Presidential task force to monitor development of Sab., NCP

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed a Special Task Force comprising Construction and Engineering Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Judicial and Ports Development Minister Dilan Perera, Western Province Chief Minister Reginold Cooray and Sri Lanka Mahajana Party General Secretary Ranjith Navaratne to monitor the development activities in the Sabaragamuwa and North-Central provinces.

In accordance with the 13th Constitutional Amendment Provision 154-G an Advisory Committee has also been appointed by the President to set up respective provincial councils in the North-Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces, the National Movement for Power Acquiring for Provincial Councils said.

Construction and Engineering Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that the government would implement the 13th Amendment of the Constitution to govern the provincial councils administration. In 1987 under the Indo-Lanka Pact the 13th Amendment came into being and the government was convinced that the implementation of the 13th Amendment was the only solution to the ethnic crisis.

He said that the international community and people in Sri Lanka had focused their attention to the North-Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils elections to be held on August 23. In case the Opposition won the provincial council elections, the efforts of President Rajapaksa to introduce a devolution package would be in vain. The Tamil speaking people and the international community had realized that the implementation of the 13th Amendment in the provincial council administration was of great importance.

Minister Senaratne outlined that Sri Lanka could be isolated by the international community unless the government took positive measures to resolve the core issues affecting the Tamil community. It would be most appropriate to implement this Amendment because a lasting peace could be created and the war could be stopped. It was the bounden duty of all democratic political and non-political organizations to rally under one umbrella to form an effective national movement to introduce devolution of power to all provinces, he said

He also said that under President Rajapaksa’s guidance and supervision a National Movement on Devolution of Power to provincial councils would also be formed.