Three-member committee to devolve power to East [November 29 2008]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will shortly appoint a high level three-member committee to address the issue of devolution of powers to the Eastern Provincial Council in terms of the 13th Amendment, Minister of Social Service, Roads and IT Education of the Council M.L.A.M. Hisbullah told the Observer Online.

The process of appointing members to the high level committee to coordinate the process of vesting all stipulated powers to the Council has already begun and that the committee would be appointed in a few days. PC Minister Hisbullah said that several shortcomings and delays that were experienced by the Council, since its inception eight months ago, with regard to streamlining administrative powers were satisfactorily sorted out at a recent meeting in Colombo chaired by Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP, he said.

The meeting convened under the direction of the President was attended by several Cabinet Ministers, Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, key ministers of the Eastern PC and high government officials, Hisbullah said. At the three-hour meeting discussions took place on a wide range of subjects, including administrative matters, recruitment and fund allocations for development work as well as resettlement of displaced people and important decisions were arrived at, he said.