By Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa has been the first to respond to President Wickremesinghe’s move to enforce the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The first response to President Wickremesinghe’s request for suggestions in respect of 13A came from Wimal Weerawansa.
The ten-point proposal which emphasizes the power of parliament is very much in alignment with what the President has said :
• Executive powers to the local council should be de-centralized.
• The powers vested in parliament should not be given up or handed over to secondary institutes.
• A provincial development council consisting of local governmental representatives should be set up to formally integrate local governing bodies to carry out the regional development process.
• A chairman and coordinating ministers should be appointed in order to implement the executive powers given to the provincial development council by parliament through laws.
• Provincial and district secretaries should act according to the plans and directions of the provincial development councils.
• To allow the public to play a part in governance as well as to ensure the social responsibility of public representatives and officials, “Jana Saba’s” should be established at the provincial level.
• Setting up a Rights Commission at national and provincial levels to ensure equality.
• To minimize the effects of the caste system, social empowerment laws should be strengthened and empowered.
