PA moves to push Devolution Package
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 December 1998, 22:05 GMT]
The Strategy Research Committee of the ministry of Justice, constitutional affairs and ethnic Reconciliation called all political parties, intellectuals and leading professionals to a discussion on Wednesday, December 3.
The discussion will determine the final and acceptable form of the PA's devolution package which, according to government sources, will soon be placed before the Parliament in the form of a bill to amend the constitution. The Sri Lankan government wants to place the bill on the order paper of the house. The main opposition party the UNP is opposed to the devolution proposals as they stand. A set of proposals submitted by the UNP were rejected by the Government, as were suggestions put forward by the Tamil parties. Political analysts have said that the main issues of contention within the Government's proposals are; the status of the Northeast province and the degree of power exercised by the centre. Analysts have pointed out that amongst others the President retains the power to dissolve the elected provincial councils.
|