A Comment On A Comment On The Campaign

To Abolish The Presidential System

Laksiri Fernando
( October 27, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) In a recent article titled !o""ent
on t#e !a"$ai%n to bolis# t#e &residential Syste"' (Sri Lanka Guardian, 24 October
2014), &ro(essor G) *) &eiris #as sou%#t to c#allen%e t#e ar%u"ents o( t#e ca"$ai%ners
to abolis# t#e $residential syste" and ar%ues t#at t#e $ro$onents o( t#e ca"$ai%n
o(ten tend to o+erlook t#e circu"stances t#at cul"inated in t#e $ro"ul%ation o( a
ne, constitution in 1-7.)' s #e #as stated t#e "ain inno+ati+e ele"ent o( ,#ic# ,as
t#e introduction o( a syste" o( %o+ern"ent #eaded by an e/ecuti+e $resident elected
directly on t#e basis o( an all0island $oll)'
*is ar%u"ents deser+e care(ul attention (or t,o "ain reasons) First, as #e #as stated,
#e is a no su$$orter o( any $olitical $arty' and ne+er #ad a $ersonal stake on t#e
(ortunes o( any $olitician or $arty)' Second, #e #as not denied t#e e/istence o( certain
ills in t#e $resent situation, i( not t#e syste", ,#ic# #e #as su""ari1ed into t#ree as
(1) lack o( trans$arency in (inancial "atters (2) #a"0#anded decision "akin%2 and (3)
+esti%es in cri"inali1ation o( $olitics)
*is "ain conclusion see"s to be t#e (ollo,in%4 I a" con+inced t#at it is not t#e
e/ecuti+e $residential syste" t#at constitutes t#e root cause (or t#e $re+ailin% ills)'
*o,e+er, #e #as not #i"sel( e/$ressed clearly #is $ro%nosis o( t#e root causes)
5#ree Identi(ied Ills
It a$$ears t#at $eo$le %reatly di((er in identi(yin% t#e 6$re+ailin% or recurrent ills7 in
$resent day $olitics in Sri Lanka and t#eir 6roots causes)7 8ndoubtedly, t#ere cannot be
one root cause (or any ill or ills and t#ere(ore abolition o( t#e $residential syste"
undoubtedly is not a $anacea) In res$ect o( $resent ills, G) *) &eiris #as identi(ied
t#ree, as ad+ocated by ot#ers, but all ,it# certain 9uali(ications as (ollo,s)
Ill 14 Lack o( trans$arency in (inancial a((airs o( t#e %o+ern"ent)'
:uali(ication4 5#e irony is t#at t#is $#eno"enon is bein% #i%#li%#ted by certain
;GOs and se%"ents o( t#e "edia t#at are (ar "ore secreti+e o( t#eir o,n a((airs t#an
t#e %o+ern"ent)'
Ill 24 *a"0#anded decision0"akin% in certain $rioritisin% in+est"ent)'
:uali(ication4 Illustrated by t#e la+is# but under0utilised in(rastructure at <attala,
=eera,ila and >an"initenna, ostensibly "eant (or de+elo$in% an econo"ically
retarded area)'
Ill 34 5#e +esti%es o( cri"inalisation o( $olitics)'
:uali(ication4 %lobal $#eno"enon t#e e/e"$li(ications o( ,#ic# is (ar "ore
$ronounced a"on% our nei%#bours)'
ccordin% to t#e abo+e analysis, t#e ills are not t#at serious t#ere(ore in a ,ay t#e
aut#or is lo%ical and #is $osition is understandable) *o,e+er t#ere are ot#ers,
includin% "ysel(, ,#o see t#e situation "ore seriously and ,#o belie+e t#at ,it# t#e
1.t# "end"ent t#e $residential syste" #as beco"e irre$arable) On "y $art, I #a+e
ne+er belie+ed t#at a $residential syste" is a %ood syste" (or Sri Lanka ,#ate+er t#e
,eaknesses o( t#e $arlia"entary syste" or $olitical re%i"es be(ore)
21 >easons
=#en I ,rote about t#e ?an%er o( t#e 5#ird 5er" and *o, to &re+ent It' (1@ October
2014), a ,ell0"eanin% co""enter asked "e ,#y t#e $residential syste" s#ould be
abolis#ed as an institution) I #a$$ened to %i+e 21 reasons 9uickly as (ollo,s in $oint
