In a situation where the ministries related to finance and economy are being controlled by Ministers of  UNP,   President Sirisena has no authority to manipulate or manage the economic affairs of the country as per the constitution , said former parliamentarian G. L. Peiris.

He made this sentiment at a media briefing of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) held in Colombo today (24).

“The President recently made a statement without any hesitation that he will take responsibility for all the economic affairs which were in the hands of the UNP for the last three years. He has now awakened from his three year slumber and making statements.”

“However all the weak points of the economy including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade and Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs are in the hands of senior UNP ministers.”

Therefore, Peiris pointed out that President should take over those Ministries from the UNP MPs if he is willing to take control over the economy.
“Otherwise he has no power to do so as per the constitution,” said Peiris.

President Maithripala Sirisena said he would directly manage the economy through a special economic council headed by him, taking over the responsibility from the Prime Minister and the UNP during a political rally of the UPFA on January 20.  

Sirisena joined hands with the UNP to topple Mahinda Rajapaksa  in January 2015, ending the strongman president’s decade in power.

But since then their alliance has fractured, with Sirisena clashing with free-market champion Wickremesinghe over economic policy.