Select Committee work stalled

The work of the Parliamentary Select Committee to look into the operation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution has been stalled for more than eight months and attempts by the Committee chairman Minister D.E.W.Guansekera to revive it have failed so far.

Mr. Gunasekera told The Sunday Times that he has spoken to the UNP leadership seeking their co-operation to resume the workings of the Committee but despite assurances, this is yet to happen.

The problem began after the cross over of 18 UNP MPs in January including Karu Jayasuriya and G.L.Peiris who are both members of the Committee. Following this cross over, the remaining UNP members had refused to sit on the Committee with these two.

Mr. Gunasekera had then written to Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara asking that two additional members from the UNP be appointed but has had no response to this suggestion. Mr. Gunasekera said he was seeking to obtain a consensus to overcome the problem that has hindered the setting up of the Constitutional Council and the independent commissions.