Govt to go ahead with PSC

*Launch likely this week

*‘No deadline imposed’

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The government will go ahead with the formation of the Parliamentary Select Committee that would serve as the platform to arrive at a solution to the longstanding national question.A senior government minister yesterday said that the PSC was most likely to be formed within this week.

Meanwhile, the TNA has denied certain media reports that they were against the PSC.

Our sister newspaper the ‘Thinakaran’ quoted MP, M A Sumanthiran of TNA as denying that his party gave an ‘ultimatum’ to the government to come up with a response within 10 days on its three point request made during the discussions that were held between the two parties.

The three issues on which the TNA sought information were, the structure of governance, the allocation of subjects and functions to the central government and the provincial councils, and issues relating to fiscal and financial devolution.

The MP had said that the TNA had not imposed any deadlines, but, its opinion was that if such a response is given forthwith it would help in commencing the next round of talks.

Sumanthiran had also denied media reports that the TNA was trying to drag on with the issue and avoid discussions in the future.

The government delegation earlier had categorically stated that they were not in a position to give an immediate response to the TNA’s three point request as they needed time to discuss issues with relevant stakeholders in order to arrive at a consensus.

They had said that a discussion with other parties was necessary to arrive at a decision.

The ‘Thinakaran’ in their report also said that Sumanthiran while addressing the TNA London branch members a couple of weeks ago, had requested the Tamil diaspora to take a positive attitude towards the talks between the government and the TNA.