VIDEO: A constitution is essential for controlling powers of leaders - Karu

A constitution is essential for any country to ensure good governance, control the power given to leaders and to protect sovereignty of the people, UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya stated.

He said that while other countries were working to build constitutions to limit the powers of their leaders, in Sri Lanka constitutions are being made to increase the powers of the leaders.

The senior MP stated that this was evident in the recent past where the government had not considered public opinion or discussed the matter extensively before implementing constitutional amendments but instead passed them as emergency Bills.

He also spoke about the 18^th constitutional amendment which he charged effectively brought about a constitutional monarchy to the country which is now heading towards a dictatorship.

Jayasuriya added that the focus of all this power was around one person and his relatives while politicians at the lower levels were also operating in this manner.

The Opposition MP concluded by stating that the UNP did not see any answers to these issues in the constitutional proposals brought forward thus far by the government.