Translated by : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA

The leader of the National Freedom Front Parliamentarian Mr. Winal Weerawansa pointed out that Janatha Vinukthi Peramuna which had in the past a history of fighting for the voting rights of the people agreeing to deny the rights of a section of public servants to contest in elections is an unbelievable chanhe that had taken place in that party.

This observation was made by Mr. Weerawansa at a media conference of the political party leaders of the Joint Opposition held at Dr. N.M.Perera Centre in Borella.

Speaking further Mr. Weerawansa said:

Today is the day in which the rights of contesting elections for the public servants engaged in field duties were abolished.  It is unbelievable that Janatha Vinukthi Peramuna which had in the past a history of fighting for the voting rights of the people agreeing to deny the rights of a section of public servants to contest in elections.  Prior to this no government has denied a persin his/her right to contest in an election.  Any government is obliged to expand this right to the people. It is whilst saying that they expand the women’s representation and youth representation in elected institutions that this government has denied on the other hand the rights of the field officers to contest in elections.

The MPs of the United National Party, those of the SLFP represented in the Government, those of the TNA and the JVP had a pre understanding about all amendments that had been presented to this Draft Bill.  That means, the government and the official Opposition had prior knowledge about these amendments. Similarly, the members of the government, the TNA and the JVP opposed to the amendment proposed by the leader of the Joint Opposition Mr. Dinesh Gunawardene requesting the rights for the government’s Field Officers to contest in the elections.

The JVP had a history of struggling for the election rights of the people.  But today the JVP contributed to deny the rights of a section of the public servants to contest in elections.   If the TNA leader had a self consciousness he could have refrained from voting for the amendment relating to denying rights of contesting by a section of the public servants as he said that it is not right to deny this facility to a section of the public servants.  But his Chief Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake even without making a shriek contributed to deny this right to public servants.

All these peple are on the same Agenda.

In the process of getting the Local Government Elections (Revised) Act today clearly shows that although these people appear differently in Green, Blue, Red and other colours are in the same Agenda that contributed to 2015 regime change.  They are in the same understanding. It was beause that this government thinks that a large number of field officers will contest the forthcoming local government elections as candidates of the Joint opposition.  But we will show in that election that indulging in this kind of despicable low level activities they cannot prevent the victory due to us.  Nevertheless we would like to mention that as the Joint Opposition we would fight against the denial of the rights to contest elections by Field Officers.

Just look at the provision saying that a field officer who intends to contest in the election should resign from his/her post one year before the elections.  This is merely an attempt to prevent field officers who functioned as local government institute members contesting in the forthcoming elections.  If the local government elections were held before 24^th Agust 2018, none of these members will be able to contest that election.  Laws should be made not to deny a section of the people the rights to contest in elections but to widen those rights.  Therefore we equest all field officers to rise up against this government in unison for denying their right to contest in elections.

It is necessary to mention a few words about the hubris Speaker also in this instance.  MP Wasudeva Nanayakkara requested for a division at the end of the third reading of this Bill. Since we exercised our vote against the denial of the right to contest election by field officers we were compelled to refrain from voting in the division after the third reading.  It is possible to refrain from voting after requesting for a division.  If a voting was not carried out it will not be possible for us to refrain from voting.  Here the speaker attempted to avoid holding an election.  But due to our compulsion the Speaker went for an election.  Accordingly 44 of us in the Joint Opposition refrained from voting in accordance with our self consciousness. (niz)