"19th amendment created the rift between PM and President" - DEW Gunasekara

COLOMBO (News 1st):- The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress says, it will take legal action against any party, who attempts to abolish presidency prior to the presidential election. General Secretary of the SLMC, Nizam Kariyappar said, that those who are incapable of being elected to such a position, have made such attempts. The General Secretary of the Communist party, D.E.W.Gunesekara commented on this matter. Journalist:- The President said that the 19th amendment to the Constitution should be abolished. He said as a result of the 19th amendment, three individuals have power in this country. In response, DEW Gunasekara says that that he too voted in favour of the 19th amendment to the constitution, which was also the time that the government had decided to bring in the 20th amendment to the constitution. He further said that this was the first step of the 100-day political pledge and said that the 20th amendment aims at abolishing the executive presidency and changing the voting system. He also said that Ranil Wickremesinghe was the one who stopped this because he was not prepared to change the voting system and that everything is now in a mess. Gunasekara says that the crisis in parliament, the complications between the Prime Minister and the President is all because of this 19th amendment. He added that at present the system that we have in Sri Lanka could not be seen in any other country since we have neither an executive Presidential system nor do we have a parliamentary system in the country. Journalist: Do you believe the Prime Minister will take action to resolve this matter? To this DEW Gunasekara says that he is afraid that Sajith Premadasa will become President and that therefore he is trying to change the system. Journalist: Did the Prime Minister meet the President?  DEW Gunasekara says that he believes this discussion should have been one to speak against Sajith Premadasa and that Ravi would have first met him and made the necessary arrangements. Journalist: Does that mean Minister Sajith Premadasa will not be given a place within the UNP? He responded saying that the forces allied with Sajith are now emerging from the grass-root level and that at present even the lawyers association of the UNP is urging Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down and said that for him to hold on any longer would not be easy anymore. Journalist: Do you believe Ranil Wickremesinghe can still be considered as a political intellectual? "He is not only unsuitable but should also retire from politics. That is my view. He is someone who destroyed this country" - he added.   https://youtu.be/v_0S69CCYAE