(or" but not necessarily in a $articular order) I still "aintain t#e" as reasons ,it#out
any re+ision)
(1) 5#e $resent (a"ily rule de$ends on t#e $residential syste") 5#ere ,ere sy"$to"s
e+en be(ore)
(2) &residential syste" #as encoura%ed t#e "ilitari1ation o( t#e state e+en a(ter t#e
conclusion o( t#e ,ar) 5#is is not recent, but #as ,orsened in recent ti"es)
(3) Aeyond t#e "ilitary, a stron% $olitically coerci+e and ad #oc "ec#anis" #as been
created to su$$ress $olitical o$$onents under &resident7s direct and indirect
$atrona%e)
(4) 5#e $o,er o( t#e state #as al"ost co"$letely "o+ed (ro" ?iya,anna Oya to t#e
5e"$le 5rees)
(@) ll ot#er <inisters includin% t#e &< are "ere $u$$ets in co"$arison to t#e
&resident)
(B) Cey decisions are not "ade in &arlia"ent or in t#e !abinet, but ,it#in an inner
circle o( (a"ily and (ait#(ul bureaucrats)
(7) lt#ou%# t#e &resident "ay attend &arlia"ent #eDs#e is not ans,erable to
&arlia"ent in a $ractical sense)
(.) &residential $o,ers are enor"ous under t#e !onstitution and #eDs#e #as +irtual
i""unity (ro" $rosecutionDle%al accountability)
(-) =it# t#e abo+e $o,ers and resources at #and, a &residents can "ani$ulate t#e
<e"bers o( &arlia"ent 9uite easily) 5#is #as been t#e case in t#e recent $ast alt#ou%#
cru"blin% at $resent)
(10) 8nder t#e $residential syste", t#e (unctions and t#e le+el or 9uality o( &arlia"ent
#as de%enerated alt#ou%# E& syste" is not t#e sole (actor)
(11) 5#e o$$osition #as beco"e ,eak under t#e $residential syste" as t#ere is no
+isible %o+ern"ent in &arlia"ent) 5ake t#e e/a"$le o( ?<F as t#e &<)
(12) 5#ere is t#e $ossibility o( con(lict bet,een t#e &resident and &arlia"ent or e+en
t#e &resident and t#e !abinet like durin% 2002D2004 at any ti"e in t#e (uture
Geo$ardi1in% t#e stability o( t#e %o+ern"ent and t#e country) 5#is instability can be
%reater t#an in a cabinetD$arlia"entary syste")
(13) &resident #as $o,ers to disre%ard, take $o,ers a,ay or dissol+e suc# an
o$$ositional %o+ern"ent andDor &arlia"ent)
(14) $residential syste" is e/tre"ely e/$ensi+e and leads to corru$tion)
(1@) !rony ca$italists and business "ani$ulators can easily rally around a dubious
$resident) 5#is is not $ossible or easy in a !abinet syste")
(1B) 5#e reasons %i+en to establis# an E& syste" by F> ,ere (la,ed or no lon%er +alid)
(17) !abinet or &arlia"entary syste"s are $ro+en to be better t#an a $residential
syste" internationally)
(1.) 5#ere is an in#erent tendency ,it#in a $residential syste" to beco"e
aut#oritarian and dictatorial $articularly in a de+elo$in% and a con(lict ridden society)
5#is is t#e #istory o( t#e $residential syste" in Sri Lanka and in "any countries)
(1-) &eo$le in Sri Lanka #a+e +oted (or $arties ,#o #a+e $ro"ised to abolis# t#e
$residential syste" in 1--4, 2000 and 200@ alt#ou%# t#e elected %o+ern"ents (ailed
to do so)
(20) 5#ere is a broad a%ree"ent a"on% $olitical $arties in t#e o$$osition today and
also so"e in t#e %o+ern"ent to abolis# t#e $residential syste") 5#is is based on
e/$eriential kno,led%e)
(21) lt#ou%# t#e abolition o( t#e $residential syste" is not a $anacea it could be a
s$rin%board (or %reater de"ocratic c#an%es)
In statin% t#e $resent ills o( t#e country, &ro() &eiris #as identi(ied 6cri"inalisation o(
$olitics7 as one but ,it# certain 9uali(ications) =#at #e talks about $recisely is 6t#e
