Call to make PSC all-representative

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said the powers to be devolved on the Provincial Councils and powers to be retained with the Centre need to be discussed at length at the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).

The Government set up the PSC to bring about proposals which will help unite the country.

A large majority of the Sinhala community feel that this country should be united to enable the three major communities to live in peace and harmony, the Minister told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

“This is what we have to work out. It is the national responsibility of all political parties to participate in the PSC and discuss ways and means of uniting the country so that all communities could live in peace and harmony.

They must present their viewpoints, arguments and proposals to the Committee. If they shirk this, it would mean that they are not accountable to the country.

Minister Nanayakkara said, “We have our own viewpoints and proposals and we will place them before the PSC which is the focal point for all proposals, discussions and interactions.”

He said the Provincial Councils had been set up to achieve this objective.

The Provincial Councils in the North and the East did not function for a long time and the Eastern Provincial Council was set up only recently.

The Northern Provincial Council is yet to be established and it would be an ideal opportunity to develop the province,” he said.