Sabaragamuwa and Southern PCs defeat Development (Special Provisions) draft bill

The Development (Special Provisions) draft bill was defeated by the Sabaragamuwa and Southern Provincial Councils on Tuesday.

A total of 33 Provincial Council members voted against the bill while only 14 voted in favour in the Southern Provincial Council, while 20 voted against and 13 voted in favour in the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council.

The bill was also defeated in the Uva Provincial Council while the Northern Provincial Council unanimously decided not to support it.

Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama has announced that bill will be presented in Parliament in February 2017. He also denied that this bill would pave the way for a ‘Super Minister’ as accused by several opposition parties and added that, through this bill, it will facilitate the investors coming here to easily get their work done through a one-stop shop.