“Join us in calling on His Excellency The President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to introduce a Constitutional Amendment to limit the size of the Cabinet to 20, with no more than 20 Cabinet Ministers and no more than 20 other Ministers of Junior Ministerial rank.” says Liberal Party of Sri Lanka.
Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP, Leader - Liberal Party of Sri Lanka
Liberal Party of Sri Lanka urge people to support their Petition to Mahinda Rajapaksa.
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, The President of Sri Lanka
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa
The cost of maintaining so many Ministries, as well as the large private offices of each Minister, is colossal. But even worse is the difficulty of ensuring consultation and coordination in subject areas that require coherent and consistent interventions.
We also have the spectacle of Members of Parliament urging that they be appointed Ministers. This is understandable because of the immense advantage Ministers have when it comes ensuring popularity. Given that many Ministers do not have enough to do, they see Ministries as instruments of enhancing their standing in their own electorates.
Given that there are so many Ministries, it is understandable that MPs cannot see why they too should not be elevated to enjoy similar powers of patronage.
When there is no Constitutional limit, and given the precedents of the past, it is difficult for the President to turn down such requests. We believe that, in acceding to this petition, Your Excellency will also be able to introduce better and more responsible systems of governance, and allow the Executive to fulfil its duties rather than become an instrument of electoral popularity.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
To sign the petition click here
Namal Perera / May 3, 2013
In addition to the limit, all criminals should be barred from holding elected office. This should come from the recognized parties at the time of elections by not giving nominations to undesirable characters. All party leaders should think about the future of the Country and not winning seats by even nominating Terrorists to contest at elections.
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Thrishantha / May 3, 2013
So, the satellite parties have begun to feel that they are losing ground? How can the president change the constitution? It is the parliament that should be asked to do this, in which you are a member. The first question they will ask is how the petitioners and the liberal party came up with this magical number. The petition doesn’t say anything about the rationale for this number for it to be hard coded in the constitution. This kind of things should be limited to policies of the coalition in which liberal party is a partner. An honest approach would have been to table a proposal in the coalition first, to start a transparent discussion on behalf of the public. What is appalling is how the satellite parties in the coalition are trying to regain ground. JHU has forgotten their agreements on full-stops to all sorts of intoxication, but have gone high on racism, anti-halal, pro-BBS type bankrupt politics to regain grounds among the racists. Now liberal party is all of a sudden on a magical number to cap the jumbo cabinet. Who will wake up next? Come on! Be honest guys!
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Sama / May 3, 2013
I think that is not a magical number – what the writers means it should be a 2 digit one.
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Vasu / May 3, 2013
Whether the SL inhabitants and govt. understood Buddhagama or not, they clearly understood Hindu philosophy of Trimurthy, the “Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara principle
The forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver and Shiva the destroyer or transformer
All these Trimurthies are inside this govt.
MR needs a DJ, Vasutheva, sometimes a Rajeeva, often a Gota and Vimal and all these shaved men wearing safron sarees
Do we have an open democratical process about deciding the number of ministers in cabinet?
Clowns, puppets and mercenaries dominate this corrupted nation
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shankar / May 3, 2013
In addition to capping the ministers at 20,there should be a cap on administration expenses.Not more than 20% of the budget should be allocated to administration.Now it must be at least 40%.Administration is not productive and is only there to facilitate the productive elements of the economy by ensuring the wheels are moving smoothly.When it starts to chip into the productive expenses and get bigger and bigger as happening now,then the country will suffer due to the limited resources being utilised more and more into unproductive areas.
A bill should be passed capping administration expenses to 20% of the budget.Also once passed into law,it can be repealed only by a two thirds majority,because when there is pressure to help the “ape minissu” the governments will try to repeal it.
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Burt / May 3, 2013
A Donkey in any other name is still going to be a Donkey. You can reduce the number but does not mean that the expenses or waste will be reduced. Numbers will reduce on its own if there is accountability.
Anyway liberal party should have a good feeling that they will be kicked out from cabinet after next shuffle. Bloody leaches.
