Constitutional reform:

Opposition support will be sought after January 26

Following the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa on January 26, the Government would invite the Opposition to help it effect Constitutional reforms and should this offer be rejected the Government would dissolve Parliament and go before the people seeking a mandate for such a change, Mass media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said yesterday.

Addressing the Media at the Information Department the Minister said that the tentative Constitutional will include the following:

* To make Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas amalgamating several village Councils into basic units of National Administration.

* Constitute the Northern Provincial Council under the Provincial Council system in a way that consolidate the unitary character of the country

* To establish a Second Chamber or a Senate comprising those that cannot be elected by direct vote, such as religious leaders and professionals.

* To convert Parliament into a State Assembly

* To make Presidency a trustee

* To establish stable peace through consensus.

He said the Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma includes plans to establish five power centres viz Naval, Air, Commerce, Power and Energy and knowledge to accelerate the development of the country and transform Sri Lanka from a third world country to a developed nation.

The Minister said the Opposition had made a belated statement that there was no pact between Sarath Fonseka and the TNA. However, such a pact has been confirmed in an interview given to a journalist of Vasantham FM by TNA Parliamentarian Thurairatnasingham. In any event a denial should come not from Ranil Wickremesinghe but from the TNA themselves.

He emphasized that the TNA’s primary interest was autonomy which Sarath Fonseka has agreed to grant whereas President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not even wish talk about the subject.

United Kingdom Chief Incumbent and Scotland Maha Viharaya Chapter Ven Kamburawala Siri Rewatha Nayaka Thera said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the only Presidential candidate who has adequately looked into the spiritual development of the society simultaneously with the physical development and addressed concerns of Buddhism and all other religions.

Further the Thera added that it is pathetic to note that Credible Change (Visvaasaneeya Venasak) includes only a passing mention on responsibility towards Buddhism and nothing about other religions whereas Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma stresses the need of providing infrastructure facilities to all religious places.

Most importantly it emphasizes the need of reconstructing sacred places which were ruined due to devastating war in the past era, he added.

The Thera said by comparing the two manifestos public could realize which Presidential candidate would serve religion and society most.