S.B. Dissanayake: Sri Lanka’s Electoral System Must Change
Posted: December 10, 2009
By Ranjit J. Perera
Abolishing the executive presidency will not be enough to ensure stability in Sri Lanka, says S.B. Dissanayake, former national organizer for the United National Party (UNP) and former opposition leader of the Central Provincial Council.
“Even more than the system of the executive presidency, there is a bigger problem in this country and that’s with the parliamentary electoral system,” Dissanayake says. “Both these systems have to work together. If we abolish the executive presidency and continue with the same electoral system, there will never be a stable government in Sri Lanka.”
The executive president of the tiny Indian Ocean island is also the head of state of the Republic of Sri Lanka and the head of the executive, the head of the government, and the commander in chief of the armed forces.
Elected by the people and holding office for a period of six years, the president has the right to attend, address and send messages to Parliament at any time. The office also entitles the incumbent to all the privileges, immunities and powers of a member of parliament, other than the right to vote, and will not be liable for any breach of the privileges of Parliament or of its members.
Prior to his crossing over to government ranks, Dissanayake was being promoted by some members of the UNP as a possible presidential candidate. But that was not to be. If he is bitter about it, that bitterness is directed at UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe whom Dissanayake accuses of having appropriated all powers in the party to himself. He accuses Wickremesinghe of being dictatorial and not subjecting the party to democratic norms.
“The system of government (in Sri Lanka) should be democratic,” Dissanayake says. “However, it is very essential that there is a strong leadership.”
Dissanayake made these comments during a wide-ranging interview with SLNN at his residence following his press conference Monday. During that press conference, Dissanayake announced that he was relinquishing all his posts in the UNP and joining the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to secure the victory of incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
After the big announcement, at his home close to the Parliament, Dissanayake, dressed informally, was chatting with well-wishers who were streaming in. The phone rang incessantly as Dissanayake personally answered each call to thank his colleagues and supporters from both sides of the isle.
Dissanayake says if the country is to have a democratic system of government, abolishing the executive presidency will not be enough. He says there needs to be a complete overhaul of the entire electoral system.
“I am not against abolishing the executive presidency,” he says. “But with whatever system, there has to be a strong and powerful government in this country, and that is not possible with the current preferential voting system. So the electoral system has to change.”
Sri Lanka’s electoral system, introduced with the 1978 Constitution, sought to give greater voice to minority communities and interests. Unlike the previous “first past the post” system, the replacement was a proportional representation system where members of parliament would be elected under a district-based list system. However, as Professor Viswa Warnapala outlines in his 2001 book “A Study of the Parliamentary General Election,” one of the weaknesses of the existing system is that since its introduction in 1978, no major party could obtain a majority in Parliament. The only exception was when the UNP obtained 125 seats in the 225-seat Parliament at the 1989 general election.
Although previous presidents and governments promised to abolish the executive presidency, none of them could muster the two-thirds majority required to amend or replace the Constitution. The situation gave rise to the term “constitutional trap.”
The result has been for leaders and governments to work around the problem by forming coalitions and actively seeking defections from the opposition.
Dissanayake’s defection from the UNP back to the familiar SLFP is perhaps one of the most powerful defections engineered by the Rajapaksa administration, which appears to have perfected it to a fine art with reports indicating more cross-overs in the days to come.
Many political observers believe Dissanayake is indeed a plum in the Rajapaksa camp. With retired Army Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s candidacy likely to dissipate some of the euphoria of the war victory, a key strategist and organizer as Dissanayake could make all the difference, particularly with a general election to follow.
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24 Responses to “S.B. Dissanayake: Sri Lanka’s Electoral System Must Change”
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ofcourse yes.There should be a system to remove people like you.
SB’s ability as a election machine (vote
rigging) is gone with the time. He could not do that in the provincial council election. And for the presidential election
he is unable to gathered enough power in two months. And SLFP stalwarts will be hostile to him.
This is the type of politicos we should get rid of, with this type of two tunged double crossers Sri lanka will never step up.
Real FOX.
UNP escaped from this cunning man. But SLFP?
hey sb
waiting to become priminister?? big joke. Thanks Ranil to clean UNP throwing this fox away.
hoo hoo for SB
Horay for SF
SB, whereever you go, you lose. like roni demel. good luck for mahinda this time
True! if Sri Lanka doesnt have a preferential voting system.. people like SB wouldnt stand much of a chance. which is exactly what we need right? so why the fuss?
We cannot compair people like SB TO Fox. Because Fox is better than SB. He crossed over to the MR SIDE mearly his family benifits.
They must first stop MPs and Ministers pole vaulting from side to side for personal gain.
I do not think SB crossed over to SLFP for policy reasons. He is an opportunistic politician thug like any other who look for greener pastures. He is neither trusted by UNP nor SLFP. This is the end of SB and beginning of SF, mark my word.
When HE visited SB at home, the day before he had a press cponference, the HE has promissed him to contest as the Prime MInister at the General Election. So the fox made an attempt to eat the sour grapes in the SLFP
Sadly today most politiciens of main parties do not go by the policies and the principals of the parties but go by who gives most money, positions and though which party they could plunder public wealth.
