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.
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