SLFP-UNP priority for ethnic issue

KOTTE: SLFP and UNP delegations which met at Parliament yesterday identified the ethnic issue, electoral reforms and good governance as priority issues which should require consensus between the two main parties.

The delegations representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the United National Party met yesterday to continue the discussion which began last Friday.

The sub-committee, consisting of Maithripala Sirisena, John Seneviratne, Prof G.L. Peiris and Malik Samarawickrama submitted their report on Priority Issues requiring a consensus between the Parties in the national interest.

The delegations, after detailed discussion, adopted the report.

The other priority issues, as accepted by the delegations, are the following:

The public Service, Police, Law and Order, National Security, Media, Elimination of Corruption, Economic Development (including Infrastructure Development, Poverty Alleviation, Public Finance), Nation Building (National Identity, Educational Reforms, Cultural Reforms, Environmental Issues), Social Development (Health and Nutrition, Youth Empowerment and Employment).

The delegations appointed six sub-committees entrusted with the task of formulating a series of principles which would serve as the basis of a common national agenda in respect of each of the priority areas identified.

Each committee comprised four members two representatives of the SLFP and two representatives of the UNP. The delegation also appointed a sub-committee consisting of six persons, three from each party, to examine appropriate modalities of collaboration with regard to implementation of the proposed common national agenda.

Each of the sub-committees would report to the plenary on October 3.