Don't make Mahinda Rajapaksa a peon; Sajith Premadasa tells Ali Sabry

Colombo (News 1st);  Justice Minister Ali Sabry on Wednesday (21) told Parliament the Prime Minister is given power by the people and not via the constitution.

He made this comment in response to statements made by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who claimed the powers of the Prime Minister were curtailed by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stressed both he and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have worked together in the Constitutional Council.

He said the 20th Amendment to the Constitution proposed by the Justice Minister in Parliament has turned the Prime Minister into a simple peon.

"Put forward a proposal which brings respect to your Prime Minister," said the Opposition Leader urging the Government to refrain from making Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa into a peon.

However, the Justice Minister told the house the 20th Amendment to the constitution does not contain anything which is harmful to the people of Sri Lanka.

He said 20A creates an environment that would allow an efficient state governance mechanism to function.

Further, the Justice Minister quoted Former President Maithripala Sirisena and Former MP Jayampathy Wickremeratne as saying the 19th Amendment to the Constitution should be abolished.