Ceylon Chamber welcomes 19 Amendment enactment

    The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), which has been urging MPs to support the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution, on Wednesday welcomed its enactment by the requirement parliamentary majority late on Tuesday.   The chamber also hailed “the crucial roles played by the President, Prime Minister and the leaders of all political parties in arriving at a consensus; in spite of diverse views that prevailed initially, demonstrating their ultimate commitment towards democracy, which augurs well for the country”.   In a statement, the chamber said it recognises the enactment of 19A, as a very important and a positive step taken; especially the inclusion of provisions related to; repealing of the 18^th amendment, creation of the Constitutional Council, independent commissions and recognition of the Right to Information as a fundamental right of citizens.   However, the chamber cautioned that the committee stage amendments to increase the number of parliamentarians in the composition of the Constitutional Council has the potential to compromise its independence and, believed, that the “original clause would have served the interests of the country and its people better than the one on which the President, Prime Minister and the Government were finally forced to compromise on”.