Shameless SB is one of them. UNP will be pretty happy to get rid of him.
In which ever tongue he speaks, this man while he was the sports miniter tried to frame Susanthika, the finest athlete SL has produced by framing her for drugs due to personal reasons. Just imagine the sports minister trying to frame the finest SL has produced for 50 yrs !!!
Kandy voters are not stupid enough to swing from unp to pa just because this cow sbd changed his mind at the last minute.The irony is why certain people still dont understand why he changed colurs? purely selfishenss.He was dreaming that ranil would ask him to be the candidate representing unp. Worst is idiots like johnston fernando and asath think this guy really could take on the power hungry dynasty. At the current political climate no one could beat the brothers other OUR MAN SF. The victory is in sight!
Mr.S.B.Dissanayake’s argument is correct and he is right.Our present system (preferential voting system) which was created by former President Mr.J.R.Jayawardena is very bad for the country. We need a strong goverment with 2/3 majority in the parliment to take any decisions. But those important decision like changing constitutions etc must be approved by the people.
I strongly beleive that Present President Mr.Mahinda.Rajapakse will win the second term presidency with highest majority of the votes and next parliment election will give him over 2/3 majority in the parliment.
Sarath.Fonseka has no choice and he may be settledown in Oklahoma,U.S.A. or he may have to face for all the corruption charges against him which include the illegal business transection done with his son in law.
Our new Prime minister will be Mr.S.B.Dissanayake.
HOPE HE READ ALL THESE COMMENTS HE GOT. WHO THE HELL VOTE HIM TO GET 80000 VOTES.
SB’s somersault is another clear example of the type of politicians we have in Sri Lanka. They do not have even the minimum of the characteristic required to be leaders. If the likes of SB, Mervyn and the several others continue to be in politics the growing generation will take them as role models and the country will fast move towards further disaster having just managed to come out of one. The people should seriously think of this and act to get rid of this unwanted people from Sri Lanka politics so that public life will be purfified.
SB is an opportunist. Now that he has crossed twice, he will be remembered more for that. SB’s hay days are long gone.
I think SL needs a change in the electoral system, but going back to FPP would be a backward step. We should have a PR-mix system. It is true that PR does not allow one party to get 2/3 majorities. That may be not form ’super-stable’ governments like the olden days, but it will definitely ensure that the major parties cannot unilaterally make all the decision-making in parliament.
Bloody two tongue opportunistic ruthless politicians like SB should not be given any cross over to any party. First, if ruthless politicians like him continue in the Sri Lankan political system, the country never going to change electoral system. Secondly, instead what the country should focus eliminating him first from the electoral system. Thirdly, unfortunately such thing never occurs in the corrupted regimes like MR or RW or another 50 years. Thus, simply he does not have any political future or vision in the country. Fourthly, all he tries to survive his future income because Ranil is the next presidential runner after General SF from the UNP list as General SF will lose this time. If SB stays such a long time, he will be very close to his decease. Having said this, it is very depressing to imagine coldblooded SB let down several hundred thousand innocent people from the central province from provincial election from UNP ticket. Finally, if a person like him continues in the “jumping” political system, this country never - ever going to sense what is social and political harmony. Let’s rock the boat for another 50 odd years without any solution to this mess.
I heard he got 500 000 preferential votes from last election. Not bad as he is. If his a bad man why UNP gave him that crucial national organizer post?
Big Joke
It is a blessing for the UNP that you have left the party. You can only dream a premiership under Mahinda Rajapaksa. The reality would be that you will be out from the next parliment, not because of the electoral system, but for your sins.
you are another political joker if the polical system to be changed and if you agree with it why did you cross over UPFA .is it because they do as what you say.or is it just to extend to be in power.cheating the peple.
SB’s crossover is an opportune time for our country to get rid of international conspiracies to unsettle our country and establish their own goons through opportunists like RW.MS and SF. When you live in a western country only you realise how these pests try to establish their puppet governments in developing country. Most of the people commented so far are blind helpers of international forces through UNP.
why did president Chnadrika in 1994 and President Mahinda in 2006 made a deal with some parties and promised to the general Public that they abolish the excecutive presidency? Are they babies or are we babies?
SB Seeni bola all know it is eaten by young children.This man is worse than a young child.We Kandyan people are very happy to get rid of seeni bola Dissanayake from this great old party UNP.Jayawewa SF
Yes, Mahinda Rajapaksa needs people like SB, Mervin, Jonston to sling mud at General Sarath Fonseka.
No joker is think about the country. Only their power hunger. We have seen how all these political jokers ruled our country. So we need a strong leadership with a clear vision for the future of our country. We can not expect that from UNP or SLFP leadership. So General SF is the man to lead the country.
I don not think SF should abolish Executive Prasidency. He must have the powers and get rid of all these political jokers and bring fresh blood to our political system who can think of a future for our country without their personal gains. GOOD LUCK TO OUR COUNTRY AND PEOPLE