On 23 February, the new Sirisena-Wickramasinghe government completed 45 days out of the self allocated 100 days to implement quite an ambitious programme; one, the people never demanded that fast.

My effort to copy the 100 day programme from the official website of Maithripala Sirisena (http://www.maithripala.com/) ran into a regular error that said, “Server is unavailable HTTP 503 - Server overloading due to maintenance or failure to answer. Please contact the administrator of the server if the problem persists.” Couldn’t bother with all that. Therefore this version of the 100 day programme was copied from the Colombo Telegraph (CT).

Forty five (45) days equals one month and a half and close to half the 100 day period this government has been in power. Thus this very short list of comments on the performance of this government during that period is to see where the people are and not so much where the government is, in relation to the 100 day promise. This is how the days went by.

January 2015
· Saturday January 10
The new President, Maithripala Sirisena, will take his oath of office.
This was advanced to January 09 evening in a yet to be explained hurry. Oath was taken in front of Supreme Court Judge Sripavan (now the CJ) around 6.00 pm a few hours after the final results were officially announced. PM Wickramasinghe was also appointed immediately. His appointment was scheduled for 11 January.

· Sunday January 11
A Cabinet of not more than 25 members, including members of all political parties represented in Parliament, will be appointed with Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister
This did not take place as scheduled. The first lot of Cabinet Ministers were sworn in the following evening on 12 January. The number exceeded the maximum 25 promised, with 27 Cabinet ministers, 09 State ministers and 08 Deputies.
On 21 January, another Cabinet minister, a State minister and 04 Deputy ministers were appointed making a total of 28 Cabinet ministers, 10 State ministers and 12 Deputy ministers.
Also the Cabinet does not include members of all political parties represented in parliament, as promised. Notably, the TNA and JVP are not represented.

· Monday January 12
In order to strengthen democracy, a National Advisory Council will be set up inclusive of representatives of parties represented in Parliament as well as Civil Society organizations.
This was constituted and met for the first time on 15 January, not as an Advisory Council, but as an Executive Council. As explained to media by JVP leader Anura Kumara, this has more powers than even the Cabinet of ministers.
IF so, it is wholly unconstitutional and would not be strengthening democracy as promised. No ad hoc body consented to by political party leaders can act and decide above the parliament and the Cabinet of ministers.
As for civil society participation, it is not clear who has been named as there is no public list available and appointments if any have not been transparent.

· Monday January 19
Parliament will meet
Parliament did not meet on this day.
The first parliamentary sittings were on the next day, 20 February.
PM appointee Wickramasinghe does not have a majority. But his government lives with the support of the majority SLFP that pledged to support the 100 day programme. The new Leader of the Opposition Nimal Siripala de Silva said, "We would not oppose everything done by the government just because we are in the opposition. We would support progressive and constructive programmes.”

· Tuesday January 20
The Standing Orders will be amended and, in terms of Proposal 67/10 now tabled in Parliament, Oversight Committees will be set up comprising members of Parliament who are not in the Cabinet will be established and their Chairmanship will be given to representatives of all Ministers in consultation with the leaders of all parties represented in Parliament.
This never happened.

· Wednesday January 21
The process will begin of abolishing the authoritarian executive presidential system and replacing it with an executive of a Cabinet of Ministers responsible to Parliament, and of repealing the 18th Amendment to the Constitution with legislation to establish strengthened and independent institutions, including a Judicial Services Commission, a Police Commission, a Public Service Commission, an Elections Commission, a Commission against Bribery and Corruption and a Human Rights Commission. This will be through a 19thAmendment to the Constitution, which will be presented to Parliament and passed as swiftly as possible.
This too did not happen.
PM Wickramasinghe addressing a public rally at Dematagoda on 19 February said this draft 19 Amendment will be presented in the first week of March for cabinet approval.
The discussion paper on 19 Amendment that is in very limited private circulation and in English language only, is not been officially released to the public in Sinhala/Tamil languages for social dialogue, despite promises for transparency and accountability.

· Thursday January 22
A Code of Conduct will be introduced for observation by all representatives of the People.
Not been mentioned as yet.

· Wednesday January 28
An all party committee will be set up to put forward proposals to replace the current Preference Vote system and replace it with a Mixed Electoral System that ensures representation of individual Members for Parliamentary Constituencies, with mechanisms for proportionality.
This is yet to be done. SLFP general secretary Anura Priyadharshna Yapa wants electoral reforms before the next parliamentary elections.

· Tuesday January 29
A Vote on Account will be introduced in Parliament to implement special measures to provide relief to the people by reducing the rising Cost of Living.
Was presented by new Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. Includes price slashes on kerosene/gas and some commodities. Fuel prices were slashed before the interim budget.

· Wednesday January 30
Salaries will be raised and direct and indirect taxes on necessary goods and services will be reduced.
Was introduced through the interim budget on 29 January.

February 2015
· Thursday February 4
Independence Day will be celebrated with re-establishment of Democracy and Good Governance and the Sovereignty of the People.
Independence Day was celebrated on a low key, without waste of public funds. Democracy and good governance yet to be established.

· Thursday February 5
Special Commissions will be appointed to investigate allegations of massive corruption in the preceding period
Not done.
Cabinet proposal from PM Wickramasinghe was approved by cabinet on 11 February. Necessity for such is questionable except as propaganda, with a Bribery Commission, a Fraud Bureau in police department and the independent Auditor General’s Dept already mandated and in place to handle such.

· Friday February 6
A Bill to implement the National Drugs policy will be tabled, following adoption of the Policy by Cabinet.
Not done.
Was approved by cabinet as an urgent bill and therefore had to go before SC for constitutional clearance. Was cleared by SC as announced by Speaker on 19 February. Minister Rajitha Senaratne announced the bill will be presented in parliament on 05 March. A delay of 01 month.

· Wednesday February 18
Independent Commissions will be established and required appointments made
Not done.
Not possible without 19 Amendment.

· Thursday February 19
The National Audit Bill will be introduced and passed within 3 weeks
Yet to be presented in parliament

· Friday February 20
The Right to Information Bill will be introduced and passed within 3 weeks
Not introduced in parliament.
A RTI draft copy in English language was shared instead with selected few. No effort in officially releasing it for public discourse. Sinhala/Tamil translations also shared with selected few as “not official” on 20 February.
Under Democratic Governance ministry a presentation on RTI was organised on 24 February at SLIDA auditorium for selected invitees from NGO community and from media.
[A short critic on RTI draft - https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/rti-draft-act-2015-concerns-issues-that-need-to-be-addressed/]

The rest below is for the future.
March 2015
Monday March 2
New elections laws will be prepared in accordance with the proposals put forward by the all party committee
Tuesday March 17
Amendments to change the system of elections will be placed before Parliament and passed as swiftly as possible
Wednesday March 18
The National Drugs Policy will be passed by Parliament
Thursday March 19
The National Audit Bill will be passed by Parliament
Friday March 20
The Right to Information Act will be passed by Parliament
Monday March 23
The Constitutional Council will be set up and the process of making appointments to and establishing Independent Commissions will begin
April 2015
Monday April 20
A Parliamentary system will be put in place instead of the Executive Presidential system.
Thursday April 23
Parliament will be dissolved and free and fair elections held under a caretaker government. Following that election, the Prime Minister will be appointed from the party getting the highest number of seats at such election, with a Deputy Prime Minister from the party getting the next highest number.
A National Government of all parties represented in Parliament will be established to govern for a period of at least two years.

Compiled on 24 February, 2015
Kusal Perera
Colombo
(kusalperera.blogspot.com)