News
Foreign envoys briefed on post-war reconciliation efforts
Amidst deepening political turmoil caused by an unprecedented forex crisis, Foreign Minister, who is also the State Minister for Defence, Prof. G.L. Peiri, has briefed a group of Colombo-based Ambassadors on the progress made by the government in addressing post-conflict reconciliation related issues and measures adopted to further strengthen democracy and human rights.
Foreign Minister Peiris explained that the recent substantive amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the steps being taken to draft a comprehensive counter terrorism legislation to bring it in line with contemporary dimensions of terrorism.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Prof. Peiris has referred to the recent meeting the President had with the Tamil National Alliance and the steps being taken to address some of the issues affecting the people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, including issues relating to the land and PTA detainees’. He also referred to the report of the Committee of Experts on drafting a new Constitution which was recently handed over to the President and assured that steps will be taken to commence broader consultations.
Referring to the Government’s commitment to strengthening the collaborative relationship with Civil Society organizations and the recent decision to bring the National NGO Secretariat under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Peiris briefed the Ambassadors on the regular dialogue the Foreign Ministry has with Heads of NGOs and the commitment to support their work.
Minister Prof. Peiris also referred to the Government’s commitment to implement the recommendations in the Second Interim Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry for Appraisal of the Findings of Previous Commissions and the Way Forward.
The Minister also briefed on the prevailing situation in the country and the steps being taken to address the political and economic challenges in accordance with the Constitution.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasooriya, Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colambage and Senior Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.
It has been reported that Attorney at Law Rakitha Rajapakshe, the son of former Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over alleged links with the underworld.
… alleges NPP trying to implement UPFA, UNP plan
Front-line Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday (24) alleged that the NPP government’s move to amalgamate the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) and the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), under a unified, tripartite governance framework, would be detrimental to the private sector workers.
Addressing the media at Melder Place, Nugegoda, FSP spokesman Duminda Nagamuwa said that the Cabinet of Ministers approved this proposal on 15 June.
Nagamuwa claimed that the NPP was trying to implement what President Mahinda Rajapaksa had sought to do, in 2011, causing the police to open fire on a group of the Export Processing Zone workers, protesting against the move to create a private pension scheme. A worker, identified as Roshen Chanaka, was shot by police on May 30, 2011, and he succumbed to his injuries.
Pointing out that the EPF and the ETF had been established for the benefit of private sector workers but with different objectives, Nagamuwa warned that amalgamation of the two funds could cause unnecessary complications.
The FSP spokesman said that Ravi Karunanayake, in his capacity as the Finance Minister of the Yahapalana government, in late November 2015 had declared their intention to amalgamate the ETF with the EPF.
FSP’s Pubudu Jayagoda told The Island that they expected all political parties, other than the NPP, to disclose their stand on the vital issue. Jayagoda urged the Opposition to take a stand on the vital issue .
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Opposition yesterday argued in Parliament that the National Environment Amendment Bill was unconstitutional. The Opposition said that it violated the 13th Amendment.
SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa argued that the approval of the Provincial Councils was required for the Bill to go ahead, as it was a subject in the Concurrent List of powers as per the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The MP also said that the clause which enables the Central Government to file legal actions against Local Government bodies was unconditional as well, since local bodies are included in the Provincial Councils list.
“How can you go ahead at a time when the Provincial Councils do not function properly,” Premadasa questioned.
ITAK MP P. Sathyalingam also raised the issue, but Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, who responded, said the MPs could raise the relevant matters during the debate.
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