Sri Lanka’s Parliament will become the strongest parliament in Asia soon, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says.
The observation was made at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth regional seminar on “Strengthening the role of Parliamentarians in the promotion and protection of human rights” held today (01).
The Prime Minister said that steps will be taken to empower the Parliament more. He also pointed out that the whole approach of the government is to achieve reconciliation and accountability. “There will be no reconciliation without accountability, and accountability without reconciliation,” said Wickremesinghe.
“This is what we’ve been engaged with. The people have given a mandate to the President to reestablish and strengthen human rights in Sri Lanka,” he added.
The Commonwealth seminar will take place from 1 to 3 February in Colombo. Members of parliament, ministers, and human rights experts will attend from Sri Lanka and other Commonwealth Asia countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Maldives, According to the Government Information Department.
The 3-day seminar from February 1-3 was convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), in collaboration with the CPA Sri Lanka Branch for Asia, India and South-East Asia Legislatures.
Sumedha Ekanayake, the Human Rights Advisor of the Commonwealth Secretariat and Meenakshi Dhar, the Director of Programs of CPA also addressed the occasion. Deputy speaker Thilanga Sumathipala, Chief Government Whip and Minister of Parliament Reforms and Mass Media Gayantha Karunathileke, Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana Dr. Wijayadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Foreign Employment Thalatha Athukorala, MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, MP Vijitha Herath and the General Secretary of the Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake also were present on this occasion.
The Asia regional seminar in Sri Lanka is the fourth in the series and seeks commitment to a practical set of actions set out in a declaration as well as support for the establishment of a regional network of parliamentarians dedicated to implementing the declaration.
