Lal Kantha likens govt. to JR’s, warns of impending doom

By Gihan de Chickera and Kelum Bandara

The undemocratic policies of the late President J.R Jayewardene has pushed the country towards a bloodbath and the current regime should take note of such lessons from history to prevent the re-emergence of a similar crisis, JVP trade unionist MP K.D Lal Kantha said in Parliament yesterday.

“The country plunged into a bloodbath at the tail-end of President Jayewardene’s rule in the late 80’s, due to his undemocratic actions. This government should learn from the mistakes of previous governments and not suppress democracy in the country, or else a similar crisis may re-surface”, the MP warned, speaking during the Adjournment debate on the non-implementation of the 17th amendment in the House yesterday.

“Today we don’t see any emerging ministers in the government. The President has consolidated his powers over the government and the Cabinet no longer has a voice”, the MP Lal Kantha noted.

He said that since the war had now become a daily routine, it was no longer a political topic amongst the people, currently suffering under severe economic strain and the high cost of living.

“The government wants to maintain the war as its main political tool, but the people’s economic hardships, the threat to democracy and media freedom are now the main issues in the country. This government has no remedy to the present economic crisis and therefore it has called for provincial council elections before it gets even more unpopular”, he said.

The MP warned that by the end of the year, a barrel of crude oil, currently priced at US dollars 137, would rise to US dollars 200. He said the country needed to return to the parliamentary style of politics, as it was undemocratic to vest so much power in an executive president, adding a good balance was needed between the executive, legislative and judiciary, currently not seen in the country.