+esti%es o( cri"inalisation7 to "ean t#ere #a+e been i"$ro+e"ents) *e is correct i( #e
is re(errin% to terroris" or cri"inalisation o( $olitics as a conse9uence o( t#at)
*o,e+er, t#e cri"inalisation o( $olitics in ot#er (or"s #as entrenc#ed into t#e
electoral syste" and day to day $olitics bot# in t#e Sout# and in t#e ;ort#) *e #as also
"ade a 9uali(ication as I #a+e already noted to reduce t#e %ra+ity o( t#e
cri"inalisation, 6as a %lobal $#eno"enon7 ,#ic# is 6(ar "ore $ronounced a"on% our
nei%#bours)7 5#is is si"$ly not $rudent)
5#e curse o( t#e $residential syste", in "y o$inion, in contrast to a $arlia"entary
syste" is its entrenc#"ent in $o,er and abuse o( $o,er ,it# $ossible corru$tion) 5#is
is not "erely an indi+idual $roble" but a syste"ic and a structural one) =#y $eo$le
abuse $o,er is a $erennial 9uestion) I( ,e take t#e old a/io" t#at 6$o,er corru$ts and
absolute $o,er corru$ts absolutely7 t#is is "ore rele+ant in t#e conte/t o( a
$residential syste" t#an in a $arlia"entary syste") One "ay ar%ue t#at $residential
$o,ers are constrained ,it# c#ecks and balances) I( t#at is t#e case it is ,ell and %ood
like in t#e 8nited States to a %reat e/tent) Aut t#is is not t#e situation in "any
de+elo$in% and con(lict ridden countries, and $articularly not in Sri Lanka)
&re01-7. !ircu"stances
&ro() &eiris #as identi(ied "any instances o( abuse o( $o,er $rior to 1-7., $articularly
durin% 1-70077 and I don7t #a+e any obGectionH no a"nesia at all) *o,e+er, t#at
abusi+e %o+ern"ent could be o+erturned ,it#in (e, years t#rou%# de"ocratic
elections) <oreo+er, t#ose abusi+e and erroneous $olicies ,ere not an e/cuse to install
a syste" or a structure ,#ic# #as $ro+ed to be "ore $rone to abuse and $olitical #ar")
*e #as said t#at 5#e "ost $ersuasi+e ar%u"ents in su$$ort o( t#e re(or" con+er%ed
on t#e t#e"e o( ra"$ant abuses under t#e earlier 6&ri"e <inister0!abinet7 syste"
constitutionally (ounded on a 6(irst $ast t#e $ost7 syste" o( elections to t#e le%islature)'
5#is is not co"$letely correct i( you %o by t#e ar%u"ents $ut (or,ard by F) >)
Faye,ardene in $ro$osin% a $residential syste" (irst in ?ece"ber 1-BB and de(endin%
it t#erea(ter) I "i%#t (ind occasion to co"e back to t#at 9uestion so"e ot#er ti"e)
5#e abo+e does not "ean t#at t#e $arlia"entary syste" t#at e/isted be(ore ,as abuse
(ree or (ool0$roo() t t#e sa"e ti"e $eo$le ,#o ad+ocate t#e abolition o( t#e
$residential syste" do not or s#ould not consider t#e "ere abolition is a solution to
t#e $resent situation) So"e o( t#e ot#er necessary conditions are as (ollo,s in "y
o$inion)
>einstate"ent o( t#e Inde$endence o( t#e Gudiciary and Inde$endent !o""issions)
5#is "eans t#e 17t# "end"ent in a "ore re(ined (or")
>e(or" o( t#e electoral syste", abolition o( t#e $re(erential +otin% and t#e
reinstate"ent o( electorates ,it# o+erall $ro$ortional re$resentation is necessary to
arrest t#e de%eneration o( $olitical et#os o( t#e <e"bers o( &arlia"ent)
5#e abo+e are "ini"u" structural c#an%es necessary ,it# t#e abolition o( t#e
$residential syste" and t#ere s#ould be "ore $olitical re(or"s necessary in ter"s o(
elections, $olitical $arties and t#e ,ay t#ey conduct elections and $olitics) 5#ere is no
need to say t#at all #u"an ri%#ts s#ould be %uaranteed and de+olution s#ould
continue and en#anced) 5,o "erits o( t#e $resent syste" undoubtedly are t#e
