Sri Lanka Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation (SLREDC) Bill detrimental to the country
Posted on September 1st, 2019
Courtesy Ceylon Today
Attorney- at- Law Premanath C. Dolawaththa filed a petition in the Supreme Court, Case Number SL/SD/12/2019, on 27 August 2019, complaining that the Sri Lanka Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation (SLREDC) Bill, which has been included in the Order Paper of Parliament, is not in accordance with the Constitution.
He has filed the petition through his Instructing Counsel, Attorney-at-Law Nalin Samarakoon.
Dolawaththa, addressing the media, said that the Bill comprises four districts, namely Hambantota, Galle, Moneragala and Matara. The Subject Minister has the right to arbitrarily take over rivers, streams, forests, sacred areas, private lands and State lands. The Board of Directors comprises eight members, four of whom are appointed by the Minister, and one member is the Secretary to the Minister. Accordingly, five out of eight members are direct appointees of the Minister, one of whom is the Chairman.
The decision-making power of the Minister is clearly seen in the fact that the Chairman gets two votes. Another flaw is that the Minister is able to do everything, such as naming and proposing projects in accordance with Section 18 of the Bill.
This Corporation has the power to make money from any person, company or any country, at any time. Accordingly, Article 148 of the Constitution, the financial control, which is in the hands of Parliament, has been lost due to this Bill.
The Bill also supersedes other Bills and regulations, giving local authorities the ability to obtain paid services.
If such a Bill is applied to other Provinces, the same will be vested in the Minister with the discretionary power over the land.
Thus, the corporation can grant State or private sources, forests and historical places to any individual to carry out a business or project of his/ her own wish, by acting against the common law. This is also detrimental to the country like the State Land Special Provisions Bill. This affects the sovereignty and national security of the country. This would also create a small separate State and if these Bills were to be enacted in the Provinces, the country would collapse. He further stated that it is not lawful to include this Bill in the Order Paper of Parliament without referring it to the Provincial Councils as it contains lands and projects, which are included in the Provincial Council list.
September 1st, 2019 at 4:27 pm
Federalism at its worst!
This bill will be passed if Sri Lanka were a unitary country. Sadly, Sri Lanka is a federal country and this bill is therefore inconsistent with the Constitution.
Quote – He further stated that it is not lawful to include this Bill in the Order Paper of Parliament without referring it to the Provincial Councils as it contains lands and projects, which are included in the Provincial Council list.
A clear indication that Sri Lanka is an extreme federal country after 13A where the parliament cannot go against the provincial council on the subject of land which is under provincial power!
Article 148 has very little relevance here. The parliament can delegate financial oversight while keeping overall control to anyone.
e.g. Finance Minister, the Economic Council
September 1st, 2019 at 4:33 pm
If this case succeeds, the biggest beneficiaries will be Northern and Eastern provincial councils. It will give them complete power over their land and financed. A definite step towards self determination.
I invite real patriots to see how political party bickering can split the nation. UNP out of desperation now tries to do some quick development work in the South to deny so-and-so a too high election lead there. Given extreme poverty in the south (thanks to Sinhala politicians) these districts are highly sensitive to “development” activities. In order to stop that, the other camp relies on federalism which will be a short term win for them but a massive win for TNA, TGTE, etc.
September 1st, 2019 at 5:04 pm
Two petitions filed against Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation
August 27, 2019 05:08 pm
Two petitions have been lodged with the Supreme Court seeking an order declaring the Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation (REDC) of Sri Lanka Bill, which was recently tabled in the Parliament, is against the Constitution.
One of the two petitions was filed by Joint Opposition MP Bandula Gunawardena citing the Attorney General Dappula de Livera as its respondent.
MP Gunawardena claims that certain Articles of the proposed Ruhunu Economic Development Corporation Bill illegally seize the authority vested with the provincial councils under the Constitution.
In addition to this, the REDC Bill has also proposed arbitrary powers to acquire religious places, lands with archaeological value as well as agricultural lands in the Southern Province, the parliamentarian further alleged through his petition.
