VASU CHEERS FOR AMENDMENTS TO 13TH

Says will strengthen national integration effort :

*Will attend PSC sessions

Ishara Mudugamuwa

Amendments are needed with regard to the 13th Amendment to make it more effective in the bid for national integration, Democratic Left Front leader and National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said yesterday. He said parties such as the UNP, JVP and the TNA are duty bound to represent the people who voted them to power at the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) or else they will be failing in their duty to the people.

Nanayakkara said he and his party would attend PSC sessions on Constitutional Changes.

“I am very happy to be a part of this government as it is an anti-imperialist government which never succumbed to any foreign influence. People have various arguments on the Provincial Council system. But, there is no problem with Provincial Councils as a whole and it only needs some changes,” the minister said.

He said India did not wield any influence on the functioning of Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka.

“India never wanted to create problems in the North since if there are problems it is bound have its spill over in Tamil Nadu. Therefore, the Indian government never wants to see any problem arise in their country,” Nanayakkara said.

If the entire Provincial Council system is to be abolished, it will badly affect peace reconciliation efforts in the country. Though the majority of the Sri Lankan population are Sinhalala Buddhists, there are provinces in the country where other ethnic groups form the majority.

“Hence they have a close relationship with their own local leaders and can easily solve their problems through them,” the minister said.