SLFP-UNP agreement: Mahinda, Ranil meet this week

Throwback to Old Donoughmore Committees

by Jayantha Sri Nissanka

Crucial summit talks between the leaders of Sri Lanka's two main political parties, the UNP and SLFP will take place early this week to finalise the modalities between the two parties to address identified key national issues.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who is on an official tour in Australia has cut short his trip and will fly back to Sri Lanka tonight.

SLFP leader President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe are likely to meet on Monday or Tuesday to finalise the working agreement between the two parties, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told the Sunday Observer. The meeting would be a one to one parley, he said.

Though the modalities are yet to be finalised, the two sides have reached an understanding that the structure would be similar to the Donoughmore system, he said. The two parties have agreed to work together for the benefit of the country on key areas like the Ethnic Issue, Electoral Reforms, Good Governance, Economic Development, Nation Building, Social Development.

"Both parties are very much hopeful of striking a final deal to solve national issues genuinely forgetting politics", Minister of Transport and Energy A. H. M. Fowzie said.

According to the draft proposals, there will be Subject Committees where the Chairman of the Committee will be similar to a Cabinet Minister and the Deputy Chairman playing the role of a Deputy Minister.

Other members irrespective of whether they are the members of the ruling party or the opposition would become the members of the Committees.