views categorically stated this is entirely an internal issue of a political party and as such it should not be put upon the Government at all.

JO Parliamentary Group Leader Dinesh Gunawardena who first raised the issue in Parliament demanded to know from the Speaker who would be appointed to the post of Opposition Leader. As the JO has repeatedly argued over the past three years, MP Gunawardena attempted to convince the Speaker and the House that the JO with its 70 members is the legitimate Opposition in Parliament.

He said that all former Speakers gave the Opposition Leader’s post to the group which had the highest number of MPs in the Opposition. MP Gunawardena in his vehement speech said that when the Parliament is supreme an ignorant Party Secretary has no right to give orders to the Speaker through letters. He said the Government has failed even to maintain the decorum of the Parliament. Leader of the House, Minister Lakshman Kiriella responding to the JO frontliners told the House there are six parties in Parliament but the JO is not a party recognised by Parliament. It is only a ‘clique’ like the Aava Group. JO frontliner MP Dullas Alahapperuma pointed out the that the Leader of the Opposition post was held by the UPFA MP Nimal Siripala de Silva from January 2015 to August 2015 and added that during that period UPFA MPs were also within Government ranks. He further cited the precedent of Speaker M.H. Mohamed giving the Opposition Leader’s post to MP Anura Bandaranaike in 1993.

Mockery of Parliament

TNA MP M.A Sumanthiran said UPFA members were sitting on both sides of the House. There are over 20 UPFA MPs in the Cabinet. Therefore, it is a mockery of Parliament if yet another UPFA MP holds the Opposition Leader post.

If the JO wants to become the real Opposition, they should leave the UPFA, he said. JO heavyweight MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara queried if MP Sumanthiran was right how did Nimal Siripala de Silva become Opposition Leader while a group of UPFA MPs were in the then Cabinet.

Despite the criticism on lack of quorum in the House and a huge amount of money being spent on a day’s sitting, Parliament proceedings were once again limited to two hours and five minutes on Wednesday (August 08) as MPs listed to speak for the debate on Apartment Ownership (Special Provisions) Bill were either absent or refused to speak.

UNP MPs who were present at the time of Adjournment said they would not speak as six Opposition and Joint Opposition MPs listed to speak in the debate were not present in the Chamber.

Accordingly, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri had to abruptly adjourn the sittings till the next day. Meanwhile, the Adjournment debate on journalists’ phone tapping by various Government agencies and Ministers threatening journalists lasted only around 15 minutes as the House had to be adjourned owing to lack of a quorum on Thursday (August 09). 

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