Lord Naseby says President Sirisena’s action constitutional

April 19, 2024

political Current Affairs

Lord Naseby says President Sirisena’s action constitutional

November 07, 2018

The appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka was unusual, but it was not unconstitutional, British Lord Naseby told the media yesterday. "As far as I can see there is nothing unconstitutional. Every country has its constitution, what has happened in Sri Lanka is unusual but not unconstitutional. But we have had unusual things in the UK. We were supposed to have a fixed term Parliament. Five years fixed but we never got that far, it was cut short, so these things happen."

The Lord said that those involved, especially the President, who was elected, had acted in the interest of the country. "I am quite sure, I have met him on a number of occasions and I think he is a very wise man and whatever the action he has taken would be in the interest of the country. I am sure there are many lawyers who take a different view on the constitution but that’s the challenge with lawyers."

Lord Naseby also expressed his unhappiness at Conservative MP Sir Hugo Swire who told the British House of Commons that the British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt must tell President Maithripala Sirisena that the international community continued to recognise Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the legitimate Prime Minister.

"I am unhappy that a former British Junior minister suggesting that it was unconstitutional. That’s not the role of a UK Parliamentarin . People who take an interest in Sri Lanka of course want to help but I have been very careful. I have never supported any one party and I have never done any business. I would suggest my colleague that he do exactly the same."