Political package: More powers for PCs

By Yohan Perera

The All Party Representative Committee which was set up to work out a solution to Sri Lanka’s longstanding ethnic conflict is said to be ready with its proposals for the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with full powers devolved to provincial councils.

Minister Rajitha Senaratne told a news conference yesterday the APRC would also propose the holding of elections in the Eastern province and the setting up of an interim council in the North until elections are held there. The Eastern and Northern Provinces were de-merged last year.

He said APRC Chairman Tissa Vitharana would handover the Committee report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa tomorrow.

He said as a means of avoiding confusion the powers to be devolved to the provincial councils and those to be retained by the central government would be listed out clearly. Dr. Senaratne said all constituent parties of the government including the JHU, the Tamil and Muslim parties had agreed to the proposals and he expressed confidence the JVP too would agree.

“The JVP which earlier opposed the provincial councils are represented in those institutions today therefore there is no reason for them to go against these proposals,” he said.

Dr Senaratne said the main opposition UNP too would have no reason to reject the proposals as it was the UNP which originally introduced the provincial councils in 1987.

He said the question of a two thirds majority in parliament would not arise as the proposals would become effective when the President makes a declaration on receiving the APRC proposals.

While indicating the proposals would be implemented within the next few days, he said this year’s Independence Day would be a historic occasion for Sri Lanka.

Source: Dailymirror