Namal:
“In addition to the limit, all criminals should be barred from holding elected office”.
First you will have to define who is considered a criminal?
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TRN / May 4, 2013
Please look up the dictionary for the definition of a criminal
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Aney Apochchi! / May 3, 2013
What is this? The Liberal Lap Dog of the Rajapassas trying to suck up to his Lord and Master by making “intelligent” suggestions or just another diversion by the most dishonest man in Parliament?
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Mr Retort / May 3, 2013
Yes lap dog would never be a barking dog. It would always be a dog wagging the tail to the master.
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Diogenes / May 3, 2013
To Burt: A donkey in any other name is still going to be a donkey. Very correct. You have proved that!
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Dev / May 3, 2013
I am not sure whether to laugh or to cry…..at the antics of Dayan, Tamara and Rajiva !
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Ranjan Balasooriya / May 3, 2013
They all live in such a bubble of self importance.. Yes Pigs will fly and Rajiva wijesinghe will be taken seriously by someone..some day!
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Rajasingham Jayadevan / May 3, 2013
From where does the majic figure of 20 come from. The way things are, it must be limited to Mahinda’s family. Only five must hold ministerial posts i.e., Gota, Basil, Champika, Namal and Mahinda as President must control most of the portfolios.
If we wants to expand it further he must to apppoint the paramilitary leaders, former shot gun terrorists and his much trusted BBS heads.
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Thrishantha / May 3, 2013
spot on! in fact the cabinet can be reduced to just one – Basil. Just go to any of these puppet ministers with a subject matter relevant to their ministry. They will ask you to go to Basil, or directly refer it to Basil. Nothing can be done without his approval for obvious reasons. The Divi Naguma bill further tightened the noose on these puppets including the poor Samurdhi Niladharis they use as political prostitutes.
The author knows this status quo very well, or he is too doped with it that he takes it for granted.
Correct me if I am wrong. I highly suspect this scenario: The president himself could have asked these satellite guys (JHU, Liberal,….) to start re-gaining ground before the next presidential election, so that the Madamulana Walavuwa can enjoy a sumptuous donation of satellite votes. Obedient, they started these random trials to decieve the public. This particular attempt is interesting. When there is a public survey on the level of frustration about the jumbo cabinet, the president can use it to threaten the cabinet pups to scratch the ground a little harder to find burried bones. The author knows that this survey doesn’t go anywhere beyond that. Dishonesty at it’s best!!!
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S. Ahamed / May 3, 2013
The reason for the cap, according to the petition, are that the high cost and difficulties in coordination. Limiting the number of ministers is not going to reduce the cost spent on them because even that 20 ministers are more than enough to rob a fortune. Coordination between the ministries is not going to be difficult if they are willing to coordinate with each other. Under today’s competition for political advantages, the ministerial colleagues undercut each other badly that results in no coordination or consultations amongst the ministers at all.
Ministry secretaries are appointed by the President so are the ministers. Instead of allowing MPs and Ministers to decide their salaries and perks, the constitution could say that the minister’s salary will be just one-step higher than ministry secretary. In addition, one car with reasonable amount of petrol, phone, fax, mobile like given to ministry secretaries and that’s all. No security, no pilot police, no private secretary, no coordinating secretary, no media secretary and no so and so. After all, if they are unable to protect themselves and function independently, why do we need their services? Are we that short of policy makers? And the works they have carried out so far by rushing through traffic with police protection haven’t done any visible good for the country so far.
Hence, I believe that instead of capping the number of ministers, the Liberals should lobby for capping the perks.
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 3, 2013
Doesn’t this need 2/3 approval in Parliament?.
A very important and most pressing issue at present is to deny Police Powers and Land Banks to crooked B grade pollies in Provinces, including the ex LTTE supporters who are about get in to rule the North.
The great majority of the inhabitant population are praying for an ammendment to ensure this urgent need .
But there is no guarantee of getting it through Parliament with big Overseas trawlers skimming Srilnka with big baits.
And what chance this dude has getting these same Politicians to cut their own throats.
