Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said in Parliament yesterday that several trade unions representing the Opposition are trying to postpone the Presidential election.
However, the Minister said that the government is ready for the Presidential election.
The Minister said this while joining an adjournment debate on the timing of the upcoming Presidential election brought by the Opposition.
He said that he checked what this motion was and who brought it. It has been proposed that the Presidential election should be held on time. The government has even allocated money to hold the elections.
The President has announced that the Presidential election will be held this year.
The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court that the term of office of the President is five years and not six years. The Opposition is trying to focus on other matters while arraingments are being taken place to hold the Presidential election. This proposal has been signed by MP Lakshman Kiriella and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake. I remember we had a protest campaign against the postponement of the 2018 Provincial Council elections. MP Kiriella was the Leader of the House at that time. Chief Opposition Whip was MP Anura Dissanayake. The two worked together to postpone the election that day.
They have worked together to postpone the Provincial Council election to the point where it cannot be held today.
If the Election Commission announced there is no problem to hold the Presidential election, if the government said it can be done and , if the Supreme Court approved it, I don’t understand what is the purpose of this proposal presented by the Opposition. It is not the government that is trying to postpone the election. There is a suspicion that some trade unions representing the opposition are trying to postpone the elections. Postal strike, railway strike, Grama Niladhari official strike, Administrative office strike will be directly affected in the upcoming election. An election requires rural service duties, postal duties, and transport services. Political unions are behind all these activities.
However, the government is ready for the Presidential election. But, We have not yet started the election campaign. Because we have to implement policies as we have the responsibility of implementing debt restructuring, carrying out development projects till the end.
After the Election Commission sets the date for the Presidential election, we will start working for it. We cannot justify unjust strikes. If any service has been gazetted as an essential service, that law should be implemented. If they are not done, the country cannot move forward.
There are leaders, officials and trade unions who are a burden to the country. We are not working to postpone the elections. The Election Commission is working to hold the elections on time.
Irangika Range