(unda"ental ri%#ts c#a$ter and t#e 13t# "end"ent ,#ic# t#e aut#or #as not talked
about)
Ot#er r%u"ents
5#e aut#or #as identi(ied (our di((erent "erits o( t#e $resent syste" as (a), (b), (c) and
(d)) 5#e (irst t,o are re%ardin% t#e $ress (reedo" and econo"ic liberali1ation not#in%
at all to do ,it# t#e $residential syste" ,#ile bot# are 9uestionable in t#eir
i"$le"entation in t#e $ast as ,ell as at $resent) On t#e #indsi%#t, I also #a+e no
9uestion in a%reein% ,it# (d) ,#ere #e says Sri Lanka ac9uired su((icient stren%t# to
de(eat one o( t#e "ost $o,er(ul and rut#less terrorist %rou$s, des$ite al"ost
insur"ountable obstacles t#at ,ere $laced in t#e ,ay o( its "ilitary and di$lo"atic
e((orts)'
*o,e+er, I don7t see any reason 6,#y ,e s#ould carry t#e ra(t on our s#oulders a(ter
,e #a+e crossed t#e ri+er,7 as t#e Audd#a used to say)
I also see a "erit in ,#at #e says in $oint (c), alt#ou%# e/a%%erated, t#at it is not
$ossible (or any $erson or $arty as$irin% to %ain control o+er t#e le%islati+e and
e/ecuti+e branc#es o( %o+ern"ent to de$end solely or lar%ely on t#e electoral su$$ort
o( t#e "aGority co""unity)' In res$ect o( $arlia"entary elections t#is is because o( t#e
$ro$ortional re$resentation and not because o( t#e $residential syste") s I #a+e
$ointed out be(ore, t#e o+erall $ro$ortional re$resentation s#ould be retained ,#ile
de"arcatin% $eo$le based electorates and t#at ,ould be bene(icial (or bot# de"ocracy
and reconciliation) In res$ect o( t#e $residential stakes, it is already clear t#at electoral
su$$ort (ro" t#e "inority co""unities can be "ani$ulated) 5#ere are +ery clear si%ns
o( t#is "ani$ulation today)
It is not one "an or ,o"an as &resident ,#o could re$resent t#e "ulticultural
con(i%uration o( t#e Sri Lankan society but a $ro$erly elected &arlia"ent) 5o
su$$le"ent to t#at, a Senate could be desi%n to %i+e re$resentation to "ulti0et#nic,
"ulti0reli%ious and t#e di+erse nature o( $ro(essions and +ocations in our society)
!onclusion
5#is leads to "y "ain conclusion on t#e inad+isability o( retainin% t#e $residential
syste" in Sri Lanka ,#et#er t#e country ac#ie+e t#at noble obGecti+e in t#e near (uture
or not)
In co"$arison to a $arlia"entary syste" o( %o+ern"ent, a $residential %o+ern"ent in
Sri Lanka is di((icult to c#an%e) 5#e syste" #ardly allo,s alternati+e %o+ern"entsH one
o( t#e "ain bedrocks in "odern de"ocracy) &eo$le7s so+erei%nty is curtailed) &eo$le
don7t actually #a+e t#e 6$o,er o( %o+ern"ent7 as $er t#e rticle 3 o( t#e !onstitution)
=#en $eo$le elect a &resident, e+en i( it is (ree and (air, t#ey elect only one $erson) It
is like an elected dictatorial syste") 5#e +ariations are only "ar%inal and de$end
solely on t#e $erson) 8nder t#e $residential $o,ers, $articularly a(ter t#e 1.t#
"end"ent, t#ere are %reat $ossibilities o( abusi+e elections, i( t#e o$$osition is not
stron% and united)
5o %i+e $ast e/a"$les, t#e 8;& ca"e to $o,er in 1-77 and continued until 1--4 (or 17
years under t#e $residential syste" and $o,ers) c#an%e t#at year ca"e only by
c#ance in "y o$inion) I( >) &re"adasa ,as li+in% and contestin%, !#andrika
Cu"aratun%a ,ould not #a+e co"e to $o,er in 1--4) 5#e 8&F ca"e to $o,er in
1--4, and continues until today under t#e $residential syste" already (or 20 years)
5#is is #ardly #ealt#y (or de"ocracy) &residential $o,ers in Sri Lanka are like %i+in%
"onkeys ra1or blades)