News
Expert committee led by Romesh de Silva, PC, will draft new constitution within one year-Sabry
By Saman Indrajith
Justice Minister Ali Sabry told Parliament that the government would present the draft of a new Constitution to the House within one year.
Speaking during the debate on the second reading of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution on Thursday (22), the minister said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had appointed a committee comprising nine experts, including several President’s Counsel under the leadership of Romesh de Silva, PC, to draft a new Constitution.
“We will also allow a representative from the estate-workers community in the the hill country to the committee of experts. We have appointed experts from all walks of life into this committee.
“One cannot develop a country by merely establishing some fake commissions. We are dedicated to bring in a new Constitution within a year’s time. Our attempt is to bring in a Constitution which will uphold diversity among our people, give the foremost place to Buddhism, respect each other’s religious beliefs and cultural values and create a long lasting Constitution which is inclusive, forward looking and will serve as a catalyst for national unity, amity, progress and accelerate the economic growth of our country.
“I think we need to show empathy and compassion. We respect our national anthem. It says that we should live as children of one mother. However, for all these decades we have not been able to live in harmony. There is a saying ‘United we stand, divided we fall’. When we fall, we fall together, irrespective of our race and religion; we will be dragging each other down. There are two strong bonds that bind all of us together, one is humanity, second is our nationality.
“Delay in law is a major problem in the country at present. There are 4,000 cases before the Supreme Court. There are 4,000 cases before the Court of Appeal. There are only a very limited number of judges to hear all these cases. Since 1978, the number of judges has not increased in our country. In India, since 1978, they have increased the number of judges by three times. So we have brought in an amendment to solve this issue. I would like to invite all the Opposition MPs to support this amendment.”
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a high-level dialogue titled “Tourism as Soft Power and Diplomatic Capital” held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin Davos, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20.
The session explored how tourism functions as a strategic instrument of diplomacy by strengthening international trust, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation through mobility and people-to-people engagement. The Prime Minister shared the panel with Mr. Kuban Omiraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States and Mr. Meshari Alnahar – CEO Aseer Investment Company, Saudi Arabia.
Addressing global trends, the Prime Minister emphasized that Sri Lanka is an example of hope, recovery and resilience in a world of conflict demonstrating how tourism can play a critical role in a changing global environment particularly amid climate shocks, geopolitical instability, and uneven economic recovery. She noted that tourism is not only an economic sector but also a vital diplomatic bridge that supports livelihoods, builds relationships and connects people.
Drawing on Sri Lanka’s recent experience, she highlighted the country’s strong tourism recovery despite multiple crises, including the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Transparent crisis management and strategic engagement with international partners helped sustain visitor confidence, resulting in record tourist arrivals even in challenging circumstances.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of green and climate friendly tourism infrastructure and underlined that Sri Lanka welcomes long term investment in tourism. She pointed out that tourism supports millions of jobs worldwide and that inclusive policies are essential to ensure fair opportunities, particularly for women and vulnerable communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 20 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized two (02) Indian fishing boats and apprehended seven (07) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan, Jaffna.
The seized boats and Indian fishermen was to be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on January 20 on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
The Prime Minister attended a productive bilateral meeting with Mr. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. During the discussion, both sides focused on strengthening Sri Lanka–EU cooperation and advancing mutual interests.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Mr. Masato Kanda, President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at the WEF Congress Centre. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing engagement and future collaboration between Sri Lanka and the ADB.
In addition, the Prime Minister held discussions with Mr. Hassan El Houry, Chairman of Menzies Aviation, where opportunities for collaboration in aviation services and connectivity were explored.
The Prime Minister also participated in a high-level dialogue at the Global Tourism Forum held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin, Davos, as part of the World Economic Forum engagements.
Dr. Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour, and the Deputy Minister of Finance were also present at these meetings.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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