He has accordingly sought the Supreme Court to deliver an order calling for a two-thirds majority in the Parliament and a referendum to pass the proposed REDC Bill as several of its Articles are against the Constitution.
The other petition challenging the REDC Bi
September 1st, 2019 at 5:26 pm
@Dilrook
What you are saying is the two petitions, one by JO, will win. (It is a proof that as long as 13A exist Sri Lanka is a Federal country)
At least I saw one man asking the same questions as I do.
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypCVYtCA5S8”
(listen to last few sentences). Combined with above clearly JO is not interested unifying the country despite Bana talk ?
I ask ALL WHO LOVE the country to wake up and FORCE all candidates to promise the TWO MAIN demands
1. get rid of 13A
2. get rid of minority laws.
and also, PLEASE STOP PRAISING ANY CANDIDATE and Demand , Demand and Demand. PRAISING = betrayal, enemy of the nation. I believe all these people praising candidates are paid workers.
I have seen many regular commentators who were previously making these demands, COMPLETELY SILENT on this now. They will start these demands again after elections. This has been like this to 15 years of so.
Why ? What’s the point ? They will betray you again and again and you keep on singing “you are my sunshine.. my only sunshine.. “.
September 1st, 2019 at 8:21 pm
”They will betray you again and again and you keep on singing “you are my sunshine.. my only sunshine.. “.
I would replace the word sunshine with MOONSHINE
Moonshine is illegally distilled homemade brew, with a very high alcohol content. It got its name because it was normally distilled at night “by the light of the moon.”
Minds glutted with ignorance cannot understand. Their deaf ears cannot hear. Their blinded eyes cannot see.
I have a gut feeling that we are moving towards a massive flare-up. What put the LTTE on the war path were not the resolutions and declarations and meetings. It was the sound of the bullet…the bullet that was fired into the body of Alfred Duraiappa.
We may not wish it, but we cannot stop the inevitable. What the ballot cannot do only the bullet can. There is apprehension among the political classes of such an eventuality. Just see the frenzy about acquiring bullet-resistant vehicles. It is time that these liars, betrayers of the nation be sent on a new samsaric journey to be reborn elsewhere, NOT in mother Lanka. They have shed all HETHU VASANA to be reborn in the LAK DERANA.
Only the sound of the bullet can awaken the Sinhala from their moonshine induced sleep and blissful dreams to the reality of the surrounding ‘gloom and doom’.
Every man on the street is saturated with sheer disgust. They say: GANDA DEYAK NEHE…PAATALETA GIHIN IVARAI.
The ballot cannot save Lanka.
Mario Perera, Kadawata
September 1st, 2019 at 10:25 pm
@Randeniyage
You are battling a lost cause if you still want SLPP to remove 13A and racist personal laws. In fact, they are now moving back along 13 Plus for more devolution with the possible resurrection of 2007 APRC proposals headed by LSSP Tissa Vitharana. If you remember 2007 APRC (I called it CRAP) was shot down by widespread public disgust.
Please read C. Wije’s article. Should not surprise anyone.
“Confederal saranam gachchami”.
No point appealing to Sinhalese. They are already an economic minority thanks to their politicians and thanks to TNA, SLMC and ACMC getting things done for minority economic prosperity. Sinhalese will be demographically a minority within a few decades if they keep voting for their clans.
Our only hope is Tamils and Muslims. They must totally reject SLPP and stick with their traditional presidential election choice to avoid 13 Plus. Funny thing is even TNA and SLMC didn’t ask for 13 Plus!
Sri Lanka needs no traitors when we have patriots!
Yes; the ballot cannot save Lanka. Nothing can.
September 2nd, 2019 at 2:55 pm
@Dilrook
I knew this much earlier than that !
“Sri Lanka needs no traitors when we have patriots!”. What a statement !
Beautiful words have been raped. “Patriots” gone ! “Yahapalanaya” gone ! “Jaathika Aarakshava” gone !
“Ranaviruwo ” gone !
We thought it was “Aanaviruvos” who were providing “Jatika Aarakshaava” but it was ex-LTTE and Muslims providing for some. We thought it was all Ranil’s work !
But we must still demand! It is not a lot of effort to do that. Just demand !