Besides even if it goes to a referandum , these onliners wouldn’t have a say. Would they ?.
Unless they want to help this dude on his Ego trip perhaps.
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Aney Apochchi! / May 7, 2013
Ado Sumane!
How about something in SOME LANGUAGE or other that makes the tiniest bit of sense? Or will that only serve to expose you (further) for the Pandam-Buruwa you are?
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Ajith / May 3, 2013
Dear Professor Wijesinghe,
You are part of this regime for long, so you are also responsible for this. It is not the ministerial numbers need change it is the power of Presidency that need to be changed. You yourself quoted:
“The current situation, where the President may appoint as many Ministers as he wishes, and at various levels, leads to waste as well as inefficiency.”
The damage to the Nation caused by the presidential powers is much more than the waste and inefficiencies. The power and wealth of the nation is now centerd around a family.They can do whatever they like and most of the orders for human right violations, corruptions, unlawful activities are directed from this family. All the public and private resources are come under their control and most of the institutions including security, law and order, justice systems are just follow their orders and the parliamentarians are just there to raise their hands when they get orders from them. Democracy is completely dead and you are part of the system. By signing a petition against them can lead to the white van coming into your doors.
First, campaign and gain support from your friends within the government (leftists, senior members,cross overs) opposition, tamil parties, JVP etc and get two third majority to change the constitution bring back the powers for Parliament. This is what people wants!
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MNZ / May 3, 2013
It is a good idea to prune the Cabinet(why 20 Ministers,and not 15 or 25??)except that RW is one of the usual suspects!
Rajiva’s motives are not known, except that we all know that he is peeved with the President for not being given a portfolio, despite his regular not-so-subtle chest-thumping media commentaries.
If he was holding a portfolio would he have got enlightened as he has now!!?
His unfettered adoration of Dayan J and vitriol against GL notwithstanding, I am sure he knows that as long as the sycophants are feeding off the national trough his idea will be received with derision.
It is common knowledge among ordinary citizens(including the village idiot) that the Family needs to keep the bloated cabinet, cronies and hangers-on happy and well-fed to perpetuate the Dynastic Agenda.
Rajiva, your web-crusade is just a pipe dream. While you won’t get any brownie points from the public, you may soon get bollocked on your fat posterior by the powers that be.
Keep your a*** covered!!!!
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hiran / May 3, 2013
Why not ask him to do away with the 18th amendment and the presidential system.I suppose you voted for it.
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punchinilame / May 3, 2013
I did not think that Rajiva is so foolish to bring up this Petition.
It is a part of the modus-operandi of the Regime to feed these sort of
inputs with a hidden agenda. The Shobita move will be diluted by such
activities.
His friend DJ got into the fields – the last protest against racism and
to keep up with his status, a web-attack of sorts in competition?.
Really if MR wants to he just can with one sweep reduce the Cabinet and adduce reasons. MR will only try to use this Petition to keep control
on his Cabinet-subjects on puppet strings.
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Park / May 3, 2013
If Rajiva is a honest politician and wants the cabinet and the number of ministers to be reduced, first he should resign from his ministerial position and parliamentary seat. Once he has done this then he can propose the amendment. Otherwise he is a dishonest politician.
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Nihal R / May 3, 2013
Whatever said and done, this is laudable project, initiated by a learned, respected and a highly principled academic. But has the good professor mistaken wood for trees? The curse the country faces is the existence of the draconian Executive Presidency. The root cause of the problem is here. It is this Executive Presidency that should be done away with before taking steps to restrict the number of ministries.
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mohamed fazly ilyas / May 3, 2013
You Sir, must have just woke up from a deep slumber!
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Kumar R / May 3, 2013
Rajiva,
Here again you fake ignorance pretending not to know how things work, as well as expose your deviousness in what seems to be a desperate attempt at self-aggrandizement.
You suggest “The current situation, where the President may appoint as many Ministers as he wishes, and at various levels, leads to waste as well as inefficiency.”
