PSC on 13A a delaying mechanism - UNP

The government does not have the backbone to even publicize its stand on the 13th Amendment to the constitution, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said today. He added that there were two contradictory views within the government MPs themselves regarding the amendment and that they were going back-and-forth unsure of what to go ahead with. 

The Parliamentary Select Committee was not established to solve the issue but rather as a procrastinating mechanism, he charged.

He said that the government has promised the international community that it will provide a solution beyond the 13th amendment but has so far failed to do so. He pointed out that minority communities and their constituent parties were caught between protecting their Ministerial roles and protecting its community.

MP Kiriella stated that SLMC Leader Minister Rauff Hakeem had accepted a ministerial role in the government and was now silent on these matters although at one time he made his views heard over the 17th constitutional amendment.

Talking about the economic state of the country, Kiriella stated that Sri Lanka currently does not earn enough to cope with debts and interest payments.

He questioned as to where promises in the Mahinda Chinthana pertaining to 500 new jobs for each Pradeshiya Sabha was being implemented.

Kiriella highlighted that unemployment amongst the youth was at 30% and that more and more factories were closing down despite the government promising to open up more factories to increase employment opportunities. He added that around 20 factories had closed down in the Central Province alone.

He also added that the government had no choice but to resort to court orders to stifle protests and demonstrations by trade unions who were dissatisfied with the situation.