Sri Lanka passes constitutional modification aimed toward trimming presidential powers

Sri Lanka’s parliament on Friday handed a constitutional modification aimed toward trimming presidential powers, beefing up anti-corruption safeguards and serving to to discover a means in another country’s worst monetary disaster since independence.

Sri Lanka has struggled for months to seek out sufficient {dollars} to pay for important imports reminiscent of gas, meals, cooking gasoline and drugs.

Many Sri Lankans blame former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa for implementing a number of failed insurance policies together with tax cuts, a now-reversed ban on chemical fertilisers and delays in looking for IMF help that resulted within the nation defaulting on its overseas debt for the primary time in historical past.

As a response to widespread protests, Rajapaksa had backed constitutional reforms that would cut back the powers of the manager presidency and allocate them to parliament in June. He resigned the subsequent month after protesters stormed his workplace and residence.

“This amendment will not only help bring about the system change demanded by Sri Lankans it will also help in securing an IMF programme and other international assistance to rebuild the economy,” Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe informed parliament.

In September, Sri Lanka signed an early cope with the IMF for a mortgage of $2.9 billion, with pledges to enhance laws to combat corruption.

Opposition events and civil society representatives, nonetheless, have slammed the modification as not far-reaching sufficient in selling accountability and lowering authorities powers.

“This is just tinkering with presidential powers and the amendment does not implement significant change,” stated Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher on the Centre for Policy Alternatives, a Colombo-based assume tank.

“The president still retains the power to prorogue parliament, to hold ministries and the constitutional council will still have mostly government appointees.”

The modification was handed with the required two-thirds majority.