Govt's stand on 13 A clearly explained

External Affairs Minister Prof G.L. Peiris reiterating the Government's position on the much debated issue of devolving Police powers, told Parliament on Wednesday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has conveyed to the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Sri Lanka could not devolve police powers under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The Minister said that President Rajapaksa had categorically stated the Government's stance when he called on Premier Modi in New Delhi on May 27 after having attended his swearing-in ceremony.

Responding to a statement by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament, Prof. Peiris said that the Government made it crystal clear that devolution of police powers was not acceptable. We have made it very clear to India that the Sri Lankan Government had a definite view on this matter and it does not accept the devolution of police powers, he said. Prof. Peiris told the House that the Government believed that devolving police powers to Provincial Councils was not desired. The Minister said that this is to be treated as above partisan politics.

The Minister said that the bilateral talks between the two Leaders centred on a wide range of matters including Premier Modi's vision for the future of SAARC, economic relations between Sri Lanka and India and the fishermen's issue. There had been no in-depth discussions on Constitutional matters between the two Leaders or their delegations.

Prof. Peiris responding to the Opposition Leader's statement told the House that although five Governments had ruled this country,none of them had felt the need to fully implement the 13th Amendment. The essential component is that there must be agreement among people for its full implementation.

The Minister said on behalf of the Sri Lankan side, they made it very clear that efforts should be made to reach a consensus on this issue. Prof. Peiris who participated in the New Delhi talks said that a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the only viable mechanism to address the issue and that is within the domain of Parliament. The Minister said that they want to find a solution that would stand the test of time and stressed the need for TNA's participation in the deliberations.

The Opposition Leader said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 26. On the following day bilateral talks were held between the two sides.

The media reported that during the bilateral talks, President Rajapaksa had explained the steps taken by the Sri Lankan Government to achieve national reconciliation.

Wickremesinghe said subsequent to the talks, the Secretary to India's External Affairs Ministry, Shrimathi Sujatha Singh in her media briefing had said, "We on our side have urged upon President Rajapaksa that it is important for the well-being of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, that the Thirteenth Amendment be implemented, and that it is also important for it to go beyond. So we are hopeful that this request from the Prime Minister will be listened to and that Sri Lanka will take appropriate action as required."

Wickremesinghe also quoted an earlier joint press statement issued by the two Governments on May 17, 2011 during the visit of Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris to New Delhi to discuss national reconciliation in Sri Lanka, "the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka affirmed his Government's commitment to ensuring expeditious and concrete progress in the ongoing dialogue between the Government of Sri Lanka and representatives of Tamil parties. A devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, would contribute towards creating the necessary conditions for such reconciliation."

The Opposition Leader asked whether the External Affairs Minister would inform the House of the Government's response to this issue raised by the Indian side in regard to national reconciliation? What appropriate action will be taken in this regard? What were the assurances given to the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the then Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the present External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in regard to a political solution for national reconciliation by the President and the Government of Sri Lanka?

Responding to a question raised by UNP MP Tissa Attanayake, Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation and Deputy Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama told Parliament that there was no financial crisis in the People's Bank which had been making huge profits in recent years. MP Attanayake said the People' Bank had earned Rs. 2,262 million Profit Before Tax (PBT) during the first quarter of 2014. Dr. Amunugama said there was no financial crisis whatsoever as alleged by some Opposition politicians. There was a decrease in the growth of loans as the bank could not recover some of the loans granted from 1991-1995 as indicated in the COPE report of 2012. But, that had not caused any crisis.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena who made a special statement in Parliament said that he would tender an apology in the House if anyone in the Opposition could prove their allegation that he had meddled with the preparation of question papers for the GCE (Advanced Level) examination. The Minister said he had never meddled in preparing question papers. He would never permit the examination process to be politicised. The Minister told the House that he had been prompted to make that statement following some media reports that he had meddled in preparing the GCE Advanced Level question papers.

UNP parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa for the first time in his Parliamentary career was called to the Chair to conduct the proceedings of the House on Wednesday. When MP Premadasa was getting ready to leave the Chamber, UPFA MP Mohan P. de Silva who was in the Chair at that time invited the MP to take the Chair so that UPFA MP A.H.M. Azwer could propose MP Premadasa's name to the Chair.

When the MP took the Chair, Deputy Fisheries Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne congratulated him and told the House that he wished MP Premadasa would at least occupy Speaker's chair. Government legislators who also endorsed the Deputy Minister's remark told the House in lighter vein that they too would extend their support. Later MP Premadasa as the chairperson asked UPFA Parliamentarian Arundhika Fernando to continue his speech.

Several regulations moved by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne under the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka was debated in the House on Wednesday. Government and Opposition members who joined in the debate appreciated the moves taken by Minister Senaratne to develop the fisheries sector which was a very positive sign of development.

UNP MP Sajith Premadasa opening the debate on behalf of the Opposition criticised the Government on the fishermen's issue. Government legislators alleged that it was his father who was responsible for the collapse of the inland fishing industry.

However, MP Premadasa commended the goverment's new inland fishing program. The MP in his concluding remarks also praised Minister Senaratne for his performance.

Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday in Parliament demanded to know whether a report containing the recommendations to demarcate the divisions of the Local Authorities had been submitted to the President. Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils A.L.M. Athaulla said that the Minister had been vested with powers to defer Local Government elections by one more year.

He said in the event the delimitation of local authorities could not be completed elections to be held in the first quarter of 2015 would be extended by one year.