PA govt. faces no-confidence threat afresh

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 September 2001, 23:34 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's People's Alliance government said Saturday that the no-confidence motion which is expected to be submitted by opposition parties next week afresh would be defeated with the support of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.

Minister D.M.Jayaretna, General Secretary of the PA made this statement following reports that the opposition parties led by the United National Party is to hand in a no-confidence motion against the probationary government of the PA and Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) on Wednesday to the Speaker.

"The government is now having 119 parliamentarians on its side following the Memorandum Of Understanding signed with the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna. The JVP's ten parliamentarians are on our side. Therefore we are now in a position to defeat any move by opposition parties to oust our government," said Minister Jayaratne speaking at meeting held Saturday at Nuwara Eliya.

Earlier, the main opposition United National Party announced that it would submit a no-confidence motion afresh against PA-JVP probationary government on Wednesday.

A spokesman of the UNP said that signatures are being collected from opposition parliamentarians including dissidents of the ruling alliance.

In the meantime, the United National Party Saturday handed over a set of amendments to the JVP leadership which are to be incorporated in the 17th amendment draft bill to the constitution when it is tabled in parliament on Monday. Mr.Wimal Weerasinghe, JVP parliamentarian said his party leaders would speak to the PA leaders Saturday or Sunday on the question of accommodating the amendments proposed by the UNP in the 17th draft bill.

UNP parliamentarian Mr.Mahinda Samarasinghe said that his party would not support the PA-JVP's 17th amendment draft bill in parliament on Monday if their suggestions were not included in it.

Meanwhile the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Saturday sent his determination on the constitutionality of the 17th amendment draft bill to the President and Speaker of the parliament.

The Speaker will announce the Supreme Court's determination in parliament on Monday, authoritative sources said.