In Sri Lanka as all political actors in parliament were accustomed to winner-takes-all political culture, collectively they failed to provide good governance to the ruled that was critical for the sake of democracy. A united little nation that was once a paradise due to poor governance that favoured the majority community had to face many uprisings from the minorities that led the country to a bloody civil-war lasting three decades to end up heavily in debts to many nations. The civil-war was brought to finish in 2009 under the corrupt executive presidential system as many things took place in and out of the parliament without the full knowledge of the Head of State; all happened because of many powerful blocs within the government that combined with those outside to collapse the institutional system that overtime left the island nation dilapidated.
Then in 2015 realising that a series of structural reforms are a must to re-establish a good social system politicians wanting a change and many civil groups came together with a view to make that change and backed by friendly nations, put forward a common candidate who in turn defeated the past President at the 2015 Presidential Election. Thereafter the same change making groups brought together for the first time the two main political parties the United National Party (UNP) called the Grand Old Party and a party formed by a breakaway group from it named the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) that ruled the country between them for almost seven decades in alliance with many smaller political parties to contest the 2015 General Election to form the Unity Government.
Then the parliament was converted into a Constitutional Assembly and its first sitting was held on Tuesday the 5th of April 2016 in the Parliament Chamber with the objective of drawing up a New Constitution draft to replace the Draconian Republican Constitution. While contrary to the law the parliamentarians were engaged in business with the Government aiding the corruption already in Parliament. Thus devoid of structural reforms constitution making became ineffective and was the main cause for their failure to complete the draft. Thus Unity Government realised with a parliamentary system that is corrupt, only necessary reforms could change this situation to get the country out of this rot. Then a breakaway group in parliament formed a joint opposition made up of pre 2015 government led by their President, who had earlier broken traditions to return as an ordinary member to parliament; and the joint opposition crossed over from government to sit in opposition benches. From then for four years at every opportunity the group prevented government from getting on with it business to make activities in parliament exceedingly unpleasant as both political parties began drifting apart and the much promised reforms necessary to replace the draconian constitution, though drafted was put on shelf for better times.
However the President from SLFP kept his promise with all powers concentrated with him and facilitated the Prime Minister from UNP to get the Unity Government pass in parliament an amendment to the constitution to enhance the parliamentary system of government, which comes to effect in full swing with the election of a new president on 16 November, with Prime Minister as a member of the cabinet of ministers appointed by the President making parliament as the sole authority that handles and implement all the policies of the State. In the meantime while guiding his government through a path of democracy the UNP Prime Minister facilitated Sajith Premadasa his deputy to become the presidential candidate of their newly formed alliance called New Democratic Front (DNF) through democratic means supported by the membership of the UNP and the alliance parties in government.
Sajith while over the years giving due respect to his leader, has prepared himself for this role and intends to make a mark as an individual is hustling around the country to get elected as the next President of Sri Lanka, has said once voted into office he would appoint a new prime minister who he felt could command a majority in parliament. While the long awaited decision was made by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a political alliance representing four political parties of the Tamils of Northeast requesting them whom to support gives a discernible mass groundswell for the presidential campaign and now the Tamils have enough reasons to support Sajith!
To read more visit Northern Breeze post: TNA urge Tamils to Vote Sajith as the next President @ https://northernbreeze.blog/2019/11/07/tna-urge-tamils-to-vote-sajith-as-the-next-president/
Northern Breeze 