LG ELECTIONS AS SCHEDULED: PRIME MINISTER

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday the local government election would be held in March next year as scheduled. He told the National Management Seminar that the government had no intention of postponing the elections and that the various political parties could contest this election on their own.

The Prime Minister said a new constitution which would ensure essential democratic reforms would be in place by 2017.

He emphasized the need for power devolution and said the government would focus on the shortcomings of the existing power-sharing mechanism and decide on appropriate moves on this matter. Recalling that there had been an excessive debate on the 13th Amendment in parliament and a long discussion on the devolution of power in 2000 when a new constitution was presented to the House during the tenure of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, he said such a discussion with the participation of all parties was needed to come up with an appropriate model of government which ensured power devolution.

The Prime Minister said democratic reforms have become crucial today as the discussion at the UNHRC had focused mainly on independent institutions in Sri Lanka including an independent judicial system rather than on the Sri Lankan armed forces. He said the 2016 Budget would be presented in November and the proposals would be implemented by February next year.

Democratic reforms have become crucial today as the discussion at the UNHRC had focused mainly on independent institutions in Sri Lanka including an independent judicial system rather than on the Sri Lankan armed forces