Why is the President doing that? What necessitates or motivates him to do that? Do you have a clue? Why was such latitude allowed to pass in the Bills/Constitution in the first place – would you care to guess? Why aren’t the leadership teams (Finance Ministry, Budget Committee, what have you) assigned and maintained by tax payers to ensure efficiency and avoid waste not addressing this issue, if this is such a glaring obvious problem that now needs civilian petition (Asian Spring perhaps?) to resolve? Are there other inefficiencies (Mattala perhaps?) that you have plans to consider, if this ruse works? I am sure you know the answers to all of the above – though you might pretend not to know.
Here is one last question: Isn’t this your devious attempt to regain at least some lost ground in the public eye now that the door to the Palace seems to be shutting on you, as on Dayan, as on Tamara, and – surprise!, surprise!!, on Nivard too?!!!
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Jayantha / May 5, 2013
The latest is that Rajapakses are only directed, advised,consulted and guided by his famous Astrologer.
From selecting a date to hold Elections to economic development, political power, obtain a project and to awarding contracts, starting a new project, even the time to wake up is done according to the auspicious time that his Astrologer is providing.
Does anybody watch the earliy morning TV suba nekatha broadcast.
Also does anybody see the small gadget he hold in his arm…….
Sri Lanka today is run by the jokers who depend on Astrologers. Nothing else.
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JimSofty / May 4, 2013
Prof Wijesinghe:
You could have better served Sri Lanka if you asked president to ask honesty, integrity and accountability from the MPs. Because, the political culture in Sri Lanka even Drug dealers become MPS if they can fool voters. Once those drug dealers, or thieves become MPs they continue to exploit the existing political in Sri Lanka.
For example, You were,as a Natioal – LIst MP, appointed to help in the so-called LTTE-peace process. Since then, what you have done except righting this kind of directionless articles.
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Sumith Ariyasinghe / May 4, 2013
Mr Wijesinghe, Is reducing the cabinet all your Liberal Party going to do in the unlikely event you are elected to power? What about corruption, nepotism, cronyism, familism, dynasty building, underhand deals, selling the country to the Chinese, running everything at a loss, perpetuating widespread ill governance, destroying our parliamentary and judicial institutions, abuse of power, misuse of public funds, building massive structures that have no use, at unimaginable cost, merely for the glory of the ruling family and siphoning off percentages, and much more. Ask me to sign for abolishing those, not just for reducing the cabinet. I will gladly sign for that, as will thousands of other citizens. When you have all these thriving, what is the use of reducing the cabinet?
You are not a fool. You know what you are doing. You are dressing yourself and your master in a fig leaf. But this time it is too small to cover your elephantine nudity.
Reducing the cabinet is hogwash, and you know it. Shame on you.
By the way, if you want to reduce the Cabinet, be serious about it. This country does not need a cabinet of 20. 15 is more than enough.
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SCOTT / May 4, 2013
This is a good petition. But it can be made better by adding a paragraph asking His Excellency the President to also abolish the 18th Amendment and restore the Seventeenth.
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Sunaka Sena / May 4, 2013
With 20 how can make and develop 120 billionaire. offer a cabinet portfolio to Rajive and shut his big mouth.
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Jayantha / May 4, 2013
Yes I agree with Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha on this. 20 cabinet ministers are more than enough. Also these ministers should be responsible to make sure that all their ministries are not running at losses and should be target oriented and be given incentives when they make profits and achieve targets.
Also all their secretaries should be well educated well qualified professionals and should not have any political affiliation.
Also there should be a Professional Board of directors and consultants (even obtaining help from foreign consultancy services) to make sure everything is transparent,correct decision making and well planned into the future.
IT IS THE QUALITY THAT MATTERS AND NOT THE QUANTITY WHEN IT COMES TO GOVERNING.
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Mahela / May 5, 2013
I still believe that the administration of all Govt. Corporations, service Programs,agriculture, Industry, economic development etc, should be run by a board of highly qualified Professionals envolving advisers,architects, consultants, engineers, marketing and finalcial executives, law professionals and others.
No ministry should be given to any single Minister and his secretary to run who know absolutely nothing about their ministries.
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