COLOMBO: Sri Lanka‘s parliament on Friday handed a constitutional modification geared 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 resembling gasoline, meals, cooking fuel 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 in search of IMF help that resulted within the nation defaulting on its international 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 following month after protesters stormed his workplace and residence.
“This modification won’t solely assist deliver in regards to the system change demanded by Sri Lankans it can additionally assist in securing an IMF programme and different worldwide help to rebuild the economic system,” 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 rules to battle corruption.
Opposition events and civil society representatives, nevertheless, have slammed the modification as not far-reaching sufficient in selling accountability and lowering authorities powers.
“That is simply tinkering with presidential powers and the modification doesn’t implement important change,” stated Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher on the Centre for Coverage Alternate options, a Colombo-based assume tank.
“The president nonetheless retains the ability to prorogue parliament, to carry ministries and the constitutional council will nonetheless have principally authorities appointees.”
The modification was handed with the required two-thirds majority.
Sri Lanka has struggled for months to seek out sufficient {dollars} to pay for important imports resembling gasoline, meals, cooking fuel 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 in search of IMF help that resulted within the nation defaulting on its international 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 following month after protesters stormed his workplace and residence.
“This modification won’t solely assist deliver in regards to the system change demanded by Sri Lankans it can additionally assist in securing an IMF programme and different worldwide help to rebuild the economic system,” 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 rules to battle corruption.
Opposition events and civil society representatives, nevertheless, have slammed the modification as not far-reaching sufficient in selling accountability and lowering authorities powers.
“That is simply tinkering with presidential powers and the modification doesn’t implement important change,” stated Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher on the Centre for Coverage Alternate options, a Colombo-based assume tank.
“The president nonetheless retains the ability to prorogue parliament, to carry ministries and the constitutional council will nonetheless have principally authorities appointees.”
The modification was handed with the required two-thirds majority.
