A motion was moved in Parliament yesterday to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to recommend and report on appropriate political and constitutional measures to empower the people of Sri Lanka to live as one nation.
The Parliamentary Select Committee would be entrusted to recommend to Parliament within six months, the appropriate political and constitutional measures to ensure that all people would preserve and promote their respective identities and live with dignity and security as one nation, enhance the unity of people of Sri Lanka and empower the people and country to promote socio, economic, political and cultural development.
The motion also states that the Parliamentary Select Committee is the best to determine the nature and scope of such steps as the committee is comprised of elected representatives of the people.
The committee and its chairman will be nominated by the Speaker while the committee will consist of more than 31 members.
The Parliament Select Committee is empowered to determine its quorum, summon any persons and documents as it deems necessary, obtain the services of specialists and experts in relevant fields to assist the Committee and submit interim reports from time to time.
The motion has been signed by 14 government members including Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prof Thissa Vitharana, Basil Rajapaksa, Arumgam Thondaman, Patali Champika Ranawaka, P. Piyasena, Douglas Devananda, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Rauf Hakeem, T.B. Ekanayake and members Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe and A.H.M. Azwer.
Source: Daily News (24 November 2011)
