In light of adopting a new anti-terrorism law and amending the electoral system, a political agreement will be sought and for that purpose a period of six months have been given to all parties, revealed President Ranil Wickremesinghe, during the meeting with Samantha Power, Head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday (11).
Nevertheless, should the affair not be carried out that way, the opinion of the country should be sought via a referendum valuing democracy, the President noted, pointing out that these matters cannot be dragged in forever under the guise of political parties.
Commenting on the measures taken by the government to assure democracy, the President stated that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution has been tabled in Parliament and that the first Cabinet Handbook for the administration is to be introduced. Accordingly, procedures are being carried out for the future work of the Cabinet, Wickremesinghe added.
He also revealed that the Parliament Oversight Committees will be reenacted, thereby expressing that the government of Sri Lanka expects the support of the United States in this regard.
The President stressed that the Banking Sector of the country is being operated with a relatively weak atmosphere, and steps, therefore, will be taken to establish the Working Committee on Restructuring Economic Committees and Public Enterprises which comprises the Committee on Public Accounts (CoPA), the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE) and the Committee on Banking and Finance.
A legislative research service will be established in Parliament for the first time in Sri Lanka by opening a parliamentary budget office, Wickremesinghe further noted.
MIAP
