• Yet to decide on contesting upcoming Presidential Election
• Proposed constitutional amendments for next Parliament
• Too close to elections now to make electoral amendments
• Proposed senate and mixed system on behalf of minorities
• Rule of law and economic revival should be prioritised
• People have to look at track records of those contesting

Proposed constitutional amendments relating to electoral reforms will not be implemented during the current Parliament, said Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, in an interview with The Sunday Morning. 

“Until such time there will be a dialogue and conversation on them [proposed amendments] and any candidate or party can also tell the people about their stances on changing the Constitution in their manifestos,” he added.

Commenting on the upcoming Presidential Election, he said it was time for the people to decide on getting the “correct person” and that presidential candidates should prioritise rule of law and economic revival.

“My hope is for a patriotic and genuine leader and government to look into the grievances of the people who have been suffering for a long time. The leader must also have the capacity to address these issues and take decisions,” he added.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently spoke of several constitutional amendments that have been introduced in the last few months under his presidency. Have these amendments brought about the changes anticipated by the people and what are the areas that have been prioritised via these amendments?

These are amendments that I have proposed. One is on electoral reforms. There have been many previous recommendations in this regard, including the recommendations made by the Dinesh Gunawardena committee after deliberating for about 13 years. Thereafter we brought the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in 2015, but it was not passed. Based on that I have proposed reforms, which are now open for dialogue.

I have also proposed a senate, which is above the Parliament, to have some supervisory oversight. That’s a consultative authority. 

I proposed both and they came up in Cabinet on Monday (1). I then proposed to the Cabinet that these two matters can be opened up for dialogue with all stakeholders and the people and, since the election is near, to start the process in the next Parliament. Until such time there will be a dialogue and conversation on them and any candidate or party can also tell the people about their stances on changing the Constitution in their manifestos.

Cabinet has approved amending the Parliamentary Elections Act to create a mixed electoral system. Will such a system address issues of corruption and so on in the local electoral system and how will it impact the minority parties?

The Cabinet has not really approved of it; it agreed in principle. However, the process will commence in the next Parliament. We are too close to the elections now.

I am proposing the senate on behalf of the minority parties. The second thing I have proposed is the mixed system, which is to ensure that the minorities will be properly represented. 

Both of these will not be taken up in this Parliament.

When will the Delimitation Committee report recommendations be implemented?

This cannot be done until the amendments. 

What is your take on the upcoming Presidential Election, which is happening at a decisive moment for the country?

It is time for the people to decide on getting the correct person.

Will you be contesting the Presidential Election?

That is open. I have not made up my mind, but there are a lot of requests.

What areas should a potential presidential candidate prioritise on behalf of Sri Lanka at this point in time?

According to my understanding of politics, it should be both rule of law and economic revival. Any candidate will have to address these and outline their plans on what they will do in this regard in the event they are elected. It is for the people to decide depending on past track records and history of those contesting.

There is growing concern that new legislation being moved by the Government is being done without proper consultation with stakeholders. Without such consultation, how effective will such legislation be even if implemented?

Can you give me an example of the legislation you are talking about?

Take the Online Safety Act, for instance?

The Online Safety Act was done by the Public Security Ministry. I don’t know the exact details, but they said that they had gone through the consultative process.

How long will it take for the amendments to the Online Safety Act to be presented to Parliament and incorporated into the act?

That is also being done by a different ministry but when they presented it to the Cabinet, we approved it.

What is your hope for Presidential and General Elections on behalf of the country?

My hope is for a patriotic and genuine leader and government to look into the grievances of the people who have been suffering for a long time. The leader must also have the capacity to address these issues and take decisions.

Patriotism in the last decade or so has come to mean prioritising the Sinhala Buddhist majority. What do you mean when you say patriotism?

Racism is not patriotism. I am talking about the Sri Lankan identity.