'Clarify your position PA' says UNP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 March 2000, 18:58 GMT]
The United National Party has requested the Government to clarify its official position on the procedure adopted to implement constitution reforms.

The UNP Chairman Mr. Karu Jayasuriya made this request in a statement issued on Monday after Minister Mr. S. B. Dissanayake once again reiterated the remarks he made earlier that the Government would take steps to close down Parliament and Courts to implement constitutional reforms of the ruling Peoples Alliance.

Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Professor G. L. Peiris, making a statement last week in Parliament on the controversy, went to say that it was not the policy of the government to close down Parliament and Courts to implement constitutional reforms.

Minister Peiris further stated that the government was not contemplating any such course of action and he was making the statement with responsibility as the Minister of Constitutional Affairs.

Mr. Karu Jayasuriya, UNP Chairman said in his communique that the statement of Professor Peiris was a clear manifestation that there is no collective responsibility among the members of the PA Cabinet.

"What is most ridiculous and confusing is that one minister counters what another Minister has said. The other minister on his turn repeats the same once again countering the so-called official position of the government already clarified by another member of the cabinet" he said.