G. L. tells diplomats:

PSC THE PLACE FOR CHANGING CONSTITUTIONS

*Will convene on July 9

*Hopes all political parties will participate

There is no substitute for a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to ‘resolve in a systematic and all-inclusive manner’ the issues relating to constitutional reform which are now the subject of vigorous debate in the country, External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris told Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Sri Lanka at a briefing at the ministry yesterday. He noted that several Provincial Councils, political parties, academics and professionals had recently expressed divergent views on these issues, and commented that a structured and comprehensive approach is necessary in reflecting on these matters before constitutional amendments are presented to Parliament.

External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris addressing Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Sri Lanka at the briefing at the ministry yesterday. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga is also in the picture.

“Since constitutional reform is necessarily a matter within the purview of Parliament, and a special majority is required, involvement of a Parliamentary Select Committee for this purpose is indispensable,” he said. Prof. Peiris told the envoys

that the government regards consideration of these matters as urgent, and this is why the PSC, the chairman and members of which were named by the Speaker last week, will convene on the very first day Parliament meets in July.

The Chairman of the Committee, Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, is eager to arrive at very early agreement about priorities and modalities regarding the work of the Committee, and decisions in this regard will be made after broad-based discussion, Minister Peiris said.

While issues relating to the 13th Amendment will naturally be in focus, the discussion at the Select Committee is expected to cover a wider range of matters in respect of the Constitution as a whole, he explained.

The minister said the government’s wish to ensure the expression of all points of view is amply demonstrated in many ways.

The government will have 19 members in the Committee and the Opposition 12. This arrangement, he said, is entirely acceptable to the government, although the government is entitled, in terms of the composition of Parliament, to significantly stronger representation.

He said with regard to the terms of reference of the Committee, there had been discussion with the Tamil National Alliance and that their views had been taken into account.

The Committee will function in a time-bound manner, the minister said.

He expressed the government’s wish that all political parties would participate in the deliberations of the Committee.