By: Isuru Parakrama
October 14, Colombo (LNW): The Chief Prelate of the Malwatte Chapter, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera, has voiced concerns regarding the inefficiency of previous governments despite their large number of ministers.
He emphasised that, despite the presence of numerous ministers, deputy ministers, and state ministers in the past, many sectors within the state saw no significant progress.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by Ranjith Ariyarathne, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, on Saturday, 12th October, the Chief Prelate welcomed the decision of the current government to reduce the number of ministers.
He described it as a commendable and positive shift.
“The new administration has restricted the number of ministers, which is admirable. Currently, there are just three ministers managing the state, in stark contrast to the hundreds of ministers seen in the past. Despite those large numbers, some sectors failed to progress, and issues faced by the public remained unresolved,” the Prelate said.
The Chief Prelate further highlighted the importance of reforming the Vihara Devalagam Ordinance, which governs the management of Buddhist temples. He revealed that a document containing proposed amendments had been prepared by the monastic leadership.
However, he acknowledged that the limited number of ministers made it challenging to address all pressing issues, saying, “There is much work to be done, but managing all of this with just three ministers is a difficult task.”
After meeting with the Chief Prelate, Secretary Ariyarathne addressed the media to clarify circulating rumours regarding constitutional reforms. He denied claims that the Ninth Article of the Constitution, which gives priority to Buddhism while ensuring equal respect for other religions, would be removed.
“Neither the President nor any ministers have proposed such a change. The Ninth Article remains intact, and there is no plan to amend it. Even non-Buddhist scholars working with us have stressed the importance of retaining this article,” he explained.
Ariyarathne added that the Ministry of Buddha Sasana had already initiated amendments to the Vihara Devalagam Ordinance.
“We have received a draft from the Attorney General’s office, which has been shared with the Chief Prelates for their review. Based on their guidance, we will move forward with the next steps of the amendment process,” he confirmed.
