Colombo plans District ‘Development’ Ministers to undermine NPC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 October 2013, 23:33 GMT]
In a move to sideline the Northern Provincial Council, the occupying Colombo is to appoint new ‘district-level development ministers’ under its central command by SL presidential sibling and ‘Economic Development’ Minister Basil Rajapaksa, informed circles in Colombo said. Colombo plans to offer the portfolio to a Tamil parliamentarian of UNP who has recently joined the UPFA, although the SL minister Douglas Devananda was promised the ministry earlier, the sources further said. A paramilitary operative, Uthayarasa, of the so-called Sri-TELO is seeking the portfolio in Vavuniyaa where the paramilitary served Colombo earlier. A Sinhala person would be appointed to Mullaiththeevu and a Muslim minister in UPFA is vying for the portfolio in Mannaar, the sources said.

According to the ‘recommendation’ of the LLRC, which is Sri Lanka’s blueprint for securing international recognition to the ongoing structural genocide, districts should be the units and there should be no ethnic-districts.

The Colombo government, which seeks to undermine even the meager powers ‘vested’ with the provincial councils is attempting to recreate the saga of failed District Development Councils, the sources said citing Colombo’s attempt to bring in Amendments and new bills.

The appointment of district-level ministers is expected to take place on 24 October 2013.

Sri Lanka, having at least 66 ministers, would again be described as having a jumbo cabinet when it announces further 25 district level ministers.

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